The Thea Sisters are characters from Italian youth educational books created by Elisabetta Dami and published by Edizioni Piemme and Atlantyca S.p.A in Milano, all rights reserved, This drawing is inspired by the design of these characters present in this series of books. The Thea Sisters are five girls (Paulina, Colette, Violet. Nicky and Pamela) who travel all over the world and solve investigations. I have always been impatient that a book where the story takes place in Switzerland finally comes out but this isn’t the case yet for the moment and so I made this illustration where they visit the castle of Chillon; - ) And yes, a castle at the same time coming from me, I don’t think that surprises you !!

I put on this images the character of Will Mystery which generally appears only in specials books where he lives a reciprocal idyll with Paulina and given that I wanted to put a couple in my painting so I said to myself as much to put an canon couple in my pictures even if there is little chance that this boy appears in other books of the series except the special books.

Paulina is a girl from Cuzco, Peru. Colette is French and lives in Paris when she comes from Arles in Provence. Violet is from China and her parents are a known conductor and singer. Nicky is Australian and lives on a ranch in the bush. Finally Pamela is of Tanzanian origin but she was born in New York.

Chillon Castle

It’s in 1150 that the Chillon castle is mentioned for the first time. At that time the fortress is the property of the Counts of Savoy which also controls the passage leading from the lake to the Alps. Pierre II of Savoy enlarges the castle during the 13th century, although he and the other counts of Savoy live there only during the summer. It’s a Castellan bailiff who lives there permanently to manage it.

Chillon is finally abandoned by the Counts of Savoy who prefer other castles of their territory. It’s the Bernese who will take possession on March 29, 1536 after 3 weeks of siege that will give life and colors to the walls of the monument. Under the Bernese, Chillon became the seat of the bailiwick of Vevey and will preserve during 260 years a role of fortress and prison as well as arsenal. The Bernese will improve the defenses of the castle to adapt them to new firearms. The bailiffs will eventually leave it because too isolated and uncomfortable to stay in a newer building in Vevey from 1733.

The revolutionary spirit that agitated France a few years ago could not stop at the borders, in 1798 the Vaudois with the assistance of the French revolt against the Bernese occupation. In 1803 The canton of Vaud is founded and joins the Helvetic confederation. Chillon became the property of the state of Vaud.

The old fortress subsequently became a weapons depot and state prison. The first visitors of the castle are found in the company of prisoners . This fortress prison inspired the English poet Lord Byron during his visit in 1816 for his poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” which made the castle famous, whose text is inspired by the story of the prisoner François Bonivard. The castle and its geographical location between lake and mountain inspires many artists fascinated by this landscape.

Around 1880, the archaeologist Albert Naef led a campaign of scientific restoration of the monument that continued after 1900. Restoration work is regularly undertaken since then. What makes this castle a perfect example of feudal architecture very well preserved.

Chillon is the most visited historical monument in Switzerland with an average of more than 300,000 visitors a year.