[1] During the High Middle Ages the land that would become Burgdorf was owned by the Kingdom of Burgundy and then after 1080 by the Dukes of Zähringen.

In 1077 and 1084, a fortification on the Emme was mentioned, but the specific castle was not named, but it may have referred to Burgdorf.

[4] In 1090, the Zähringens inherited the lands of Rheinfelder family when the last male heir died.

In 1127, Duke Konrad of Zähringen received the Rectorate over much of Burgundy from Emperor Lothair III.

However, on 5 April 1384 the Neu-Kyburg counts were forced to sell the towns and castles of Burgdorf and Thun to Bern for 37,800 guilders in exchange for peace.

[3] During the 1798 French invasion and the creation of the Helvetic Republic, the last Bernese administrator, Rudolf of Erlach, worried that the castle would be plundered or burned.

Then, in 1800, the famous educator Heinrich Pestalozzi established a school in the castle.

[6] Only four years later, the cantonal administration took over the castle and converted it into government offices.