Solothurn (French Soleure), capital of the canton of the same name, lies astride the river Aare at the foot of the Jura hills. Numerous Renaissance and Baroque buildings bear witness to the one-time splendor of the town, which in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries was the residence of the French ambassadors to the Confederation.
The number 11 is significant for Solothurn. It was the 11th canton to join the Confederation in 1481, there are 11 churches and chapels, 11 historic fountains and 11 towers. St Ursen Cathedral has 11 altars and 11 bells and its staircase is divided into sections each with 11 steps.
The town of Salodurum ranked with Trier in Germany as one of the oldest Roman settlements north of the Alps. In AD 303 two members of the Theban Legion, Ursus and Victor, were martyred here. Solothurn joined the Swiss Confederation in 1481.
North of the Solothurn Museum of Art is the Schloss Blumenstein Historical Museum, with collections of applied art (patrician domestic interiors of the 18th C.).
Address: Museum Blumenstein, Blumensteinweg 12, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland
In Hauptgasse, which runs between the Marktplatz, is the Jesuit church (1680-89) with an interior decorated with stucco work by Ticenese artists. In the cloister is an interesting lapidarium with Roman inscriptions.
In the Solothurn Marktplatz is the 12th C. clock tower (Zeitglockenturm), with mechanical figures (1545) of a king flanked by Death and a soldier. Close by is the Mauritius fountain decorated with a figure by the famous master Hans Gieng of Fribourg.
The Old Arsenal (Altes Zeughaus, 1610-14), northwest of the cathedral in Solothurn, houses the largest collection of arms and armor of Europe. The extensive arsenal has weapons and uniforms from the 16th and 17th C. to the present-day.
Address: Museum Altes Zeughaus, Zeughausplatz 1, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland
On the western outskirts of Solothurn, St Mary's church (1953) has the largest stained-glass windows in the country (some 100 sq. m/1,076 sq. ft) by H. Stocker.
Almost opposite the Old Arsenal is the Solothurn Rathaus (Town Hall), of the 15th and 17th C., with a fine Renaissance doorway; in the north tower a cantilevered winding staircase dates from 1632.
Not far to the west of the Weissemstein area at Altreu is the oldest and most well-known stork colony in Switzerland with at present over 200 wild storks.
This popular tourist destination, Alt Falkenstein in Balsthal, houses a museum with a diverse collection of items. Highlights of the Alt Falkenstein Local Museum include arts and crafts, a ceramic collection, fossils, weapons and three rooms furnished in 18th and 19th century style.
Address: Alt Falkenstein Heimatmuseum, Einschlagweg 6, CH-4710 Balsthal, Switzerland
Hours:
April 20 to October 28: 2pm-5pm; Sun:10am-5pm; Sat:10am-5pm; Closed: Mon, Tue
Schloss Waldegg is a center for culture which has communication between the regions of Switzerland as its aim. The museum depicts the history of the French embassy in Solothurn (1530-1792).
Address: Schloss Waldegg, Waldeggstrasse 1, CH-4532 Feldbrunnen, Switzerland
Hours:
April 30 to October 31: 2pm-5pm; Sun:10am-5pm; Closed: Mon, Fri
November 1 to December 19: 10am-5pm; Closed: Mon, Fri, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
There are numerous walks along marked paths around the Nesselboden, of which the Planetenweg (Planet Way) is recommended. It represents on a scale 1 to 1 billion the distance between the sun and the planet Pluto. Other walks encompass the flora (Botanical Garden) and geology of the Jura.
For safety reasons visitors to the "Nidenloch" caves must report to the Gasthaus Hinterweissenstein before and after visiting the caves. In the entrance are wire cable ladders; stout footwear is essential.
Schönenwerd is a village with a variety of buildings from different eras. The Paul Gugelmann Museum and the Bally shoe museum are highlights for visitors.
One of the earliest collections of shoes and shoe related items can be found in Schonenwerd, west of Zurich. Housed in the 18th C. home of Mr. Bally who founded the company in the middle of the 19th C., it is one of the most important shoe collections in Europe.
The Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments houses the collection of Dr. H.C. Heinrich Weiss-Stauffacher with over 500 mechanical instruments and orchestrions on display.
About 10km/6mi northeast from Solothurn is the medieval little town of Wangen, with a very well-preserved medieval center which is almost of a square design. The covered wooden bridge over the Aare was built in the 16th C. Worth seeing are the parish church of the Holy Cross and St Maria (1825; 14th and 15th C. frescoes) and the castle (restored 1680; Baroque ceiling paintings by J. Werners). The Gemeindehaus by the clock tower contains documents about the town's history and ceramics.
The little picturesque town of Wiedlisbach was, like Solothurn, founded by the Counts of Fribourg (ca. 1280). A corner tower remains from the old fortifications in the "Hinterstädtli", and in St Catherine's chapel (Katharinenkapelle; 1338) there are Late Gothic frescoes. The Kornhaus contains a small local collection of ceramics, glass and tin from Bernese and Solothurn studios.
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St Ursen Cathedral
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