Solothurn - Main Sights

Main Sights

The old town was built between 1530 and 1792 and shows an architectural combination of Italian Grandezza, French style and Swiss ideas.

In 1980, Solothurn was awarded the Wakker Prize for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage.

Solothurn is home to 18 structures that are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. The religious buildings on the list are; the Visitation Convent, the Jesuit Church with Kollegium (Lapidarium), the Swiss Reformed Church on Westringstrasse and the St. Ursen Cathedral. There are four civic buildings on the list; the old Armory which is now the Cantonal Museum, the Rathaus (town council house), the State Archives at Bielstrasse 41 and the nearby Central Library at Bielstrasse 39. Two other museums are on the list, the Art Museum and the Naturmuseum. There are two houses and two public objects on the list; the Haller-Haus (former Bishops Palace) at Baselstrasse 61, the Sommerhaus Vigier at Untere Steingrubenstrasse 21, the Mauritius Fountain and the city clock tower. Two castles are listed; the former Blumenstein Castle and Steinbrugg Castle. Finally, the list includes the old city of Salodurum which was a Roman era Vicus and the medieval and early modern city as well as the city walls. The entire old city of Solothurn is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

Sights include:

• Besenval Palace
• Cathedral St. Ursus (1762–73). It was begun by Gaetano Matteo Pisoni and completed by Paolo Antonio Pisoni. The interior has stuccoes by Francesco Pozzi and canvasses by Domenico Corvi.
• Church of the Jesuits (Jesuitenkirche, 1680–89)
• Clock tower (Zeitglockenturm, 12th century)
• Gate of Basel
• Gate of Bienne
• Landhaus
• Museum of the Old Arsenal (1609–14), housing the most ancient collection of armor in Europe.
• Old town
• The Verena Gorge and the Hermitage
• Waldegg Castle
• Weissenstein mountain
• Aarhof
• Krone