Page 92 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

EXPERIENCE MORE

5 6 Solothurn (1522) by Hans
Holbein the Younger.
Olten Solothurn Ferdinand Hodler’s dramatic
depiction of William Tell
! D3–D4 £ @ ! C3 £ @ n Hauptgasse emerging from the clouds,
EXPERIENCE Mittelland, Bernese Oberland and Valais
n Frohburgstrasse 1; 69; www.solothurn-city.ch
www.oltentourismus.ch painted in 1897, is iconic.
Acclaimed as Switzerland’s
The small town of Olten is set most beautiful Baroque city, St Ursen Kathedrale
in a picturesque location on Solothurn was founded by ' ⌂ Hauptgasse § 032
the banks of the River Aare. Celts but later became the 626 46 46 # Church: 8am–
Pedestrian access to the old second-largest Roman town 6:30pm daily; tower: Apr–
part of the town is provided north of the Alps. From here, Oct: 9:30–5:30 Mon–Sat,
by the Alte Brücke, a covered boats depart for Biel/Bienne, noon–5:30pm Sun
bridge dating from 1802. and explore a particularly
The Old Town is dominated scenic stretch of the Aare. Altes Zeughaus
by the tall Gothic belfry of a Solothurn’s monumental " ⌂ Zeughausplatz 1
church that was demolished Neo-Classical St Ursen # 1–5pm Tue–Sat, 10am–
in the 19th century. There are Kathedrale, was built from 5pm Sun ∑ museum­
many fine historic houses, 1763 to 1773, and is flanked alteszeughaus.so.ch
particularly on Hauptgasse by friezes depicting the city’s
and along the Old Town’s patron saints, Ursus and Kunstmuseum
riverbank. Also of interest are Victor, martyred by the " ⌂ Werkhofstrasse 30
the 17th-century monastery Romans. The treasury in # 11am–5pm Tue–Sun,
church and the Neo-Classical the crypt is open for guided 10am–5pm Sat & Sun
Stadtkirche, which dates from tours only. The climb up to ∑ kunstmuseum­so.ch
1806–12 and is decorated the bell tower is worth it
with detailed paintings by for the sweep ing views
draughtsman and caricaturist over the rooftops to the 7
Martin Disteli. Many works surrounding countryside.
by this local artist, along Nearby is the former Weissenstein
with 19th- and 20th-century arsenal, the Altes Zeughaus, ! C3 n Solothurn,
paintings, installations and now a museum of militaria, Hauptgasse 69;
sculpture, are exhibited in including arms and uniforms www.solothurn-city
the Kunstmuseum. used by Swiss mercenaries
who served as bodyguards Some of the most spectacular
Kunstmuseum to popes and French kings. views of the Mittelland can be
" ⌂ Kirchgasse 8 # Tue– The town’s small art gallery, enjoyed from the summit of
Fri 2–5pm, Sat & Sun 10am– the Kunstmuseum, contains the Weissenstein, a ridge of
5pm ∑ kunstmuseum­ some fine Old Masters, the Jura that rises like a
olten.ch inclu ding the Madonna of rampart 1,284 m (4,213 ft)

The beautiful Baroque city
of Solothurn located on the
banks of the River Aare
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