Solothurn, Switzerland

Solothurn, Switzerland
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solothurn-weissenstein.jpg
Author: Gestumblindi
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Solothurn is a Swiss city and capital of the eponymous canton in Switzerland. Situated at an altitude of 430 m (1,411 ft), it covers 6.28 sq km (2.42 sq mi) and has a population of 16,000 people (2011 estimate).

Solothurn is located on the banks of the River Aare, at the foot of the Weissenstein, in the Jura mountains. It is often regarded as the most beautiful Baroque city in Switzerland. This ancient city was established by the Celts and later taken over by the Romans around AD 15-25.

Solothurn is one of the few Swiss towns that did not convert from Catholic to Protestant during the Reformation. Today the town has some small industries in precision engineering and watch making. It also conducts farming on a small scale.

Baseltor, one of the gates of Solothurn
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solothurn_Baseltor.JPG
Author: Jungpionier
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Altes Zeughaus, Solothurn
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solothurn_Altes_Zeughaus.JPG
Author: Jungpionier
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Visiting Solothurn

You can take a train to Solothurn from Geneva, Zürich, Bern and cities in between. There are also ferry boats connecting Solothurn with Biel/Bienn.

Sights & Attractions in Solothurn

Altes Zeughaus
This four-storey Baroque building was formerly an arsenal. Today it serves as the military museum. On display is a large collection of swords, suits of armour, cannons, and also a tank from World War II.
Jesuitenkirche
This magnificent building of High Baroque architecture was built in 1680-89 for the Jesuit church. Its plain exterior hides an ornate interior embellished with frescoes and stuccowork.
Kunstmuseum
Despite its small size, this art museum has a number of Old Masters including Madonna of Solothurn (1522) by Hans Holbein the Younger and The Madonna in the Strawberries (1425) by an anonymous artist.
Rathaus
The town hall of Solothurn, located on the east side of the town square, is an ornate building in the Mannerist style. The construction carried out over successive stages resulted in its present-day complex appearance.
Riedholzschanze
A medieval bastion on the northwestern corner of the Old Town. It is part of the defensive walls that once encircled medieval Solothurn.
St Ursen Kathedrale
This huge cathedral is the main church building in Solothurn. It was built between 1763 and 1773 in the Neo-Classical style.
Zytglogge
This clock tower is the oldest building in Soloturn. It was built in the 15th century while its astronomical clock was added in 1545. Every hour a procession of mechanical figurines appear, among them a knight, a figure of Death and the King of Jesters.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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