Canton Solothurn

13 April 2021

Solothurn (Soleure) has a long history that goes back to the prehistory of the Celts and the Romans. The Celtic name of the settlement was Salodurum (watergate), a name adopted by the Romans.

The town became a free imperial city (freie Reichsstadt) of the Holy Roman Empire in 1281. For two centuries, it acquired the territory of the present-day canton of Solothurn (the last enlargements date from 1530). After a period of alliances, Solothurn became a full member of the Confederation in 1481.

The canton’s capricious borders indicate a complicated process that lasted many centuries. The territory was disputed by (noble) families, abbeys, other cities (cantons), and other contenders.

The numerous monuments and buildings showcase the city’s development in terms of religion, military, politics, and commerce.

Solothurn remained Catholic, as witnessed by the Jesuit church (1680-1689) and the seat (since 1828) of the diocese of Basel. Basel adopted the Reformed faith between 1525 and 1529. The bishop first moved his seat to Porrentruy (Pruntrut) and, in 1828, to Solothurn.

One of the many unique historical buildings is the Zeitglockenturm, built in 1545. The astronomical clock has three functions. The clock indicates the hours of the day and night, as well as the location of the sun and the moon. The tower was built in 1152 by Duke Konrad of Zähringen (1090-1152) as part of the castle.

The defensive walls and the eleven bastions were demolished in the nineteenth century, except for the Riedholzturm and the Krummturm.

The many beautiful streets, well-maintained public and private buildings, and monuments give a good impression of the city’s grandeur and wealth. The town was the location of the French embassy to the Confederation for more than 250 years (1530-1792).

The lucrative commercial ties with France focused particularly on the mercenaries’ business. The French king was very impressed by the Swiss fighting spirit and power. This trade financed many splendid public and private buildings in the city.

The town is a true (baroque) jewel along the river Aare nowadays.