A Small Window and the History of Rheinfelden
2 March 2026
In the spring of 1802, the last Austrian garrison commander left Rheinfelden. This marked the end of more than 450 years of Habsburg-Austrian rule. Although the Swiss Confederates had already conquered Aargau and Habsburg Castle from the Habsburgs in 1415, the Fricktal remained under Habsburg control until it was assigned to the newly created Canton of Aargau by the Act of Mediation of 1803.
This Act of Mediation was drawn up by Napoleon together with the old cantons after the French occupation of 1798 had led to the abolition of the Old Swiss Confederacy and the establishment of the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803). From 1803 onward, there were two Rheinfeldens: one in the Canton of Aargau on the left bank of the Rhine, and a German Rheinfelden on the right bank.
The first Capuchin monastery was built and consecrated outside the city in 1598 and rebuilt within the city in 1657. The monastery was dissolved by the canton of Aargau in 1804.
Despite the withdrawal of the last Austrian soldiers in 1802, the Austrian coat of arms can still be seen prominently in many places in Rheinfelden (and also in other locations within the Swiss Confederation) to this day. This is also the case on the façade of the Commandant’s House (Commandantenhaus), the former residence of the garrison commander.
Gustav Kalenbach-Schröter (1821–1901). On the right is the commander’s house, on the left is the Capuchin church. Collection: Fricktaler Museum, Rheinfelden
The Commandantenhaus
The earliest foundations of the Commandant’s House date back to the first half of the 13th century. At that time, the site was part of an expansion of the town and was developed with stone houses for the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie. In 1613, the Commandant’s House underwent extensive renovation; magnificent late-Renaissance frescoes and painted ceiling beams from this period have been preserved.
The ceiling on the ground floor
These were uncovered and documented again during a 2003 renovation. Specialists also demonstrated that the house was originally significantly larger and was divided into two buildings in the 19th century.
One of the most remarkable discoveries, however, was a 13th-century Romanesque window. This window was found during the renovation of a pillar in the Commandant’s House. The pillar had originally been part of the wall of a 13th-century house that was later demolished—possibly as a result of destruction during the 1634 siege. Only the pillar with the window remained and was incorporated as a load-bearing wall of the Commandant’s House.
The garrison bakery (Garnizonsbackhaus) on the same street was built in 1732.
The window is the best-preserved Romanesque arched window in the Canton of Aargau. It features lilies and two columns of mythical creatures. Particularly interesting is the Gothic pointed arch that later replaced the original Romanesque round arch—possibly after the earthquake of 1356. In a later phase, the window was narrowed to a slot window. All three architectural styles have been preserved, however, and since the restoration in 2003, they have been presented together.
At first glance, a window in such a supporting pillar appears unusual, but this can be explained by the fact that it was originally installed in the wall of a house that was later demolished. The magnificent frescoes and ceiling paintings have been left in their original condition in part and restored in part.
There are probably more murals, including on the outside of the Commandantenhaus, i.e. on a wall of the house that no longer exists. However, these remain hidden for the time being under various layers of paint and lime.
The Commandantenhaus today
The location of the Commandant’s House is also of interest for another reason. Until 1657, the house stood on Neugasse, also known as Neustadt, an extension of the town of Rheinfelden. From 1657 onward, however, the street was renamed Kapuzinergasse, after the construction of the Capuchin monastery and monastery church. The former monastery outside Rheinfelden was destroyed during the Swedish siege of 1634 during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) and was rebuilt within the town.
Today, the Commandant’s House largely retains the appearance of its 17th-century façade (apart from its later division into two houses). The interior is now used as an atelier and a modern residential space.
(Source and further information: H. Leuzinger (Ed.), Zeuge der Frühzeit von Rheinfelden und repräsentativer Bau der Spätrenaissance, Rheinfelden 2008)