Solothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.
Architecture
The city calls itself Switzerland's largest Baroque City.
The old town was built between 1530 and 1792 and shows an architectural combination of Italian Grandezza, French style and Swiss ideas. In 2003, it had a population of 15,300.
Geography
Situated on the Aar river, at the foot of the Jura mountains.
Sights
- Old town
- Clock tower (Zeitglockenturm)
- Churches: cathedral St. Ursus, church of the Jesuits (Jesuitenkirche)
- Weissenstein mountain
- The Verena Gorge and the Hermitage
- Waldegg Castle
History
- c. 14-37 foundation of the celtic Salodurum
- 932 Foundation of the St. Ursenstift by the Burgundian queen Bertha
- 1218 Solothurn becomes a free city
- 1481 Solothurn becomes a new member of the old Switzerland
- 1530-1792 the French Ambassador to the Swiss resides in the city.
There is a little more about the French Ambassador Jean Chevalley who took the post in 1530, on .
The Number 11
Solothurn has a special affinity to the number eleven.
The Canton of Solothurn was the eleventh to become part of the Swiss Confederation. There are eleven churches and chapels, as well as eleven historical fountains and eleven towers. The St. Ursus cathedral has eleven altars and eleven bells, and the stairs in front of the cathedral have levels between every eleven steps.
A local brewery has named itself Öufi, which is Swiss German for eleven, and produces a beer with the same name.
