Solothurn

Solothurn, Fr. Soleure, canton (1993 pop. 234,900), 306 sq mi (793 sq km), NW Switzerland. Very irregular in shape, Solothurn lies mostly in the Jura Mts. It is an important road and rail center. Cereals are grown and cattle are raised in the fertile valley of the Aare River. Manufactures include watches, jewelry, cellulose, paper, cement, auto parts, cotton textiles, shoes, iron and steel products, and electrical-communications equipment. The population is mainly German-speaking and Roman Catholic. Industry is largely concentrated in the towns of Olten and Solothurn (1993 pop. 15,600), the capital. Situated on the Aare, Solothurn was a Roman settlement called Salodurum. It had been a free town of the Holy Roman Empire since 1218 and was admitted to the Swiss Confederation in 1481. Until 1797, Solothurn was the residence of the French ambassadors to the Swiss diet and a center of cultural life. The town retains much of its historic character. It has old fortifications, a 13th-century clock tower, a 15th-century town hall, and the 18th-century Cathedral of St. Ursus and St. Victor, the see of the bishop of Basel and Lugano.

The city of Solothurn (German: , Soleure, Soletta) is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.

Geography

Solothurn is on the Aare river, at the foot of the Jura mountains.

History

This Celtic settlement was renewed around AD 14–37 by the Roman emperor Claudius, and became a Roman stronghold (castrum) under the name of Salodurum. Its strategical importance lay in the position at the approach to the Rhine from southeast.

In the Middle Ages the settlement grew around the remains of the Roman fortress and the religious house of St. Ursen, dedicated to Ursus of Solothurn, founded in the 8th century. In 1127, it was acquired by the dukes of Zähringen, and became a free imperial city in 1218 when that dynasty extinguished. After the alliance with Berne in 1295, it became part of the Swiss Confederation. In 1382 the Habsburgs attacked the city, involving Solothurn in the Battle of Sempach. By the treaty of two years later, the Habsburgs renounced all claims to the territory of the city. The latter was expanded by acquisition of neighbouring lands in the 15th century, roughly up to the today's canton area.

In 1481, it obtained full membership in the Swiss Confederation, and in 1530–1792 it was the seat of the French ambassador to the Swiss. On October 15, 1817, Tadeusz Kościuszko, the national hero of Poland and United States died in Solothurn and was initially interred at the local cemetery.

In 1828 Solothurn became the seat of the Bishop of Basel.

Rock band Krokus was formed in Solothurn in 1974.

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 2004, it had a population of 15,137.

In 1980, Solothurn was awarded the Wakker Prize for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage.

Main sights

• Besenval Palace
• Cathedral St. Ursus (1762–73). It was begun by Gaetano Matteo Pisoni and completed by Paolo Antonio Pisoni. The interior has stuccoes by Francesco Pozzi and canvasses by Domenico Corvi.
• Church of the Jesuits (Jesuitenkirche, 1680–89)
• Clock tower (Zeitglockenturm, 12th century)
• Gate of Basel
• Gate of Bienne
• Landhaus
• Museum of the Old Arsenal (1609–14), housing the most ancient collection of armor in Europe.
• Old town
• The Verena Gorge and the Hermitage
• Waldegg Castle
• Weissenstein mountain

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.

Sister cities

• Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, since 1981
• Kraków, Lesser Poland, Poland, since 1990
• Le Landeron, Berne, Switzerland, since 2003

See also

• Solothurner Literaturpreis

External links

• Official site
• Every Shop in Solothurn on Smagoo
• Solothurn tourist office
• Virtual Citytour