The Afternoon in Solothurn

I'd been meaning to visit Bern's neighbor Solothurn for months now, and I'm so glad I finally did. The architecture is so charming, and it's a tiny city that’s great to walk around (it was freezing when I went, so I bet it's beyond fantastic on a nice spring day).

The French Catholic ambassadors occupied the town for some 250 years, and it shows in the style of the buildings. The city still has a couple of towers and a city gate dating from 1508. One highlight is the Zytglogge (clock tower), the town's oldest building, the lower part being from the 12th century and the upper from 1467. The St. Ursen Kathedrale is one of the first things to catch your eye. The typical late baroque cathedral was built between 1762 and 1773, and it towers over the main Hauptgasse. To the north of the city you'll find the impressive Kunstmuseum (art museum) with free entry, but donations welcomed. The museum is fairly small. Notable artists here include Ferdinand Hodler, Albert Anker, and Cuno Amiet. There are also a few Matisse and Degas pieces.

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Best Way To Get Around:

On foot! It's a small city, and like I said, it has a great Old Town to wander around. The Old Town is mainly pedestrian-only, and the winding cobblestone streets and Platzes are really charming.

I just had Glühwein (like mulled wine) in the bar of the restaurant. It seems to be a hot spot for locals/regulars. It's a little bit smokey, but the local atmosphere paired with the view (it's just across from the Zytglogge) was well worth it.

The museum is only two stories. The permanent collection is all upstairs. To the left are the medieval church-type pieces with a couple of modern depictions of Jesus among them. The next room houses lots of Alpine art, including quite a few pieces by Albert Anker. The central rooms hold a lot of early 20th-century art, including ones by Ferdinand Hodler (among them his famous William Tell piece) and Cuno Amiet, and there are a few Degas, Matisse, and Alberto Giacometti artworks. The last couple of rooms house more modern art from the mid-20th century. Downstairs you find the temporary collections. For more information, you can check out the museum website at www.kunstmuseum-so.ch, but it's entirely in German.

If you're interested in baroque churches, this is a great opportunity to see two great examples within 100m of each other. The main cathedral, St. Ursen, can't be missed. It towers over the Hauptgasse and pretty much over the whole Altstadt (old town). I don't know very much about baroque styles, but it's a neat change from the usual Gothic churches that one comes across in this part of Europe. The smaller Jesuit church is almost hidden. Walk down the Hauptgasse from St. Ursen and you'll see the doors on your left. Stepping inside feels almost like stepping inside a secret world. From the outside, you probably wouldn't suspect the little treasure of a church inside.