Coordinates:
47°13′N,
7°32′E
The city of Solothurn (German: 
Solothurn?, French:
Soleure, Italian: 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
The city was founded around AD 14–37 by the Celts, and was later 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
Clock tower (
Zeitglockenturm).
The Aare seen from the cathedral.
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
- Old town
- Clock tower (Zeitglockenturm, 12th century)
- 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)
- The Verena Gorge and the Hermitage
- Waldegg Castle
- Landhaus
- Museum of the Old Arsenal (1609–14), housing the most ancient
collection of armor in Europe.
- Besenval Palace
- Gate of Bienne
- Gate of Basel
- 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
See also
External links
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![Solothurn [zoom] (Switzerland)](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Karte%20Schweiz.png)
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