Wettingen Abbey

Monks' church

Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee 0 Renowned for its richly carved choir stalls The monks' church forms part of the abbey church and was once accessible only to monks and clergy. It is renowned for its richly carved choir stalls: their clean, angular design is in keeping with the Renaissance style. If you look closely, you will discover some surprising motifs – such as a dog playing the flute, or a cat covering its ears. Objects from the abbey's history In the monks' church, Museum Aargau is exhibiting selected items from its collection, supplemented by significant loans from the

 
Wettingen Abbey

Abbey church

Price Admission free 0 An imposing 13th-century church Wettingen Abbey church was consecrated in 1256 and has been rebuilt several times. It is one of the few early and high medieval abbey churches in Switzerland that has retained its original structure. The church is divided into a sacred and a secular section by an imposing rood screen: the monks' church, with its famous carved choir stalls, was formerly reserved for monks and clergy. The lay church, the secular part of the monastery church, boasts magnificent altars and paintings. The abbey church can be visited during museum opening hours

 
Wettingen Abbey

Museum and tours

Experience interactive exhibitions and tours at Wettingen Abbey. These activities are suitable for adults, families and schools. There are many ways to explore Wettingen Abbey (all tours start at the visitor centre): Exhibitions: a tour of the monks' church and cloister. The Parlatorium and Observatory offer a variety of perspectives on the themes of faith, power and knowledge. The restored abbot's house is also a real gem. "Historia" audio tour: interesting facts from 800 years of monastic history "The Hidden Message" puzzle tour (in German only): a challenging scavenger hunt for young and old

 
Wettingen Abbey

Guided tours for groups

WINTER CLOSURE The Museum of Wettingen Abbey will be closed from November 2026 to March 2027 (winter closure). We look forward to welcoming you from 26 March 2027. Wettingen Abbey offers guided tours for groups. On request, they can also be organised in French. Offers for groups (in German) Contact +41 (0)848 871 200 Send a message Telephone availability: Tuesday to Friday 9 am - 12 pm / 1 pm - 4:30 pm November to March only in the morning

 
Wettingen Abbey

Events

WINTER CLOSURE The Museum of Wettingen Abbey will be closed from November 2026 to March 2027 (winter closure). We look forward to welcoming you from 26 March 2027. Experience Wettingen Abbey! Events and public guided tours take place regularly at the abbey. Calendar of events (in German) Contact +41 (0)848 871 200 Send a message Telephone availability: Tuesday to Friday 9 am - 12 pm / 1 pm - 4:30 pm November to March only in the morning

 
Wettingen Abbey

Abbey and history

WINTER CLOSURE The Museum of Wettingen Abbey will be closed from November 2026 to March 2027 (winter closure). We look forward to welcoming you from 26 March 2027. ABBEY AND HISTORY From foundation to museum History Abbey church Converse and monks' church

 
Wettingen Abbey

Historia

Audio-Tour Admission Museum entrance fee Duration of the entire tour Approx. 75 minutes 0 Discover Wettingen Abbey on the "Historia" audio tour Discover Wettingen Abbey on the "Historia" audio tour. 21 stops take you through the abbey church, the cloister, the medicinal herb garden and other outdoor areas. On the tour, you'll learn fascinating facts about 800 years of the abbey's history: from its founding and the monks' way of life right up to the present day. Discover Wettingen Abbey on the "Historia" audio tour.

 
Wettingen Abbey

Hire rooms

WINTER CLOSURE The Museum of Wettingen Abbey will be closed from November 2026 to March 2027 (winter closure). We look forward to welcoming you from 26 March 2027. Venues (in German)

 
Wettingen Abbey

Observatory

Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee Take a journey through the history of knowledge and belief At the Observatory, take a journey through the history of knowledge and belief in a cinematic installation. Together with a group of pupils from Wettingen Cantonal School, you will visit places that tell this story: from the earliest known cave paintings to the vastness of the World Wide Web. On this journey, you will discover how the monks of the Cistercian abbey understood knowledge in the Middle Ages – and how the expulsion of the monks from the abbey in 1841 was linked to new concepts

 
Wettingen Abbey

Medicinal garden

Admission Free of charge Tradition of monastic healing Today, medicinal herbs, spices, flowers and also certain vegetables grow in the medicinal garden of Wettingen Abbey. The garden showcases the long tradition of monastic medicine. The original location and design of the medicinal garden are not known in detail. It is assumed that, as in comparable abbey complexes, the Wettingen garden was located by the infirmary wing. The garden has been reconstructed at this location, based on the Hortulus book on gardening by the Reichenau abbot Walahfrid Strabo and the St. Gallen abbey plan from the 9th

Gradian
Luftaufnahme vom Schloss Habsburg von Michel Jaussi

Habsburg Castle

Ancestral Seat of a Global Dynasty

The foundation stone of what was to become the Habsburg dynasty was laid at Habsburg Castle in around 1030. Exhibitions, guided tours and events present the history of the legendary castle and its noble family.

WINTER OPENING HOURS

From November 2026 to March 2027, the museum of Habsburg Castle will only be open during the opening hours of the castle restaurant (winter closure).

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

 
Besucher in der Dauerausstellung Schloss Habsburg

Museum and
exhibitions

Explore the castle and ruins  

 
Mädchen bastelt am Familiensonntag am Schloss Habsburg

Events and public
guided tours

Calendar of events (in German)  

 
Eine mittelalterlich gekleidete Magd blickt durch das offene Tor von Schloss Habsburg in die Kamera. Sie hält verschwörerisch den linken Zeigfinger vor dem Mund ("nichts verraten!")

Opening hours
and entrance fees

Open all year round  

 
Wanderer auf dem Weg zum Schloss Habsburg

Getting
here

Directions  

 
Gotische Stube Schloss Habsburg: Rustikaler Raum mit viel Holz und schön gedeckten Tischen.

Food and
drinks

Castle restaurant  

SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND GROUPS

 
Eine Schulklasse sitzt im Kreis im Innern von Schloss Habsburg; am Boden liegen Blätter mit Texten.

For
schools

Guided tours and workshops  

 
Zwei Schüler unter dem Dach von Schloss Habsburg; ein Bub blickt durch ein Fernrohr ins Weite.

For
families

For young knights and princesses  

 
Verkleideter Museumsführer erzählt im Esstheater den dinierenden Gästen am Esstisch Anekdoten auf Schloss Habsburg

For
groups

Guided tours and workshops  

HISTORY AND COLLECTION

 
Virtuelles Schloss Habsburg

History

Residents and construction history  

 
Ein gelber Heizlüfter, Objekt im Sammlungszentrum Egliswil

Collection

Treasure trove of Aargau's history  

 
Grosses Handy in der Hand eines Benutzers, auf dem Bildschirm ist die "Sammlung online" von Museum Aargau dargestellt.

Collection online

Site in German  

Impressions

Aussenaufnahme mit mächtigen Wolken über Schloss Habsburg
Besucher in der Dauerausstellung Schloss Habsburg
Besucherin vor dem Schloss Habsburg mit der VR-Brille
Mädchen bastelt am Familiensonntag am Schloss Habsburg
Verkleideter Museumsführer erzählt im Esstheater den dinierenden Gästen Anekdoten auf Schloss Habsburg
Besucherinnen und Besucher auf dem Königsweg mit dem Schloss Habsburg im Hintergrund
Eine als Kaiserin Sisi gekleidete Museumsführerin führt eine Gruppe Besucherinnen und Besucher durch das Schloss Habsburg.