Permanent exhibition Admission Entrance free 0 Stately summer residence The stately abbot's house is situated to the south-west of the abbey, near the river Limmat. You can reach it by walking from the north through the front garden, which has been laid out in the traditional style. Built in 1726 by Abbot Alberich Beusch, the abbot's house served as a summer residence for him and his successors and as a place to receive guests. On the upper floor of the abbot's house, you'll find yourself in a charming living and study area, furnished with period pieces. An animated film projected onto the panelled walls transports you back to the time of Abbot Peter Kälin in the mid-18th century. On the south side of the abbot's house, the abbot's garden slopes down towards the Limmat in a series of three terraces. A central flight of steps leads down into the terraces, which feature ornamental flowerbeds and a fountain. The stately abbot's house at Wettingen Abbey served as a summer residence.
Admission Free of charge Stately summer residence of the head of the abbey Stroll through the abbot's garden at Wettingen Abbey, and imagine how the abbot once received his guests here. The garden extends over three terraces. Stone steps, walls, perennial beds and trellises give the "Gnädig-Herren-Garten" (as it is also called in Wettingen sources) a Mediterranean flair. The abbot's garden (or prelate's garden) was moved several times in the history of the abbey. At one time it was even located on the small island in the Limmat, until it was laid out at its present location as the garden of the abbot's house at the beginning of the 18th century. As the summer residence of the head of the abbey, the garden served as a place to receive visitors. Abbot's garden on Wettingen Abbey. Stately summer residence of the head of the abbey.
Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee The museum of domestic life and prison reveal the lives of lords, rogues and scoundrels. The museum of domestic life and prison of Lenzburg Castle reveal the lives of lords, rogues and scoundrels. Come and explore! Domestic life museum: how lords and ladies lived In the museum of domestic life it feels as if the lords and masters had just left Lenzburg Castle. Filled with original furniture, it provides an insight into the different eras in which the castle was inhabited. In the late medieval kitchen, for example, you can look into the cooking pots, smell the exquisite spices or inspect the kitchen utensils of the time. You'll enter impressive rooms from the 18th century with hand-printed fabric wallpaper all around and a matching tiled stove. The bathroom with its golden taps bears witness to the luxurious life of the industrialist's wife Lady Mildred, who lived in the castle with her husband Augustus Edward Jessup from 1893 until the 20th century. Many other rooms display exquisite objects and give an impression of how the inhabitants of Lenzburg Castle have lived over the centuries. Prison: where rogues and crooks ended up The prison, by contrast, is cold and damp. Enter an original preserved cell from the 17th century and decipher the inscriptions carved into the wood by prisoners. Instruments of torture such as thumbscrews show the methods used in the penal system at that time. The execution sword, with which rogue king Bernhard Matter was the last person to be executed in Aargau in 1854, has been preserved in its original form. Domestic life museum and prison. Exhibition at Lenzburg Castle. The museum of domestic life and prison reveal the lives of lords, rogues and scoundrels.
Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee The "Knighthood and Nobility" exhibition focuses on the Middle Ages. Medieval fans will find plenty to interest them in the "Knighthood and Nobility" exhibition: discover how three great Swiss noble families organised their rule and the legacy they left behind. From the 11th to the 15th century, the Lenzburgs, Kyburgs and Habsburgs ruled Lenzburg Castle. This 400-year history of rule is presented in the residential and south tower, the oldest part of the castle. Audiovisual shadow plays show how the three great noble families fought out conflicts, who played what role in the empire, and how they organised their dominion. Visitors can learn how noble youths were prepared for their future task as rulers, how they learned to handle weapons while hunting, and how they participated in the cultural life at court. Selected original objects bear witness to an eventful time. Knighthood and Nobility. Permanent exhibition at Lenzburg Castle. The "Knighthood and Nobility" exhibition focuses on the Middle Ages.
Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee Visit Fauchi, the castle dragon! What would Lenzburg Castle be without Fauchi! The castle dragon is loved by all young visitors. At the dragon research station you can find out all about the castle's legendary inhabitant. Fauchi: are you brave enough? Anyone with enough courage can visit the castle dragon Fauchi at Lenzburg Castle. Enter his dark cave full of hissing, smoke and ominous rumbling. It's an unforgettable experience for castle visitors of all ages! According to legend, the castle dragon Fauchi hatched from a dragon egg many years ago on the castle hill. He is far less frightening than his ancestors, but meeting him can still be a little scary! Dragon research station If you want to know what the legendary dragon likes, how he lives, what his dragon skin feels like or how long his claws are before you visit Fauchi, the dragon research station is the place to go. There, young researchers can examine a collection of teeth, claws and bones, learn about the different types of dragons, and discover the secret of Fauchi's origins. Fauchi and the dragon research station. Exhibition on Lenzburg Castle. Visit Fauchi, the castle dragon!
Discussion Lab Admission Museum entrance fee Registration Not required (recommended for schools) Hundreds of questions in one room Built around 1600, the Parlatorium was one of the few rooms in the abbey where speaking was once permitted. Today, Museum Aargau invites visitors here to engage in conversation about faith, power and knowledge – and poses hundreds of questions on these topics. Choose one of them and embark on a journey of discovery through the Parlatorium: through conversation, play, or via interactive text, image and film installations. The exhibition was developed in collaboration with pupils from the Wettingen Cantonal School, which is also based on the monastery peninsula. Their perspectives on the themes of faith, power and knowledge build bridges between this place's past and the present day. At the weekend, school pupils usually welcome visitors to the Parlatorium. They have been trained as hosts for this role. The Parlatorium at Wettingen Abbey was one of the few rooms in the abbey where speaking was once permitted.
Permanent exhibition Admission Museum entrance fee 0 A place of meditation with a significant series of stained-glass windows The well-preserved cloister, with its Romanesque and Gothic tracery, evokes the tranquillity that once characterised life within these walls. Small gravestones of monks buried here are set into the flagstone floor. At the heart of the cloister lies the idyllic cloister garden. The cycle of stained-glass windows in the cloister is particularly valuable. Private donors, friendly abbeys and the Swiss cantons have all donated these significant cabinet windows to Wettingen Abbey. The earliest examples date back to the 13th century. Cloister Chapel with the Wettingen Christ Child Above the altar of the Cloister Chapel hangs the sacred image of the "Wettingen Christ Child". The wooden painting miraculously survived the devastating abbey fire on White Sunday in 1507. The monks saw this as a sign from heaven. The "Christ Child", marked by burn holes, has been venerated ever since. The cloister at Wettingen Abbey: a significant series of stained-glass windows. An exhibition by Museum Aargau.
Experience the Romans live! Events, public guided tours and family Sundays take place regularly on the Vindonissa Legionary Trail. 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 Impressions
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
ABBEY AND HISTORY From foundation to museum History Abbey church Converse and monks' church
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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.
