Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car Visitors with reduced mobility can park at the meeting centre of Königsfelden Psychiatric Services. From there it is about 4 minutes to the convent church on a level path. Getting here Arriving by train and bus From Brugg railway station, bus lines 361 (towards Windisch) and 362 (towards Mellingen Heitersberg) run to the "Windisch, Zentrum" stop. The journey time is about 4 minutes, followed by a flat route to the convent church taking about 5 minutes. This route involves crossing roads. Getting here Access to the Abbey Abbey and exhibition Wheelchair users : The exhibition rooms in the abbey church are wheelchair-accessible. Blind and visually impaired: Audio guides are available. Some objects can be touched by blind and visually impaired visitors. There is no Braille labelling. Hearing impaired: The exhibition does not have an induction loop system. Audio guides are available. A display copy of a publication containing texts on the exhibits can be borrowed from the ticket office. People with intellectual disabilities: There are no labels in simple language. Museum and exhibition Toilet facilities There is a disabled WC at the entrance to the convent church.

Tour of the Abbey complex

Visit the exhibitions at Königsfelden Abbey and travel back to the time when the convent church was built. The Habsburgs built Königsfelden Abbey on the ruins of the Roman legionary camp of Vindonissa. Today, the convent church with its impressive stained-glass windows is the most important surviving feature of the former Abbey. The convent church can be explored on your own. Museum Aargau offers self-guided tours and audio tours (in English). Take a stroll through the idyllic church complex, where Franciscan monks and Poor Clares once lived. There are special offers for schools and groups . Opening hours 1 April to 1 November 2026 Tue – Sun, holidays: 10 am – 5 pm Mon: closed

Abbey, stained glass windows & history

CONVENT CHURCH & HISTORY The Abbey complex Impressive convent church Stained glass windows Late medieval glass painting History A king's murder and the foundation of the Abbey

Events

Castle Estate & History

Wildegg Castle Estate includes all lands and properties outside the castle walls. It comprises numerous buildings to this day including Gasthof Bären and an organic farm. Wildegg Castle Estate has undergone many changes and conversions over the course of the centuries as a result of sales and purchases. In around1770 it achieved its maximum extent of approximately 120 hectares of cropland, meadows, vineyard and commercial premises. From the 18th century onwards the Effinger family sold off parts of the property. Along with the Castle Estate, the Effinger family also held governing rights over the villages of Möriken and Holderbank - including taxation and lower-level legal jurisdiction. The family passed judgement on smaller-scale offences, appointed the priest and was allowed to open commercial enterprises such as inns and mills. Apart from the fishing rights, these governing rights were lost when the French invaded in 1798. After 1912, the Swiss Confederation was able to buy back some of the properties sold by the Effinger family such as Gasthof Bären in Wildegg. Today the estate has a surface area of some 100 hectares and comprises 37 buildings, a vegetable and pleasure garden, an organic farm, grapevines, forestry and fishing rights. In 2011, Wildegg Castle Estate was converted into a foundation of the same name. The foundation is responsible for administering the entire estate. Museum Aargau runs the museum and takes care of the gardens. The aim is to give visitors the opportunity to experience all the facets of a Baroque castle estate in situ. Enquiries and contact +41 (0)848 871 200 schlosswildegg@ag.ch Telephone availability Tuesday to Friday 9 am – 12 midday 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm History Under Habsburg rule Wildegg Castle was built in the first half of the 13th century by order of the Habsburgs. Perched on a ledge with a striking main tower and residential annex, the castle was first mentioned in 1242. It was the seat of a branch of the Habsburg family that belonged to the lower gentry, the stewards of Habsburg and Wildegg. Before 1348 the castle was granted to the Lords of Hallwyl as a fief by the Habsburgs. Thüring I of Hallwyl had the complex elaborately modernised in 1372. More Less 13/14th c. Under Bernese rule When Aargau was conquered in 1415, Wildegg Castle also fell to the Bernese. The Hallwyls sold the castle in 1437. After various changes of owner it was purchased by the City of Bern. In 1483 it was then sold along with all its lands and rights to Kaspar Effinger, a member of the Aargau gentry. More Less From 1415 The Effinger family Wildegg remained in the possession of the Effinger family for eleven generations until 1912. The Effingers belonged to the lower nobility and appeared in the town of Brugg in the 14th century where several of them were mayors. When they purchased Wildegg, the Effingers also acquired Bernese citizenship rights and were among the ruling families of Bern from 1680. The castle virtually burned to the ground in 1552 after being struck by lightning. It was then reconstructed in the Late Gothic style. In around 1700 Bernhard Effinger had the castle converted into a Baroque manor house, with extended gardens replacing the demolished fortification structures. In the 17th century and again in the 19th century the Effingers also owned nearby Wildenstein Castle in Veltheim. However, the last owners in the 19th century preferred to reside in the more comfortable Erlachhaus and at the country house in Wildegg. More Less 1483-1912 Under the ownership of the Swiss Confederation In 1912 the last in the family line, Julie von Effinger, bequeathed Wildegg and most of its furnishings and lands to the Swiss Confederation. Zurich National Museum turned the castle into a residential museum which has been open to the public since 1917. The castle underwent extensive renovation in 1938 and then again from 2007. More Less 1912-2010 Under the ownership of the canton of Aargau Since January 1st 2011 the castle and its estate have belonged to the Wildegg Castle Estate Foundation established by the canton of Aargau. Museum Aargau is responsible for running the museum. More Less Since 2011

Collection

The Museum Aargau Collection has been assembled from various holdings since 1830. It consists of bequests from Aargau's castles and monasteries, numerous donations, objects acquired from company archives and targeted purchases. The Collection is constantly being expanded and documents Aargau's history in tangible form through objects that can be experienced. Collecting, preserving, researching Collecting, preserving and researching objects are among the core tasks of a museum. A collection strategy defines the criteria according to which objects are collected. When an object is added to the Collection, it is inventoried, documented and preserved for storage by experts. If necessary, it is restored. The objects thus form the basis for research and for exhibitions that use originals to make the past come alive. The items on show in the permanent and special exhibitions of Museum Aargau (including the castles) and other cultural institutions are a mere fraction of what is stored in the Egliswil Collection Centre. Numerous objects are waiting to be exhibited and shown off to the public in the coming years.

Guided tours for groups

An excursion to the Vindonissa Legionary Trail is packed with highlights for groups. Some of the offers can be booked in English on request. Swap your jeans for a Roman tunic and follow the legionaries on a journey back to ancient times. In addition to self-guided tours of the Roman sites , the Vindonissa Legionary Trail offers fascinating guided tours, workshops and other offers for groups. Explore 2,000 years of history at Vindonissa, watch and listen as you are transported back into the lives of the legionaries and their officers. The Vindonissa Legionary Trail offers one tour in English (see below). Other offers can be booked in English on request. Please contact our advice & sales team for details. 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

Tours for schools

Wettingen Abbey offers guided tours and workshops for schools. These can also be booked in English on request. Offers for schools (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

Vindonissa

MUSEUM SITES IN VINDONISSA Vindonissa Legionary Trail The Roman adventure park offers play/theme tours, events, roman overnight stays, guided tours and much more. Vindonissa Museum The Vindonissa Museum in Brugg presents the most important finds from Vindonissa, the only Roman legionary camp in Switzerland.

Guided tours and events

The Egliswil Collection Centre is not open to the public. From February to December a public guided tour takes place on the first Tuesday of each month. Event calendar (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