Foundation and construction of Wettingen Abbey The Cistercian Abbey of Wettingen was endowed in 1227 by Heinrich II of Rapperswil. Little is known about its foundation. Legend has it that, in distress at sea he called upon the Virgin Mary for help and promised her an abbey if he was rescued. The storm subsided. A bright star, the Maris Stella, appeared in the sky, which Heinrich interpreted as a sign from Virgin Mary. Count Heinrich of Rapperswil, tracing of a lost 17th-century mural in the cloister of Wettingen Abbey. (Zurich Central Library) Back home, it took him some time to find the place
History A king's murder and the foundation of the monastery The German King Albrecht I fell victim to a conflict within the Habsburg family on May 1st 1308. His nephew Johann felt cheated out of his inheritance: Albrecht administered it after the death of Johann's parents but he did not let Johann himself take possession of it. Together with other conspirators, Johann murdered his uncle Albrecht on the high plateau in Windisch. The murder shook the House of Habsburg to the core, since the Albrecht's death meant the family lost its German kingship. In memory of the murdered King Albrecht, the
The depots and archives now contain hundreds of thousands of items and archaeological information that sheds light on the world of the Romans in Vindonissa. Some of this treasure trove is now on show at the Vindonissa Museum in Brugg. In Windisch it is possible to view the structural remains dating back to the time of the legionary camp in the form of stations along the Legionary Trail. The terrain in Windisch and Brugg continues to yield spectacular archaeological discoveries to this day. The most recent examples are the site of the eastern camp gate discovered by archaeologists of the canton
