Habsburg Castle

Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car We generally recommend arriving by car. The steeply sloping access to the castle courtyard is closed off with a barrier. Visitors with reduced mobility may enter the court

 
Lenzburg Castle

Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car Visitors with reduced mobility can park at the rear entrance of the castle by appointment (follow the "Lieferanten/Behinderte" sign). From this entrance (ring the bell at

 
Wildegg Castle

Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car Visitors with reduced mobility may drive up to the castle gate. However, no parking spaces are available here. We kindly ask you to park your vehicle in the general car pa

 
Königsfelden Abbey

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.

 
Hallwyl Castle

Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car Parking spaces for visitors with reduced mobility are available directly adjacent to the castle. There is also a disabled parking space in the general car park. Getting he

 
Vindonissa Museum

Accessibility

Getting here Arriving by car Parking spaces for people with reduced mobility are available at the Eisi multi-storey car park in the centre of Brugg. The short distance to the Vindonissa Museum is flat

 
Wildegg Castle

Bistro

Enjoy the unique ambience of Wildegg Castle in the bistro, on the loggia or the terrace facing the courtyard. Admission to the castle bistro during museum opening hours is free of charge. CHF, EUR and

 
Wettingen Abbey

Contact & About us

Address Museum Aargau Klosterhalbinsel Wettingen (Wettingen Abbey) Klosterstrasse 10 5430 Wettingen Send a message ​​​​​​​ Organisation Museum Aargau Management Member Contact Marco Castellaneta Direc

 
Vindonissa Museum

Treasures from Vindonissa

Admission: Museum entrance fee Useful information The archaeological tour is included in the museum entrance fee . Registration is not required. Adults can also complete the tour without the treasure

 
Vindonissa Museum

Opening hours and entrance fees

Opening hours Regular opening hours Monday closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 1 pm – 5 pm For schools and groups on request additionally 10 – 12 midday Saturday closed Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm *Spe

Gradian
Nordtor auf dem Legionärspfad Vindonissa

Roman sites

North Gate – Porta Decumana

Not only was the North Gate used as a look-out to oversee shipping traffic on the River Aare, the steep embankment in front of it also served as a rubbish tip. Today the latter is an absolute treasure trove for archaeologists. The North Gate can be visited without museum admission.

The discovery of the North Gate (porta decumana) in 1905 was a major breakthrough for early Vindonissa research. Any remaining doubts were finally dispelled: Vindonissa really had been a legionary camp and not a civil settlement.

The gate is situated at the northern periphery of the Windisch plateau, directly above the slope running down to the River Aare.

From here there is an impressive view to the north where the Aare cuts through the Jura Mountains. The Romans had clearly identified the outstanding strategic position of the plateau at the confluence of the Aare, Reuss and Limmat rivers and near to the important Aare gorge to the north. This excellent geographical location at Switzerland's natural moated castle enabled fast and convenient transport of large quantities of goods and personnel for military purposes. The waterways integrated Vindonissa in the vast Roman network of long-distance trade. Good connecting routes for troop movements and furnishing supplies to the soldiers were a key instrument of power in the Roman Empire.

The embankment running down to the Aare was presumably too steep for carriages, which is why the North Gate served another function as well as being a sentinel: large amounts of rubbish were carted out of the camp through the gate and deposited on the northern slope, eventually creating an enormous mound. This mound is an immense asset to archaeological research since it contains thousands of preserved objects - particularly leather and wooden items including some 600 wooden writing tablets. These unique artefacts provide fascinating insights into the everyday lives of the Vindonissa legionaries and can now be viewed at the Vindonissa Museum in Brugg.

The North Gate can be visited without museum admission.