Aargau's Historical Sites

Aargau is a canton with a remarkably dense layer of history, and a good number of its best sites are run by Museum Aargau, which maintains castles, abbeys and Roman remains across the region. The canton lies on the main routes between the Rhine and the Alps, and it has been settled and fought over since Roman times. Many visitors drive through on the way to somewhere else, yet this is among the most rewarding corners of Swiss history, but those who stop find a rich collection of places that suit a day trip or a longer tour.

The castles are the most visible. Lenzburg Castle, on a hill above the town of the same name, is among the oldest and largest castle complexes in Switzerland and has been a residence, a prison and a museum. Hallwyl Castle, a moated water castle near the Hallwilersee, shows how a noble family lived over several centuries, with its surrounding pond and gardens. Habsburg Castle, near Brugg, was the ancestral seat of the Habsburg dynasty, which grew from this small stronghold into the ruling house of the Holy Roman Empire and later Austria. Wildegg Castle, above the Aare valley, has furnished rooms, a manor-house atmosphere and a garden that grows historic plant varieties. Each of these sites has its own character and story.

For Roman history, Vindonissa at Windisch is the key site. It was the only Roman legionary camp in Switzerland, a base for thousands of soldiers in the 1st century AD, and the Vindonissa Museum and the Vindonissa Legionary Trail explain the daily life, tools and buildings of the camp. The trail links parts of the ancient camp in the modern town, and the museum holds finds from soldiers’ lives. Nearby, the former Königsfelden Abbey, founded by the Habsburgs in the early 14th century in memory of King Albert I, has a church with remarkable medieval stained glass. Further south, Muri Abbey, a Benedictine monastery with a Baroque church, and Wettingen Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery with a well-preserved cloister, add to the monastic heritage.

Some places, such as the Egliswil Collection Centre, the museum’s storage and research site, are open only for guided tours, so check in advance if you want to visit. Opening days and times differ between sites, most of them are closed or reduced in winter, and entrance fees vary, so consult each site’s own page before you travel. Public transport reaches most of the main places, though a car makes it easier to combine several in a day.

The sites suit history fans, families with children who like castles and school groups. A sensible plan is to choose one castle, one Roman or monastic site and one town, and add more on another day. It makes a good counterpart to a stay in Zurich, Basel or Bern.