Exploring Aarau's Painted Gables

Aarau, the capital of the canton of Aargau, is a small, compact town on the Aare, and its old town has an unusual claim to fame: the decorated undersides of its roofs. The eaves of many old houses project far out over the street, and the underside, which is visible from below, is painted with patterns, flowers, scrolls and other motifs. In German these are called Dachuntersichten, and locally the term Dachhimmel, roof sky, is used. They have given the town the nickname Stadt der schönen Giebel, the town of beautiful gables, and a walk with your head tilted back is the best way to see them.

The tradition of painting the eaves dates from several centuries ago, with many of the surviving examples from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and later restorations. The wide eaves served a practical purpose, protecting the walls and the street from rain, and in a prosperous town they also gave owners a space to display their taste. The decoration varies from simple geometric patterns to elaborate floral compositions, and some include coats of arms, figures and scenes. Colours are strong, mostly reds, blues, greens and yellows, and they have been renewed over the years to keep them bright. Because they are above eye level, the paintings are easy to miss if you do not look up, but once you notice them they appear on almost every street.

The old town is small and mostly pedestrian, with cobbled lanes, fountains and small squares. It is dominated by the Oberturm, the upper tower, one of the oldest surviving parts of the medieval town, and by the town hall and other civic buildings. The houses are tall and narrow, with steep roofs and shuttered windows, and many have shops and cafés at street level. Walking from the railway station through the old town to the Aare takes only a few minutes, so it is easy to fit a visit into a day trip from Zürich or Basel.

Aarau also has a link with one of the best-known scientists in history. Albert Einstein, after leaving school in Germany, spent a year at the cantonal school in Aarau in 1895 and 1896, living with a local family, and he later said that the liberal atmosphere of the school helped him. A thought experiment he is said to have conceived there, about what it would be like to ride alongside a beam of light, is often described as an early step toward his theory of relativity. A plaque and local tours mention the connection.

The painted gables are best seen on foot, and a guided walking tour can add context and stories, though it is also easy to explore alone with a map from the tourist office. The streets are free to enter and open at all hours. The district suits photographers, architecture lovers and anyone who enjoys small towns. Allow one to two hours for a walk through the old town, and consider combining it with a visit to the Aargauer Kunsthaus, which is a few minutes away. Bring a camera with a good zoom, since the details are high above the street.