St. Ursus Cathedral
Sign up free — See who's going and message them.
Is this your place? Get the badge for your websiteAbout
More photos 5
1 / 5
What's on here
Why go
- Switzerland’s most significant early Neoclassical building, built in light-coloured Solothurn marble.
- Three flights of 11 steps lead to 11 altars and a 66-metre tower with 11 bells.
- Jean-François Doret’s multicoloured marble pulpit, made in 1772.
Opening hours
Today08:00 – 18:30Show all
Don't miss
- Facade reliefsJohann Baptist Babel carved these reliefs in 1774–75, depicting Ursus and Victor refusing idols and the beheading of the Theban Legion.West façade
- Moses and Gideon fountainsStatues of Moses and Gideon stand above fountains beside the staircase.Staircase to the west façade
- Crossing domeLook up at the dome above the intersection of the nave and transept.Inside the cathedral, at the crossing
Know before you go
- Cathedral: daily, 08:00–18:30; sightseeing is not permitted during services.
- Tower: open to visitors from 1 April to 31 October.
Tips for your visit
- The parament room displays vestments from five centuries in wide drawers, along with decorated heiltum tablets and construction-period documents.
- The treasury displays medieval, Gothic and Baroque objects, including chalices, monstrances and reliquaries.
Interesting facts4
-
1767
Ten bells date from 1767–1769; the remaining bell dates from 1901.
Cattedrale di Soletta - Wikipedia -
The traditional boys’ choir restarted in the 1970s.
Solothurn Cathedral - Wikipedia -
The original cases of the main and choir organs survive; the south-transept organ case is silent.
Solothurn Cathedral - Wikipedia -
1100
The earlier church’s two-part crypt is thought to date from the 11th century and was built by about 1100 at the latest.
St. Ursenkathedrale - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
Canons cared for pilgrims who came to the church. By the 18th century, the old building was in poor condition, and a replacement was planned in 1759. Pisoni’s redesign shifted the church axis toward Hauptgasse and placed the tower along the building’s long side.
- Early Middle AgesA church stood on the site, and Ursus was venerated there by the 5th century.
- 870A college of canons and probably a collegiate church existed by this date.
- 1294A Gothic church was documented; its altars were consecrated in 1293 and 1298.
- 1360A Gothic façade and the Wendelstein tower were added.
- 1544The choir was rebuilt and the crypt re-covered.
Show all
- 1644The nave was rebuilt and widened.
- 1759Poor structural condition led to a decision to replace the old church.
- 1762During demolition work, the Wendelstein tower collapsed on 25 March, forcing a complete redesign. Gaetano Matteo Pisoni designed the present church.
- 1772Paolo Antonio Pisoni took over construction from his uncle.
- 1773The new church was dedicated on 26 September by Joseph Niklaus von Montenach, Bishop of Lausanne.
- 1828The church joined the Diocese of Basel and became a cathedral, bishop’s seat and parish church.
- 1853–1917An earthquake lightly damaged the cathedral in 1853; repairs to the cracks continued until 1917.
- January 2011Arson damaged the altar and nearby areas, closing the cathedral for about two years of repairs and cleaning.
- 2013A new marble main altar replaced the altar destroyed in the fire.
How to get there
- On footAddress: Propsteigasse 10, Solothurn.
Sources: Solothurn Cathedral - Wikipedia · St. Ursus Cathedral | Solothurn Tourismus · Museums | Solothurn Tourismus · Stories about Solothurn | Solothurn Tourismus · St. Ursenkathedrale - Wikipedia · Cathédrale Saint-Ours-et-Saint-Victor de Soleur… · Cattedrale di Soletta - Wikipedia · For families | Solothurn Tourismus · checked 29 Sep 2026
- Phone
- +41 32 626 46 46
Similar places nearby
Nearby places
Eat and drink nearby
Where to stay nearby
Questions and answers
What does the treasury at St. Ursus Cathedral contain?
The treasury contains medieval, Gothic and Baroque church objects, including chalices, monstrances and reliquaries. Its principal reliquary holds the head relics of Ursus and Victor.
What is preserved in St. Ursus Cathedral’s parament room?
Vestments spanning five centuries, richly decorated heiltum tablets and documents from the cathedral’s construction period.
Who cared for pilgrims at St. Ursus Cathedral?
A community of canons cared for pilgrims who came to the church.
- See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
- Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
- Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.