Ueken between the Chapel and the Roman Coin Hoard

Ueken in the Staffelegg Valley

Ueken combines a distinctive setting with specific cultural and historical attractions: the village lies in the Staffelegg Valley, a side valley of the Sissle, and is associated with a chapel dating from 1705 and a significant Roman coin hoard. The valley is around 200 metres wide and is bordered on both sides by hills of the Table Jura, which rise steeply at their lower levels and give way to extensive plateaus above.

Ueken is a locality in the political municipality of Herznach-Ueken in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It belongs to the district of Laufenburg and lies in the southeast of the Fricktal. The locality consists of two parts: the upper village lies in the south, while the lower village, slightly offset, lies in the north. This places Ueken both geographically in the Fricktal region and within its own distinct layout.

St. Anthony’s Chapel: Architecture and Features

St. Anthony’s Chapel stands immediately west of the former mill in Unterueken. It was built in 1705. During renovations in the 1920s, the chapel was extended by one third on the stream-facing side. The year of construction and the later extension mark different stages in its history: the first date refers to its construction, while the renovation indicates a later structural alteration. For travellers interested in local architectural history, this provides a timeline rather than just a single date. “Stream-facing” indicates the direction of the extension, while the one-third figure gives an idea of its scale, allowing you to place the structural change in both the chapel’s history and its setting.

The interior includes six colourful stained-glass windows from the workshop of the renowned artist Arthur Nüscheler. The windows add a clearly identified artistic aspect to the building’s history, and their number makes this feature specific. Together, the year of construction, the stream-facing extension and the stained-glass windows offer different ways to explore the chapel: its origins, later structural changes and design.

The Roman Coin Hoard

Another trace of the past is Ueken’s Roman coin hoard. Archaeologists recovered more than 4,000 coins dating from between 260 and 293 AD. The find is among the largest hoards ever discovered in Switzerland. The coins were discovered in a cherry orchard. Their date places them in Roman antiquity and the 3rd century, providing a much earlier historical context than the chapel. The number of coins, their date and the place where they were discovered are specific, distinct elements of the find’s history.

Important notice about the Weichle rock-hammering site

The Weichle rock-hammering site is permanently closed for safety reasons and must not be entered. Take this restriction into account when planning your trip, and check the conditions on site before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Wölflinswil, Frick, Oberhofen, Kaisten, Laufenburg

Go to the main travel overview: Laufenburg.