Aarberg: Old Town, Wooden Bridge and Alte Aare

Aarberg offers a range of themes for travellers interested in culture and nature. Its unique Old Town is of national importance; the wooden bridge, castle and local archive offer different historical perspectives. Along the Alte Aare, walks and a valuable riverside landscape take centre stage. The monthly market, Zibelemärit and Badi Aarbärg add specific attractions for other interests to this selection.

Old Town, wooden bridge and castle

Aarberg’s wooden bridge was built between 1566 and 1569 and is a major work of Bernese bridge construction. The castle was built around 1220 and served as the residence of around one hundred bailiffs from 1358 to 1830. Two time periods are important for a historical comparison: the bridge dates mark a period of construction, while the castle dates indicate a long period as a residence. This makes it easy to distinguish the history of the construction from the castle’s historical function.

Walks and riverside landscape

The Alte Aare stretches for around 15 kilometres from Aarberg to Büren. Aarberg is a starting point for walks along the Alte Aare. The alluvial forests and pools along the river provide valuable habitats, including for amphibians and kingfishers. The Alte Aare is also one of Switzerland’s most valuable riverside landscapes. This means you can choose to focus either on the walks or on the ecological value of the habitats as different aspects of this nature theme.

Local history in the archive

The Aarberg local archive preserves and presents the town’s historic cultural heritage and accepts archival materials from companies, associations and individuals. The collection includes documents, photographs, plans, postcards, pictures, films, slides, books, newspaper articles and objects, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection therefore extends beyond written documents to include visual and film material as well as objects. The local archive informs the public about its activities through exhibitions, talks and film screenings.

One example with a clearly defined timeframe is the systematic photographic documentation of 80 shops, businesses and restaurants in Aarberg, created between 2011 and 2014. It adds a thematic look at these types of businesses during that specific period to the collection. For visitors interested in the town’s history, the archive offers several points of interest: different types of collections, public programmes and documentation with a specific timeframe.

Markets and leisure

Aarberg’s monthly market brings together more than 40 market traders on the historic town square, offering fresh food and arts and crafts. Traditional onion and garlic products are sold at the Zibelemärit Aarbärg. The Zibelemärit was first held in 1972 and has been organised since 2022 by the newly founded Zibelemärit Aarbärg association. The markets differ in the offerings described: the monthly market combines food and arts and crafts, while the Zibelemärit offers onion and garlic products.

Badi Aarbärg has a 40-metre-long water slide and three beach volleyball courts. These are two distinct leisure activities: using the slide and playing beach volleyball. Seven roads, one railway line and four bus routes lead to Aarberg. As transport networks and services can change, check the connection that suits you before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Lyss, Radelfingen, Seedorf, Rapperswil, Kallnach, Schüpfen.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Aarberg.