Discover Büren an der Aare: History and walks

To plan a stay in Büren an der Aare, local history, historic buildings and walks offer practical points of reference. Topics range from medieval fortifications and places of remembrance to museum collections and routes with different estimated durations. Special visiting conditions apply to some attractions, so you should take these into account when planning your trip.

Fortifications and Historic Buildings

Founded in the 13th century, the small town had impressive fortifications. The two main gates were accessed via two drawbridges; the town wall, still visible today, is a reminder of these former defences. The Spittel, opposite the church, dates from the 16th century and was part of the town wall. Today it serves as the local museum and houses numerous collections on local history. The Spittel Museum is not open to the public; guided tours are available on request. Plan your visit as part of a requested guided tour.

The historic town of Büren an der Aare is listed as a nationally significant site in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property. Sights in the town centre include the castle of the former Bernese bailiffs and the town hall with its Gothic windows. The town church of St Catherine also reflects several periods of construction: its origins date back to the 12th century, while its tower was built around 1500. The Old Mill dates from the mid-17th century.

Local History and Visits

In the late Middle Ages, an important pilgrimage site stood above the town at Chilchmatt. The site monument «Die Feder», created in 2003, commemorates this place. Expert-led guided tours of the historic town are also available in Büren an der Aare. If you are interested in arts and crafts, you can visit a studio of your choice and learn about its work. The «Handicrafts» experience offers a choice of studios for fashion design and tailoring, stone sculpture or Sasha dolls. The participating studios may change; check which ones are available when planning your visit.

A Büren-Watch experience includes a walk past the buildings of the Büren-Watch company, which was once important to the town. It also includes viewing rare examples made at the time, as well as display materials from the founding families at the Spittel Museum. As the museum is not open to the public, arrange access when booking the experience.

The Old Mill also has specific visiting conditions: its grounds are accessible all year round. The buildings can be visited from May to October by prior arrangement. The restored, fully operational milling mechanism can also be viewed by prior arrangement. Book your visit in advance and confirm it before you go.

Walks of Varying Lengths

The easy, culturally interesting «3-Brügge-Chehr» walk crosses three bridges and takes you to the prettiest corners of the Aare town. It takes about 30 minutes. For a longer walk with a different character, try the «7-Brunnen-Weg», a forest walk of about 1.5 hours. This lets you choose between a short circuit through town and a longer walk in the forest.

The «History Trail Büren an der Aare» is a circular route through Büren that introduces visitors to historic events from the past. It starts at the Vennerbrunnen. After scanning the QR code, follow the trail using the Actionbound app. Along the circular route, history becomes the focus of the walk.

The Häftli Natural Area

The Häftli nature reserve includes an approximately seven-kilometre-long oxbow of the Aare between Biel and Büren, as well as a nationally significant floodplain. Open water and mudflats provide a suitable habitat for waterbirds and waders. This means you can choose between historic townscapes and a distinct nature-focused theme.

Markets and Historical Displays

The «Büre Nöijohr» is one of the cultural highlights of Büren an der Aare. Markets are held in spring, autumn and before Christmas. A display about the Jura water correction explains how the construction of the Nidau-Büren Canal remedied the insufficient gradient of the Aare between Aarberg and Solothurn. Another display covers the former Polish internment camp in Büren an der Aare: around 1940, Polish soldiers who were fleeing the war were interned there.

Discover more destinations: Oberwil bei Büren, Leuzigen and Pieterlen.

Return to the main travel overview: Büren.