Discover St. Ursen

St. Ursen brings together church and local history, landscape, and a connection to the Fribourg Pre-Alpine Trail. If you are looking for a hotel in St. Ursen, you can base your travel plans on whether you are particularly interested in historic buildings, the area’s rural character, or a stage of the Pre-Alpine Trail.

Landscape and local history

St. Ursen lies in hilly terrain at the foot of the Fribourg Alps. The Galtera forms part of the municipality’s northern and eastern boundaries. The municipal area stretches south from the Galterenbach valley floor into the hilly landscape and also includes part of the Rotmoos nature reserve. Thus, the valley floor, hills and protected area all form part of the same municipal landscape. These features provide a setting for local cultural themes, ranging from chapels and the church to the former use of the streams.

Chapels and church

The Ursus Chapel was built in the 15th century. When the new church was built, it was initially due to be demolished because of its poor condition; however, it was preserved. This turn of events is a striking part of its history: a planned demolition became the preservation of an older building. A lengthy restoration, including an archaeological investigation, was completed in 1988. The date of its construction, the later building phase and the restoration thus mark different chapters and place the chapel’s history in chronological context.

The church of St. Ursen was built in 1898 and renovated in 1933/34. The work included the bell tower and the chancel with sacristy. Three chancel windows depict the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. The building and its later renovation thus sit alongside a specifically named image motif. The parish of St. Ursen was founded on 1 April 1901. This date marks the institution’s history and should be distinguished from the year the church was built. Taken together, these are different milestones in local history: construction, renovation, window design and the founding of the parish.

Local cultural themes can also be found outside the parish church. The hamlet of Römerswil in the municipality of St. Ursen is home to a manor house and the Chapel of St. Philip. Mills once operated along the Galtera and the Tasbergbach. The mills are part of the history of the streams’ former use, while the manor house and chapel are further local architectural and cultural features. Local history is therefore not limited to a single building or period.

Rural character and the Fribourg Pre-Alpine Trail

Dairy farming continues to play an important role in St. Ursen; there are also still three dairy cooperatives there. This adds a continuing form of economic activity to the historical narrative. If you are interested in the area’s rural character, you can distinguish between sacred architectural history, former use of the mills and present-day dairy farming: these represent different aspects of the area and different periods.

The Fribourg Pre-Alpine Trail offers another perspective. On its way towards Oberschrot-Plaffeien, it passes through Sankt Ursen; the stage is accessible by public transport. This adds a specific route connection to the historical and landscape-related themes. If you are planning a hike, check the current route and timetables before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Saint Antoni, Plaffeien, Tafers, Bösingen, Wünnewil-Flamatt, Ueberstorf, Plasselb, Schwarzsee.

Go to the main travel overview: Sense.