Biberist: Hiking along the Emme and cultural history

Biberist is a municipality in the Wasseramt district of the canton of Solothurn, Switzerland. When looking for a hotel, you can tailor your stay to your interests: hikes along the Emme, outdoor activities in the Altisberg area and local history at notable buildings offer different points of focus. You can decide in advance whether a tour, cultural history or a mix of both should shape your stay.

Hiking and outdoor activities

The Biber Bierwanderung is organized by an event organizer and combines a hike of around 9 km along the Emme with handcrafted specialties from local breweries. Dates and participating breweries may change; check the details for your preferred travel dates. If you would like to combine hiking with local beer specialties, you can consider the event as a possible focus of your stay.

Separately, Biberist is a destination or rest stop on the two hikes along the Emme. These hikes can be shortened using public transport; from Biberist, you can take the bus to Solothurn railway station. Biberist has three bus routes and two railway lines. As connections and stops may change, check the service for your visit date if you want to shorten a hike using public transport.

The Vita-Parcours fitness trail is located in the Altisberg area; its exact route may change. Chriziweier is an important local recreation area.

Culture and local history

Vorder-Bleichenberg Castle is now a cultural and community center for all generations; its program may change. Originally, the Baroque Türmlihaus was the grand summer residence of the Solothurn patrician Von Roll family. Hieronymus von Roll and his son Johann II built it between 1607 and 1609.

The Catholic church in Biberist is the oldest church in Wasseramt; the new church was built in 1845–1846. St. Thomas Church was built in 1910 on the boundary between the villages of Biberist and Gerlafingen. Its stained-glass windows by Burkhard Mangold and Rudolf Münger are worth seeing; access is possible by arrangement with the parish.

The construction dates span a long period: the castle was built in 1607–1609, the new Catholic church in 1845–1846 and St. Thomas Church in 1910.

Local history also reaches far back: the first settlement was established on Altisberg during the Neolithic period. The earliest evidence of human presence in the municipality of Biberist has been found there. In addition to its present-day Vita-Parcours, Altisberg therefore also represents a particularly early chapter in the history of settlement.

Getting your bearings and regional products

The pattern of settlement also helps you get your bearings: Biberist’s built-up area is seamlessly connected to that of Gerlafingen; the northernmost neighborhoods directly border the built-up areas of Solothurn and Zuchwil.

Buurelade Biberist sells a wide range of regionally produced foods as well as products grown or made in-house, including various types of pasta. For visitors who would like to include local food shopping in their stay, it offers a convenient option.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Hersiwil, Luterbach, Subingen, Horriwil, Bolken, Zuchwil, Aeschi, Steinhof

Go to the regional travel overview: Wasseramt.