Kriegstetten: Local History and Carnival

Kriegstetten is a municipality and the capital of the Wasseramt district in the Canton of Solothurn. Two distinct themes are central to planning your trip: the history of the village and its churches, and carnival with specific events. The Urzeitenweg trail and other nearby places offer a broader regional perspective beyond local history. When choosing your travel dates, you can decide whether to focus on cultural history, carnival or a regional trail.

Houses, inns and local history

The oldest house in Kriegstetten is the old forge, built in 1605 and now known as the Misteli House. The Gasthof zum Kreuz and Gasthof Sternen inns are also part of the village’s history: the Gasthof zum Kreuz was built by Pisoni in 1774; the Gasthof Sternen was established in 1790 and burned down in August 1847. In 1831, permission was granted to establish a bathing facility at the former Bad Quellental. Jeremias Gotthelf immortalised Bad Quellental in his novel “Anne Bäbi Jowäger”.

Church history and architecture

The present-day Catholic church was built between 1842 and 1843 to replace an older church erected around 500 years earlier, and is dedicated to Saint Mauritius. The parish church of St. Mauritius in Kriegstetten is listed in the Solothurn Heritage Preservation Office’s cantonal register of protected sites dated 30 November 2018. Here, the construction period of the present church sits alongside the history of its much older predecessor.

The Reformed parish church’s new building was completed in 1963 and consecrated in 1964. The various rooms of the Reformed Church of Kriegstetten are brought together into a single whole in the shape of a shell or spiral. Other details include an organ built by the Kuhn company and consecrated in 1970, and a baptismal font. The font was created in 1991 as part of a confirmation class elective course on the theme “Light and Water of Life”. The construction period, layout and two works of art offer different points of interest for exploring the church.

A cross at the Recherswil-Obergerlafingen road junction marks the former site of a Trinity chapel.

Carnival: an early start and a Sunday parade

For the Chesslete on Shrove Thursday, residents of Kriegstetten, Halten and Oekingen parade through the village wearing white shirts and pointed caps, red neckerchiefs, and carrying torches and noisemakers. Three large cannon shots ring out before the procession at 05:03. The Chesslete is a recurring part of the carnival programme; exact dates and details may vary. If you are travelling for this event, check that year’s programme in advance.

The carnival parade starts at 13:31 on Sunday. It is led by the guild with its Ober (guild leader) and sceptre. The parade features around 20 themed groups, with or without floats and sound systems, as well as Guggenmusik bands from the region. Participation and the route may also vary. The early-morning Chesslete and the Sunday afternoon parade make for different day plans. If carnival determines your travel dates, include the confirmed programme details in your plans.

Urzeitenweg trail and regional context

The Urzeitenweg is a cycling tour of around 35 kilometres that runs mostly along secondary roads and country lanes through a total of 13 Wasseramt municipalities. One hike followed the Urzeitenweg from the village square in Kriegstetten to Burgäschisee and continued to Aeschi. These offer two different perspectives on the trail: a regional cycling tour with an approximate total distance and a specifically described hike with a named starting point and destinations.

Burgäschisee and Inkwilersee are both in the Wasseramt district and are the only two lakes in the Canton of Solothurn. Another regional cultural attraction is the tower in Halten: dating from the 13th century, it houses a local history museum with a permanent exhibition and changing themed exhibitions. Together with the churches, carnival and local histories, these attractions offer different perspectives for planning a trip around Kriegstetten and Wasseramt.

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

For the broader travel overview: Wasseramt.