Discover Avenches: Roman heritage and the old town

Avenches brings together the history of the Roman city of Aventicum and a medieval town centre. The town lies on an isolated hill at the southern edge of the Broye plain, southwest of Lake Murten. The surrounding area is strongly shaped by agriculture; Avenches itself has historically had an agricultural character. Different aspects of the town can therefore be at the heart of your travel plans: ancient structures, medieval history and routes through the surrounding countryside.

Roman Aventicum: theatre, sanctuary and temple

Avenches is associated with the Roman city of Aventicum. Visible Roman remains include the amphitheatre, while the Roman Museum preserves valuable archaeological artefacts. The Roman arenas of Avenches date from the early 2nd century AD. The theatre could accommodate almost 12,000 spectators and was one of the largest structures of its kind in Roman Gaul.

The religious buildings offer another perspective on the ancient city. The Cigognier sanctuary was the largest religious building in the Roman city, owing to its exceptional dimensions. The Temple of the Grange des Dîmes closely combines local Helvetian traditions with Roman forms. The sites thus differ not only in size: the theatre centres on its audience, the sanctuary on its outstanding place among the religious buildings, and the temple on the blending of different architectural traditions.

Archaeological promenade and museum

The archaeological promenade of Aventicum is open for self-guided visits, follows a marked route and takes half a day. The visible monuments along the promenade are accessible year-round and have explanatory panels in three languages. On the Aventicum trail, stereoscopes and an app also reconstruct the former scale of the ancient buildings. The Aventicum Museum complements the visit with interactive exhibitions and guided tours, offering an immersive experience of the history of the capital of Roman Helvetia.

For a visit to the museum, you can take a train or bus to the Avenches gare stop; it is then a ten-minute walk. This makes it easy to coordinate a museum visit with the time needed for the archaeological promenade, without having to fit all the ancient buildings into a single itinerary.

Medieval old town and historic routes

The old town features defensive towers, cobbled streets, arcades and some idyllic gardens. Its buildings date from the 11th century onwards. The medieval defensive tower at the eastern entrance to the amphitheatre was built in the 11th century and now houses the Roman Museum. Château d’Avenches is also part of the town’s historic character: it was built in the 13th century and later extended, while retaining its distinctive keep.

The free historical tour “La Vieille Ville d'Avenches – Parcours Historique” starts in front of the tourist office at Place de l’Église. Another option is the “Avenches–Morat via Villarepos” hike: it starts at Place de l’Église in the centre, first leads to the Roman archaeological site of Avenches and then continues through fields towards Morat. The historical walk to Aventicum can also be done by bicycle. The options therefore vary in focus, from a tour of the old town and ancient sites to a route through the fields towards Morat.

National Stud, horses and storks

West of Avenches lies the Swiss National Stud, originally established as a state horse-breeding facility. It is freely accessible year-round. An educational trail introduces the stud’s work, the craftspeople’s work and the lives of its horses, donkeys and storks. Horse training sessions in the courtyard or riding hall are also open to the public.

The Institut Équestre National d’Avenches (IENA) is open to the general public and horse enthusiasts. Its grounds cover 142 hectares and include facilities for competitions, training and horse recreation; races are held annually at the IENA racetrack. Alongside historic tours, horses and equestrian sports are therefore also options in their own right.

Storks are another special feature: Avenches is home each year to almost 30 breeding pairs, which raise their young on the shores of Lake Murten. Storks are easy to observe at the Swiss National Stud. Avenches thus offers specific alternatives when choosing activities: a half-day archaeological tour, historic routes through the town and towards Morat, or visits focused on horses and storks.

For the broader travel overview: Avenches.