Adliswil: Sihltal, Felsenegg and Local History

Adliswil is a municipality in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zurich, located in the Sihltal valley, a few kilometres south of the city of Zurich. The built-up area stretches along the Sihl; the Zimmerberg rises to the east, while the Albis range, with the Felsenegg, lies to the west. The river valley and the ridge provide two geographical reference points to help you find your way around the area.

Valley, Felsenegg and Local History

Adliswil is documented in written records dating back to the 11th century, when it was known as “Adelenswile”. The village relied on agriculture and used the Sihl to power mills and support trades. With industrialisation, spinning and weaving developed in the valley. Older settlements stand alongside residential neighbourhoods built later, reflecting the transformation from a village shaped by agriculture into a suburb of Zurich influenced by industry.

Felseneggbahn and Trails in the Sihltal

The Adliswil–Felsenegg cable car takes visitors from Adliswil to Felsenegg, at an altitude of 800 metres, in about five minutes. The Felseneggbahn has been operated by the SZU since 1954 and is integrated into the Zurich Transport Network (ZVV). Check the cable car’s operating conditions before your trip.

The Uetliberg–Felsenegg Planet Trail runs between the Uetliberg station and the mountain station of the Felseneggbahn. Its planetary models are located beside erratic boulders left by the Linth or Reuss glaciers. The trail is laid out to a scale of 1:1 billion: one metre on the route corresponds to one million kilometres in the solar system. The erratic boulders and models thus connect traces of glaciation with the scale of the solar system.

The Adliswil Trail leads from the valley station of the Felseneggbahn to the Felsenegg restaurant and the Felsenegg mountain station, climbing 300 metres along the way. Unlike the Planet Trail, which focuses on the scale of its planetary models, this route highlights its named endpoints and elevation gain.

The Sihl ErlebnisWeg follows the Sihl over seven stages, from its source area in the Schwyz Pre-Alps, through Adliswil, to the confluence of the Sihl and Limmat in the heart of Zurich. A city description from 2025 names the route and its stages; check the route details before setting out. Good public transport connections make it possible to hike the trail in stages or in its entirety. Along the way, alpine meadows, farmland, villages, and natural and wooded landscapes alternate. Unlike the routes focused on Felsenegg, this trail can be planned around seven stages along the Sihl.

Buildings and Local History

A municipal inventory survey from 2021 lists the Reformed Church, built in 1898, together with its cemetery building as a cantonal inventory object. The Sihlausteg offers another point of reference for local architectural history: built in 1907 as a reinforced-concrete bridge, it is considered a notable pioneering achievement in bridge construction in the Sihltal. The church and bridge thus represent different aspects of history: religious and engineering.

The Adliswil Historical Society shares its work on local history with the interested public through lectures, publications and exhibitions. It also regularly organises guided visits and excursions on historical topics. Events and publications are therefore among the ways mentioned for exploring the town’s history.

Sports and Recreation

The city’s official sports brochure lists daily disc golf at the sports facility in the valley. The Tüfi BMX and skate park, as well as the Kopfholz bike course near the Kopfholz reservoir, are also listed as available for daily use. Check that the facilities are open before you arrive.

Discover more destinations: Wädenswil, Kilchberg, Hirzel, Horgen, Richterswil, Thalwil, Rüschlikon, Schönenberg.

Go to the broader travel overview: Horgen.