Waldegg Castle, beautifully situated in the middle of Solothurn's recreational area, is a place with a glorious history. The patrician von Besenval family built it in the 17th century as a summer house with a magnificent baroque garden, orangery and kitchen garden. The richly furnished museum provides an insight into Solothurn's great era, when the town on the River Aare was the seat of the French king's ambassadors.
Among the numerous country estates of the Solothurn patriciate, Waldegg is the most beautiful and spacious. Two avenues of trees lead to the elevated castle with its baroque gardens. Here, French and Italian style elements mingle with the austere architecture of a Solothurn "Türmlihaus".
Waldegg Castle was built between 1682 and 1686 by Schultheiss Johann Viktor I von Besenval. Joseph von Sury-Bussy acquired the estate in 1865. He made the summer residence habitable all year round. In 1963, the castle came into the possession of the Canton of Solothurn as a public foundation through a donation and purchase agreement with the siblings Marguerite, Charles and Victor von Sury-Bussy.
Waldegg Castle © Waldegg Castle
The renewed permanent exhibition at Waldegg Castle is dedicated to a core theme of Solothurn's history. The historical rooms show how the ruling families of Solothurn struggled for influence, profited and served using the example of the von Besenval family and the Ambassadors.
With its richly decorated salons, paintings and furniture from the 17th to 19th centuries, the museum also illustrates the French-oriented lifestyle of the Solothurn patriciate. The inhabitants of the castle were among the most influential people in the city-state of Solothurn at the time. On display are original items that are closely linked to the von Besenval family and the founding family von Sury. In addition to original objects and important loans, two mechanical theaters and a radio play illustrate the work of the ambassadors.
Other parts of the museum outside the main building are the Chapel of St. Michael, the historic bathtub in the gardener's house and the reconstructed Baroque garden parterre with the galleries and the Chapel of St. Mauritius.
