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| Olten | ||
| Canton | Solothurn | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 17.133 (2012) | |
| height | 396 m | |
| Tourist info | 41 (0)62 212 30 88 oltentourismus.ch | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Olten is a city in the canton Solothurn in the Switzerland and one of the most important railway hubs in the Swiss rail network. The old industrial city, which has grown historically thanks to industrial companies such as the Berna truck factory or the Swiss Federal Railways SBB with their workshops, is changing thanks to its central location to a service and education location in the Swiss plateau. Many large Swiss companies such as Swisscom, Alpiq, and SBB use the city's central location to locate jobs. Olten lies on the river Aare and is embedded in the first Jura hills and delimited to the south from Born and Engelberg to the east at an altitude of around 400 meters above sea level.
background
- The city is conveniently located on the Aare and in the immediate vicinity of the Hauenstein Pass. The city rights were granted in 1201 by the Count of Froburg.
- The city developed particularly with the construction of the railway lines of the Swiss Central Railway, which was nationalized in 1902 and merged with the Swiss Federal Railway SBB. Olten was already an important railway junction at the beginning of industrialization.
- Olten was an alternative accommodation during the UEFA EURO 2008; There are direct rail connections to all Swiss venues. Basel, Bern and Zurich are in half an hour, Geneva reachable in just over 2 hours. Also innsbruck can be reached within 5 hours (change in Zurich), faster than from many Austrian cities.
getting there
By plane
- From Basel-Mulhouse airport there is a shuttle bus to Basel SBB train station. From there, direct trains run to Olten in 25 minutes.
- From airport Zurich there are direct trains to Olten. The journey takes around 50 minutes. With certain connections you have to change trains when you arrive in Zurich HB.
- Olten Airport, with a grass runway, is only open to gliders.
By train
- 1 Olten
is a central railway junction in the network of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB. 1100 trains run through the station every day. Accordingly, the journey from all parts of the country is easy and comfortable. There are direct intercity connections from Basel, Zurich, Lucerne, Bern, or from Lausanne and Geneva. There are half-hourly intervals between the Swiss centers and Olten. - There are international direct connections from Germany Berlin and Frankfurt.
- From Italy there are direct trains from Milan via Simplon-Lötschberg-Bern to Olten.
- There is also a direct connection to Olten from the French capital Paris.
- From Austria you have to change trains in Zurich HB. From Zurich to Olten every half hour.
- Via the regional train station on the Biel-Solothurn-Olten railway line 2 Olten Hammer one reaches the hammer district of the city. Self-service with a ticket machine at the train station which processes euros as well as CHF. Prepaid SIM cards can also be topped up there around the clock.
By bus
- The bus company Olten Gösgen Gäu BOGG safely covers bus traffic to all surrounding communities in the city of Olten and other communities with a network of 164 kilometers on 12 routes. The central transfer point is the Olten bus station.
- Postbus ensures operation from Olten to Wolfwil.
In the street
- In contrast to the central railway running through Olten, the A1 and A2 motorways run close to but around Olten. The A1 / A2 Härkingen motorway junction is only a few kilometers west of Olten.
- The nearest exit leads from the A1 motorway at Rothrist via the main road No. 1 in a few minutes via the Aarburg bypass tunnel to Olten.
- Of Basel Coming from here you can leave the motorway at the Egerkingen exit after the Belchentunnel and take the main route 5 to Olten. Alternatively, you leave the A2 at Sissach and drive from there via the main road number 2 over the Hauensteinpass directly to Olten. The second variant is about the same speed but more scenic.
By boat
- Olten is located on the large Aare river, but due to the weir systems in Murgenthal (AG) and Winznau (SO), access for larger ships is not possible.
- The Aare is also a suitable paddling area for multi-day water hikes.
mobility
Dynamic cards- With the exception of the Schöngrundquartier, the city and its other quarters can be accessed with inner-city bus routes. Since the buses leave at various bus quays, especially when you get on at the train station, it is worth asking the bus driver for the correct departure point. Tickets are available at larger stops at the machine or from the driver. Bus timetables can be called up at all stops using the QR code.
- The city's core zone is relatively small, so visiting it by train is easy on foot. The old town and the newly designed pedestrian zone can easily be explored on foot. From the train station over the train station bridge or old wooden bridge and from there across the old town.
- Bicycles can be rented at the train station. Tel 41 051 229 52 35
Taxis
- Bur. Tel.: 41 (0)62 205 22 22.
- Aare Taxi Siegrist. Tel.: 41 (0)62 296 26 26.
The two large taxi companies offer a 24/7 service and are also known as reliable taxi providers in the city. The official taxi stand is at the station on Bahnhofplatz.
Tourist Attractions
Churches
- 1 City Church, Kirchgasse 15. Tel.: 41 (0)62 212 23 49. important sacred building of classicism with intact interior fittings. Built 1806-1813 by Blasius Baltenschweiler based on plans by Nokolaus Purtschert. Since 1874 in the possession of the Christian Catholic parish. Contrary to the outside view, the towers are not made of stone but, for structural reasons, a wooden construction which is framed with sheet metal from the outside.
- 2 Martinskirche, Solothurnerstrasse 26. Tel.: 41 (0)62 212 62 41. Roman Catholic parish church Stankt Martin, built 1908-1910 by August Hardegger after the town church was run by the Christian Catholic parish. Neo-Romanesque basilica with two monumental, pointed front towers and a three-apse choir and deliberately built higher than the old town church.
- 3 Pauluskirche, Grundstrasse 18. Tel.: 41 (0)62 212 16 26. of the reformed parish of Olten, built 1967-1969 by Baldemann & Müller in the Schöngrund district.
- 4 Marienkirche, Engelbergstrasse 25. Tel.: 41 (0)62 287 23 11. Part of the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Mary. Built in 1951 by Hermann Baur. In the sacristy Ignatius picture from 1627.
- 5 Friedenskirche, Jurastrasse 20. Tel.: 41 (0)62 212 16 26. The Friedenskirche was built in 1928/29 and is located on the right side of the Aare at Reiserstrasse 86 and is part of the Evangelical Reformed Church Community of Olten.
- 6 Capuchin monastery, Klosterplatz 8. with church, typical Capuchin complex, donated and built in 1648 by Jakob Graf from Solothurn. 1829 changes in the ship. 1931 increase. 1975-1977 redesign of the entrance and the church facade. Simple church interior, both choirs with cross vaults. In the high altar, the Passion from 1640 by Johann Miel.
Castles and Palaces
Around the city there are various castle ruins in the Jura heights that can also be visited.
- Old and new Wartburg on the hilltop in the southeast of Olten: two castles, separated by a cut and canton border. Original establishment of the Lords of Ifenthal. In the early days the same fate (owned by the Lords of Ifenthal until 1379, then the Knights of Hallwil; destroyed by the Bernese in 1415.)
- The Säli-Schlösschen, also called Vordere- or Neu-Wartburg, was rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style in 1870 by Paul Reber. Today with a distinctive annex, owned by the Olten community. Houses a restaurant, which is closed.
- Hintere Wartburg castle ruins. Excellent example of a medieval hilltop castle. Seat of the Froburgian servants from Ifenthal. 1966-1967 dug out and preserved. On the canton border to Solothurn with a large number of border stones adorned with coat of arms from 1764.
Buildings
- 7 Covered wooden bridge. together with the city tower the landmark of Olten. First mentioned in 1295. Burned down several times. The current bridge dates from 1803-04, built by master carpenter Blasius Baltenschwiler as a covered wooden yoke bridge with a stone fore bridge on the right bank.
- The tower of the Martinskirche, demolished in 1844, now called the city tower, is the landmark in the old town and tower of the former city church, built in 1521 by foreman Conrad Gibelin, supplemented by a baroque helmet in the 17th century. In 1844 the church was demolished and in 1845 and 1846 the tower was renovated by Konrad Munzinger. In the wall of the chaplain’s house to the east is the window of the former apex of the choir. Vestments around 1460 with Madonna and Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, exposed in 1971, east side with Biedermeier fountain, around 1850.
- The 8 Witch tower. , Name after the events of the siege of Olten by the Solothurn and Bernese (1383) emerged. On the southwest corner of the alley, with a fragment of the battlement, partially demolished.
- The former council house now houses the city library. Built in 1705 by governor Urs Kissling. In 1925 extensive reconstruction in the library building, north side with a monumental portal. 1990 total renovation. In addition to books, CDs and DVDs can also be borrowed from the city library.
Monuments
Museums
- 9 Art museum, Kirchgasse 8. The Olten Art Museum was opened in 1902 and is based on a collection of works by the famous Olten painter Martin Disteli. Until 1964 it was called the “Disteli Museum”; today it includes a collection of paintings and graphic sheets from the 19th century and a section of modern art. Designed as a schoolhouse by Kondrad Munzinger from 1839 to 1840. Proud classicist cube, rectangular strips and arched windows in the stone-view basement.Open: Mon-Fri 2 pm-5pm, Thursday 2-7pm and Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5pm.
- In the city center is the 10 Historical Museum Olten (Historical Museum Olten). , which was founded in 1902 and was initially housed in the Frohheim school building. Since 1932 it has shown its exhibitions in the then newly constructed multi-purpose building on Konradstrasse. The museum maintains extensive collections of cultural goods from the history of the city of Olten and from other communities in the canton of Solothurn and carries out educational projects on the history of the city and its culture. His collection includes large image archives of several Olten photographers, for example by Franz Gloor, and the well-known industrial photographer Roland Schneider.
- 11 Nature museum, Kirchgasse 10, Olten.
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Streets and squares
Parks
- city Park. The city park, located from the city intersection in the direction of Trimbach, is now a recreational area with large trees, benches, four fountains, a petangue track, playgrounds and a playground with play equipment for children. Between 1861 and 1918 the site served as the city cemetery. Freely accessible.
- Bird garden. A small park on the right side of the river Aare in the residential area above the Friedenskirche and includes a playground and lawn as well as one Aviary.
various
Olten is also known as the "garden city". This is due to the historically grown structure of the workers' settlements on the left as well as on the right bank of the river Aare. The employees working in the workshops of the Centralbahn needed space and so whole rows of small houses were created which still characterize the cityscape today. The front gardens are now protected and a maximum of one third of the property area may be opened to the street during renovations. As a result, the front gardens were largely preserved and were not replaced by parking spaces. Many front gardens are still preserved today.
activities
- Every year in May the Olten Cabaret Days instead of. This is the oldest and now the most important satire festival in Switzerland. The festival will open with the awarding of the Swiss Cornichon Cabaret Prize. After that, over 30 events will take place over 10 days. Venues are: 1 City Theatre, Schützi, theater studio, Vario-Bar, Caveau, Schwager Theater, Galicia, Stadtturm, Kirchgasse. This festival is organized by the Oltner Kabarett-Tage company.
- The Lido Olten, simply called 'Badi' by the population, is the city's public outdoor pool. Water slide, 50-meter pool, large lawns and access to the Aare. Single entry CHF 8.-, Schützenmattweg 3, located directly on the Aare and adjacent to the old town. Opening times May - October.
shop
- The Olten shopping center on the right-hand side of the river Aare 1 Salipark is open Monday-Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. There is an evening sale on Thursday until 8 p.m. The multi-store shopping center is open until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
- With the Hammer Center. The city side on the left of the Aare also has a shopping center consisting of various shops.
- The vegetable market on Kirchgasse adjacent to the old town is open every Thursday. Every Saturday there is a food market on Bifangstrasse on the right side of the Aare until 11 a.m.
kitchen
Cheap
- Migros restaurant, Sälipark Olten, Louis Giroud-Strasse 26. , canteen-style restaurant in the shopping center.
medium
- Impeller, Tannwaldstrasse 36.
Restaurant located directly behind the train station with a simple interior with nostalgic railway style elements. Solid cuisine, reservations recommended in the evening. - Restaurant pavilion. Asian wok dishes and Japanese sushi. The restaurant, located in a glass cube, is open during the day, on Monday sushi à discretion at a fixed price and then also longer. The local belongs to the Pallas group and is right next to the Arte congress hotel.
- The Old Mill. Tel.: 41 62 212 32 96. serves home-style cuisine right on the river Dünnern next to the old town, Mühlegasse 20. The interior is a bit old, but the dishes are very good and freshly prepared. Gluten-free cuisine is also possible.
Upscale
- 1 Salmen. is a bistro-style restaurant on Ringstrasse 39 in Olten.
- Caveau du Sommelier, Kirchgasse 17. Lounge bar restaurant. The city's most beautiful vaulted cellar, where cheese sommelier Armando Pipitone celebrates wine and cheese combinations.
nightlife
Cheap
- The Coq d'Or cultural venue, Tannwaldstrasse 48.
right behind the train station connects "culture and hangover". Mostly a young, alternative audience and furnished with old sofas and armchairs next to tables. The menu includes classic and innovative drinks, various beers and soft drinks. Smaller concerts (folk / jazz), readings and discussions take place on the stage on the ground floor, rock / pop / electro concerts and parties in the basement (admission price: CHF 10-20). Monthly changing exhibitions of young artists.Open: Tuesday to Saturday evening (until 4:00 a.m. on weekends).
medium
- The Terminus Club. is suitable for people aged 21 and over. At Froburgstrasse 7 there has been a varied, mostly commercial program since 1995. International and regional house / techno acts also play regularly.
- The 1 Vario bar, Solothurnerstrasse 22. Tel.: 41 62 212 09 90. is a bar in the Hammerquartier frequented by older but young at heart Olten, in summer with barbecue in front of the house and seating on the street, concerts in the basement, billiard tables in the adjoining restaurant, often decorated with pictures by local artists.Open: Wednesday to Sunday.
- in the magazine. In Olten, the old fire department store of the city of Olten at Konradstrasse 7, a young crew serves drinks and beers to the younger guests. In summer there is also seating in front of the house. At the bar there are crepes and sandwiches, unfortunately a bit dingy toilet facility in the basement of the bar, where football games are often shown on a big screen.
Upscale
- On the roof of the Hotel Astoria is the Sisième bar, Hübelistrasse 15. Bar and small snacks. In summer outdoor area with a view of the city center.
accommodation
Cheap
- 1 BnB Olten, Felsenstrasse 50 (only a good five minutes from the train station). Tel.: 41 62 297 10 77.
- 2 Bed an Breakfast 17, Vorderer Steinacker 17. Tel.: 41 62 212 47 24.
medium
- 3 Hotel Oltnerhof (Former office building, reopening in 2014, 30 rooms. Monthly rooms can also be booked. Restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the house. Near the train station.). Tel.: 41 62 296 55 66.
Upscale
- 4 Hotel Arte (Congress and conference hotel), Riggenbachstrasse 10. Tel.: 41 62 286 68 00. Pure restaurant on the ground floor.
- 5 Hotel Astoria, Hübelistrasse 15 (City center). Tel.: 41 62 212 12 12. , Rooms in a restricted-traffic area, restaurant on the ground floor, the Sisième bar on the roof terrace with a beautiful view of the city center.
- Tavern to the Cross, Hauptgasse 18 (in the old town of Olten). Tel.: 41 62 212 78 18. , cozy rooms, no reception, but an associated restaurant on the ground floor.
- Hotel Olten, Bahnhofstrasse 5 (directly at the train station). Tel.: 41 62 287 32 32. with its own parking garage, functional building from the eighties with an inner courtyard.
Learn
- With the campus of the Northwestern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, a new school building has been built at Von Roll-Strasse 10 in Olten. It includes the School of Social Affairs and Applied Psychology.
- The "Kanti" Olten, Hardfeldstrasse 57, around 5-7 minutes from the train station, houses the location of the Cantonal school in Olten which is the basis for the Matura and thus for admission to university. Tel 41 62 311 84 84
- 1 Bifang Schoolhouse, Aarauerstrasse 68. Tel.: 41 62 296 20 82. Massive asymmetrical building in neo-baroque and homeland style. Created 1908-1910 by Rudolf Michel-Mosimann.
Work
- SBB is one of the big ones Employers in the region. 2,000 employees work at the Olten site, with the move of SBB Cargo in 2015, around 500 more employees will be added. The SBB operates an industrial plant in Olten for the repair of wagons for the entire SBB fleet. SBB Cargo also relocated its headquarters from Basel to Olten and from January 2015 moved to the "SBB Aarepark". The central operations center is being built on Gösgerstrasse. Olten is also the seat of the SBB transport police.
security
The core zone of the city of Olten can be described as safe. Strolling through the Olten city center and old town at night is no problem at all. In emergencies and urgent events, the cantonal police present with a police post in Olten are available around the clock on Tel 117. The city police, who are only present during office hours, mostly take care of administrative tasks, create parking buses and carry out radar checks in the neighborhoods. For simple inquiries or information about office hours, you can contact us at Dornacherstrasse 1. However, the cantonal police are the better point of contact for most issues, especially when it comes to lost passports or reporting violent crimes, as they can also be reached around the clock. Visitors to Olten can move around safely, only a few zones could be perceived as critical by visitors:
- Haslistrasse, once known as the largest street in Switzerland, has now been concentrated in a small area on Haslistrasse. Passable during the day without any problems, in the evening from 8 p.m. it is demarcated by restricted road signs. Should be avoided at night.
- Ländiweg, as in every city, there is also a small alcoholic and drug scene in Olten, where light drugs are consumed. From the west exit of the train station, directly on the Aare, to the old wooden bridge, there are groups of people, especially when the weather is nice. Passers-by are hardly addressed.
- London Pub, in a back yard in the core of the city, should be avoided by tourists. Well known drug sales point for years.
health
The health system in Olten is excellent. There are pharmacies selling medicines at various locations in the city center. For urgent matters or emergencies, the cantonal hospital located on the city limits of Trimbach is available around the clock with an emergency station. Baslerstrasse 150, phone 062 311 41 11.
Practical advice
- Olten tourism. The tourist office not far from the Olten train station and can be reached via tel. 41 062 212 30 88.
- There are black orientation boards at various locations in the city that should show the way to the most important landmarks. Unfortunately, these boards are so complicated that they are rarely used. It is better to ask a resident, because thanks to the size of the city, the number of important buildings and streets is manageable.
- Shopping for groceries is also no problem for visitors to Olten on Sundays. There are petrol station shops on all important access roads, for example at the Socar petrol station on Solothurnerstrasse, Migrolino in the direction of Aarburg or at the Rudi-Rüssel petrol station in the direction of Trimbach at the cantonal hospital. A Migrolino shop at Olten train station is also open on Sundays.
- Post offices in Olten are at the main post office (between the train station and the old wooden bridge) or in the Hammer Center on the left side of the city. Both in front of the main post office and in the Martin-Disteli railway station underpass there are letter boxes for very late postings.
- For the purchase of SIM cards, Orange operates a shop in the Olten station, platform 4/7 or on Kirchgasse, Sunrise subscriptions can be taken out at Mobilzone in Sälipark, and the semi-public Swisscom also has a shop in Sälipark on the first basement of the shopping center.
trips
- The Naturfreundehaus Rumpelweide is a mountain hut at 775 meters above sea level and served on Sundays with simple dishes, about an hour's walk from Olten. You leave the station on the left side of the city and follow the Grundstrasse to the Waldrad. From there follow the signs to the Rumpel. In contrast to the Gasthaus Rumpel, which is located in a depression, the Naturfreundehaus is located on a Jura train, around 15 minutes' walk above and offers a wonderful view over Olten onto the Born and the Sälischlössli.
- The 12 Mühletäli wildlife park is located on the right-hand side of the Aare at the edge of the forest on the municipality border with Starrkirch-Wil, about 20 minutes' walk from the Olten train station. Goats, deer, raccoons and mouflons live in the small Mühletäli wildlife park. Along the course of the brook you can take walking and hiking trails to the slightly higher farms below the Sälischlössli.}}
- Froburg ruin
- Belchenflue (locally Bang called), a mountain peak with a viewpoint in the Jura
literature
- The Olten City Archives includes extensive information on the history of the city of Olten
Web links
- http://www.olten.ch - Official website of Olten
- Homepage of Olten tourism, the city's tourist information site
- City Theater Olten with program information about the events of the coming months.
- Website of the City Police Olten
- Residential region Olten, the central real estate portal of the Olten Economic Development Agency
