In the footsteps of the Habsburgs

The Habsburgs, one of Europe’s most significant dynasties, have their roots in Aargau. Their history can still be explored today at twelve different sites, including Baden. The town came into the possession of the Habsburgs in 1264, and they granted it town rights in 1294.

Stein Ruins

High above Baden’s Old Town, the Stein Ruins are perhaps the most visible reminder of this era. Built around 1090, the castle initially likely belonged to the Nellenburgs, later to the Lenzburgs and Kyburgs, before coming under Habsburg rule in 1264. Under their rule, it became an important administrative center and housed not only the Habsburg bailiff but also the archives containing the Habsburg Urbar.

This era came to an end when the Swiss Confederates conquered Aargau in 1415. Baden put up fierce resistance, Stein Castle was destroyed, and the Habsburg archives, containing around 2,000 documents, fell to the Confederates as spoils of war. Today, only the watchtower and chapel remain.

Diet Hall

After Habsburg rule came to an end, Baden entered a new chapter. The city became a subject territory of the Swiss Confederation and developed into a political center as a venue for the Tagsatzung, regarded by many as the Confederation’s unofficial capital. For around 300 years, the Confederates used the town hall for their assemblies.

European history was also made here later. In 1714, 60 delegations from across Europe gathered in Baden for the Peace Congress, which brought the War of the Spanish Succession to an end. Today, the historic Diet Hall can be visited as part of a guided tour, providing an exciting conclusion to the historical journey through Baden.

Bailiff’s Castle

From the Stein Ruins, the historic trail leads down to the Limmat. There you will find the old Bailiff’s Castle, whose predecessor dates back to the 12th century and which now houses the Historical Museum. Together with the extension building on the Limmat, it invites you to delve even deeper into Baden’s history.

Experience history up close

Would you like to delve even deeper into Baden’s turbulent past? On the “Unofficial Capital of the Swiss Confederation” city tour, you will learn more about the expulsion of the Habsburgs and Baden’s rise as the political center of the Swiss Confederation. Along the way, you will visit the historic Diet Hall and climb up to the Stein Ruins.

The Habsburgs in the canton of Aargau

The history of the Habsburgs extends far beyond Baden. Discover the twelve sites in Aargau associated with the Habsburg ancestral lands and learn more about the origins and history of this important dynasty.