The New Castle Oberdiessbach was deliberately integrated into the landscape as an open country estate. Together with the historic houses and themed information trails, it gives Oberdiessbach a distinctive cultural and historical character. The trails also cover topics ranging from local and church history to nature—from short walks to longer hikes.
The New Castle and its architectural history
The New Castle Oberdiessbach was built between 1666 and 1668 and is described as the first country estate to be purely French in style. It is also considered the first castle in Switzerland deliberately integrated into the landscape as an open country estate. Its architecture is clearly structured: three wings make up the building, and a monumental staircase connects the north and south wings.
Oberdiessbach Castle can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Tours are offered from mid-April to the end of October by prior arrangement. If you are planning a visit to the castle, bear in mind this time frame and the need to book in advance.
Other buildings also tell the story of local architecture and village life. The Geissbühlerhaus was built around 1771 and has largely retained its original post-and-beam construction. The BuumeHus is a representative Neoclassical timber-framed building. From 1846 to 1993, it housed one of the village’s first general stores. Today, exhibitions show the history of this former village shop, with themes including washing and cleaning, colonial goods, and historic clothing. The Oberdiessbach cultural association holds events at the BuumeHus. The church in Oberdiessbach was rebuilt in 1498.
Village history along a variety of trails
The four Oberdiessbach information trails cover general history, church history, economic history, and nature. You can discover their stops on shorter or longer walks. The local history trail includes the Old Castle and the Läderach House. The latter is described as the oldest residential house and dated to 1557. The route also includes the ruins of Diessenberg Castle in Aeschlen. The economic history trail leads to the Lower Castle Mill, where the use of water power is a focus.
The nature trail includes the protected areas along the Kiese between Freimettigen and Oberdiessbach, as well as important amphibian habitats. A walk along the castle avenue is another of its themes. When choosing a walk, you can therefore focus on local history, the economic past, or nature.
Waterfalls, the Ice Age, and Anabaptist history
The Spächteloch is an example of the typical Molasse waterfalls found in a side valley of the Diessbachgraben. In several places, the water plunges freely more than ten metres. The best way to view the waterfall is from below, via the Diessbachgraben. In dry conditions and with good footwear, it can be visited at any time of year.
The Gumistein is a glacial erratic made of calcareous sandstone. The hill on which it lies is of glacial origin and forms part of a moraine ridge. Local history also includes religious themes: Schniggenen is a historic Anabaptist site and was once a secret meeting place. In 1658, the Anabaptist teacher Hans Burkhalter fled Schniggenen after being sentenced to the galleys for his faith. A commemorative plaque at the house that served as an Anabaptist hiding place in Schniggenen bears witness to reconciliation. Pre-Christian religious beliefs of the Celts and Alemanni are also among the religious themes.
Hikes by time and distance
There are several options for longer hikes. The Chuderhüsi–Aebersold–Oberdiessbach hike is 11.1 kilometres long and rated easy. The return journey departs from Oberdiessbach railway station. A hiking suggestion published in 2021 describes the route from Linden to Oberdiessbach as 11.4 kilometres long, taking 3 hours and 15 minutes. It passes through woodland and past meadows and fields on the way down to Oberdiessbach. From Schafegg, the view stretches across the Central Plateau to the Jura heights, the green hills of the Emmental, and the rocky Alpine peaks.
The details highlight different planning considerations: the route from Linden includes its distance and duration, while the hike from ChuderhĂĽsi is also rated easy and specifies the return point. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for a stay in Oberdiessbach, you can plan around whether castle and village history or longer hikes are your main focus.
Discover more destinations: Kiesen, Zäziwil, Aeschlen, Herbligen, Grosshöchstetten, Walkringen, Oberhünigen, Wichtrach
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