The Aabach flows in the open through the entire length of Ermensee’s old settlement area. The original buildings are especially well preserved in the southern part of the historic village centre; the Obermühle stands there, where the stream enters the village area. The setting also includes an undeveloped valley floor with meadows and arable land, as well as dense stands of fruit trees on the outskirts. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can choose Ermensee according to the focus of your stay: local history, landscape, or a fixed-date event such as the Lichterschwemme.

Local history on the Aabach

The Chapel of St James is a late Gothic masonry building dating from 1605. The Obermühle is a massive, three-storey gabled building on the Aabach dating from 1632, and is documented as early as 1256. These dates offer two different insights into the village’s architectural history. Three mills once operated on the Aabach; from 1723 to 1932, a goods and livestock market was held in Ermensee twice a year.

Other places also point to earlier times: the Elmiger farmhouse is listed as a cantonal monument, and three stone crosses at the village entrances mark the boundaries of former judicial districts. A Roman estate once stood on Herrenberg, a small hill south of today’s village. The Herrenberg drumlin is also a remnant of the last Ice Age.

Stream and valley floor

The landscape ranges from the open stream to farmland. In the cantonal structure plan, the Aabach is designated as a linear natural feature. The extensive valley floor consists of meadows and arable land, while fruit trees shape the landscape on the edge of the village. In Ermensee, historic settlement features meet a largely undeveloped plain.

Lichterschwemme on 6 March

Every year on 6 March, the feast day of the missionary Fridolin, the Lichterschwemme takes place in Ermensee. After dark, wooden frames bearing candles are placed on boards in the Aabach from the bridge footbridge; the frames drift downstream. Its fixed date makes the Lichterschwemme a special point of reference when planning a trip. If you would like to experience this event, plan your stay around 6 March.

Routes and getting there

The Seetal offers numerous routes for hiking, cycling and inline skating. Hiking on the Erlosen comes with an unforgettable panorama, and you can stroll along Lake Baldegg. A cycling tour from Hallwyl Castle via Heidegg Castle to Mosen and Ermensee highlights attractive spots by the Aabach where you can stop and linger. The Mosen–Baldegg Monastery hiking trail also leads to Ermensee. The two routes described differ in activity and route, and do not form a single combined tour.

For the Karin Thürig Circuit, Ermensee can be reached on the S9 from Lucerne or Lenzburg; possible destinations are Baldegg or Ermensee. Check the current timetable before travelling. Ermensee also has a Seetalbahn station with a wooden-clad waiting shelter. The Seetalbahn opened in 1883. Planning can therefore focus on both historic details of the village and specific regional routes and a rail connection.

Discover more destinations: Emmen, Gelfingen, Rothenburg, Retschwil, Rain, Hochdorf, Schongau, Lieli.

Back to the main travel overview: Hochdorf.