Tram line 10 terminates in Rodersdorf; because the village is situated on a hill at the northern foothills of the Jura, its route passes through France. Rodersdorf lies directly on the French border and is part of the Solothurn Leimental, an exclave of the Canton of Solothurn surrounded on the Swiss side by the Canton of Basel-Landschaft. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, the rural surroundings and cultural attractions can help you decide whether Rodersdorf suits your travel plans.
Rural surroundings and trails
Rodersdorf is situated in a rural setting at the northern foothills of the Jura, surrounded by hills, fields and forests. In 2014, around 31 percent of the municipality’s area was covered by forests and wooded areas, and 54 percent was used for agriculture. The agricultural share was therefore greater than the share covered by forests and wooded areas. Historic buildings and farmhouses also shape the village’s appearance.
The rural surroundings offer numerous walking and cycling routes. In the Leimental, walking and hiking trails also cross hilly countryside all the way to the French border. At the border crossing into Rodersdorf, the Biederthal stream joins the Börsegraben to form a straight, canal-like watercourse through the municipality’s reclaimed agricultural land. The trails and watercourse reveal different aspects of the landscape. Regional festivals and cultural events nearby offer opportunities to discover local traditions. If you are planning to attend a festival, check the specific event dates before your trip.
Church and archaeological traces
As of 31 October 2019, the parish church of St. Laurentius was listed as a protected property in the cantonal register. Its tower is Romanesque-Gothic, while the high altar and statues are Baroque. These different stylistic features give the church distinct architectural accents.
A total of 57 graves dating from the 6th and 7th centuries were discovered during archaeological excavations at KleinbĂĽel in 2000 and 2001. The rows of graves lay in and around the ruins of a Roman-era sanctuary. The site therefore brings archaeological traces from different periods into spatial relation: the sanctuary ruins and the graves dating from later centuries.
Fragrance garden and group tours
The Rodersdorf fragrance garden was created by transforming a monotonous tram turning loop into a flourishing garden of fragrant plants. Around 1,000 fragrant plants were planted there. Unlike the church’s architecture and the finds at Kleinbüel, the focus here is on transforming the village’s public space: a transport area became a landscaped planting area. The fragrance garden thus complements the historical themes with its own focus on plants and the design of public spaces.
Guided tours for private groups at the exhibition depot of the Pro Birsigthalbahn association can generally be arranged at any time outside the stated opening hours. Please coordinate your visit with the association in advance.
Discover more destinations: Seewen, Dornach, Witterswil, Metzerlen-Mariastein
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