At the lower entrance to Verena Gorge, religious architectural history and a striking natural setting meet in Sankt Niklaus. St. Niklaus Parish Church is located there; Verena Gorge and the Hermitage of St. Verena lie within a cantonal nature reserve. Sankt Niklaus is situated where the Verenabach stream emerges from the gorge. In the forest north of the village, numerous erratic boulders are visible traces of the Rhone Glacier’s retreat.
Church, garden and meditation trail
St. Niklaus Parish Church was rebuilt in 1683/1684, replacing a medieval predecessor. It is a hall church with a flat wooden ceiling and a vaulted polygonal choir. Its history thus reveals two distinct construction phases: the medieval predecessor and the new building of the late 17th century. The architecture also combines different forms within the church, from the flat wooden ceiling to the vaulted, polygonal choir.
Next to the church, the meditation garden invites visitors to spend time in quiet reflection throughout the year. The meditation trail runs from the church to Kreuzen and passes through 14 stations. The Stations of the Cross were laid out in 1613 and extensively restored in 2000. The church, garden and trail thus represent different aspects of local cultural history: a historic church, a place of tranquillity and a route with a long history.
Routes and planning your time
To reach the southern entrance to Verena Gorge, take bus number 4 from Solothurn main station to the St. Niklaus stop. From there, the gorge trail leads to the Hermitage of St. Verena in about a 15-minute walk. Check the timetable before travelling if you plan to use this connection.
The Solothurn Megalith Trail offers a different time commitment. It leads from Waldegg Castle through forests over two ridges, then back to the castle via Verena Gorge. Along the way, the route passes a selection of 13 particularly impressive megaliths. Allow about four hours for the entire circular route from the Waldegg Castle car park and back; walking time may vary. The circular route can be divided into two sections, each starting and ending at Waldegg Castle.
The timings highlight the difference between the short walk to the hermitage and the longer circular hike: about a 15-minute walk from the southern entrance to the gorge, compared with around four hours for the entire Megalith Trail. This makes it possible to choose a route based on the time available without treating the two routes as equivalent.
Waldegg Castle and its gardens
In the municipality of Feldbrunnen-Sankt Niklaus, Waldegg Castle is another highlight for culture enthusiasts. Johann Viktor von Besenval had the castle built between 1682 and 1686 as a summer residence. The avenues and gardens were designed as a baroque ensemble. Since 1991, Waldegg Castle has been open to the public as a museum and cultural centre.
The museum displays richly decorated salons, an extensive collection of paintings and original furnishings preserved from the castle. These features illustrate the French-influenced lifestyle of Solothurn’s patriciate. The gardens include an avenue about 500 metres long, planted with small-leaved lime trees. The gardens are home mainly to old ProSpecieRara varieties that were already known in the area around 150 years ago. The castle, collections and garden reveal different aspects of history: the patriciate’s way of life, the design of a baroque residence and the changing fortunes of traditional plant varieties.
Discover more destinations: Niederwil, Bettlach, Balm Bei GĂĽnsberg, Riedholz, Grenchen, Langendorf, RĂĽttenen
Back to the main travel overview: Lebern.
