On the shores of Lake Constance, Rorschach brings together urban history, art and excursions by water and rail. Your plans might include a walk by the harbour, a museum visit or a ride on the Rorschach–Heiden mountain railway. If you’re planning a longer excursion, you can combine the train journey with a boat trip on Lake Constance to or from Rorschach. This lets you choose how much culture and activity you want, rather than focusing your stay on just one kind of experience.
Harbour and urban history on Lake Constance
The harbour is part of the city’s and region’s local recreation area and is an important meeting and event venue. A Grand Tour of Switzerland photo spot is located on the lakeside promenade. The harbour mole also tells the story of the town’s development: built in 1870, it has a curved shape and is clad in local sandstone. The St. Gallen–Rorschach railway line, built in 1856 with a connection to the harbour, completes this picture of the link between town and lake.
Hermann Haller’s sculpture “The Floating One”, erected in 1955, stands in Seepark. The park itself was laid out in 1920. The sculpture and the mole offer different points of interest: an artwork in the park on the one hand, and a harbour structure with a tangible connection to local history on the other. Exploring the waterfront reveals not only views of Lake Constance but also individual landmarks, each with its own story.
The Badhütte is also an important, though changed, part of the town’s history. The historic wooden bathing facility was completely destroyed by fire on 23 December 2024. The town intends to rebuild the building as soon as possible. As the status of the reconstruction may change, it is advisable to check before visiting.
Kornhaus and contemporary art
Kornhaus was built between 1746 and 1749 by the architect Johan Casper Bagnato from Ravensburg for the Prince-Abbey of St. Gallen, and has been protected by the federal government since 1958. Today, it houses the Museum im Kornhaus, an interactive museum covering natural history, local politics and education. Exhibits include houses from the Stone and Bronze Ages, a bread oven, and everyday tools and equipment. The museum offers more than 100 interactive learning stations.
Another highlight is Forum Würth Rorschach, the museum area in Würth Haus Rorschach. It regularly presents changing contemporary art exhibitions across around 800 m² of exhibition space. The forum’s activities draw on the Würth Collection, which comprises more than 20,000 works. As the exhibitions change, checking the current programme can help you plan your visit around your own artistic interests. The 2026 programme at the Museum im Kornhaus also uses experiments with optical illusions to explain how the eyes and brain work; this focus may change in later seasons.
Planning walks and excursions
For a walk that fits into a limited amount of time, there is a city walking tour of Rorschach that takes about an hour. Another option is the tree walk: published in 2024, the route is 3.8 km long, takes 1.5 to 2 hours and is suitable for pushchairs. The different time estimates make it easier to choose between a shorter overview and a longer walk focused on trees.
If you’d rather get around by e-bike, you can choose a tour that starts in Rorschach and follows the shores of Lake Constance through a nature reserve. Along the way, it passes vineyards and follows the Castle Trail. Another excursion option is the Rorschach–Heiden mountain railway, which opened in 1875 and connects Rorschach with Heiden in the Appenzell region. You can combine a ride with a boat trip on Lake Constance to or from Rorschach. For this combination, check timetables and connections for your travel dates.
The International Sand Sculpture Festival also takes place annually on the shores of Lake Constance. International teams of artists create monumental sand sculptures based on a specific theme. If the festival is one of the reasons for your trip, check the dates for the relevant year before planning your days.
Discover more destinations: Goldach, Rorschacherberg, Thal, Steinach, Mörschwil.
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