Diessenhofen lies in a recreational landscape on the High Rhine. Its medieval old town is the largest in the canton of Thurgau and is included in the Swiss Inventory of Heritage Sites of National Importance. Towers, churches and historic houses make the history of its architecture a discovery in its own right. General and themed guided tours explore the history of the small town; check the latest dates and booking details when planning your visit.
Old Town and Architectural History
The present-day Siegelturm was built in 1545 by Martin Henseler from Stein am Rhein. Its clock mechanism also preserves a special detail from the everyday life of earlier technology: the striking mechanism is still powered by weights that are wound by hand every day. In this way, one building reveals both the period in which it was constructed and a mechanical function that is still maintained today.
The town church holds a special place in the history of the canton: it is the first church in the canton documented in written records. Its reconstructed church interior, dating from the late 14th century, is considered the only continuous stepped hall church in Switzerland. The town hall and Oberhof also tell of different periods of construction. A building explicitly designated as a town hall is first documented in 1415; the castle-like Oberhof was built around the middle of the 14th century.
A covered wooden bridge crosses the Rhine, connecting Diessenhofen with the neighbouring German municipality of Gailingen. The river is therefore not only part of the landscape, but also shapes the town’s cross-border connections. Those interested in public art will find three benches on the HochrheinKunstweg in Diessenhofen: near the boat landing, in Gries and by Schupfen.
Museums and Special Collections
The kunst + wissen museum has rooms on three levels for exhibitions and events covering art, culture, nature and local history. Its topics also include the former red dye works and textile printing works: these businesses were based in the present-day museum building, the Oberes Amtshaus, in the 19th century, and the museum displays artefacts from their history. The combination of the collection and the building brings industrial history to life as part of the town’s history.
Other collections focus on different subjects. The Haus zum Goldenen Leuen houses a collection on the history of pharmacy, with an old pharmacy, historic utensils and a library. Visits are possible by prior arrangement. Photobibliothek.ch also provides access, by appointment, to original documents on the history of photography from 1600 to the present day. The exhibition depot in the former granary of St. Katharinental Abbey contains a collection of folk culture, with around 12,000 exhibits arranged by theme across four floors. The studio of the artist couple Margrit and Carl Roesch-Tanner has been preserved in its original condition.
The church of St. Katharinental Abbey is also among the area’s art-historical highlights: Johann Michael Beer built it between 1732 and 1734. Together with the collection in the former granary, it offers a different perspective on the cultural heritage from that of the medieval old town. The two highlights differ both in their period of construction and in what they reveal about art and everyday culture.
Riverside Scenery and Routes
The Schaaren area is a protected area of the canton shared by the municipalities of Diessenhofen and Schlatt. It comprises a 13-hectare natural forest reserve and a 221-hectare special forest reserve. Floodplain forests, old river channels and ponds provide suitable habitats for rare animals and plants. Here, the landscape is shaped not by individual buildings but by woodland and aquatic habitats.
Hiking trails explore the region and lead through a varied landscape of meadows, woodland, water and numerous attractions. The High Rhine Route passes through Diessenhofen. There is also a 23.6-kilometre cycling route from the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein on Lake Constance, with Diessenhofen as a stage destination. These details clearly distinguish between a route that passes through the town and a longer route on which Diessenhofen is a stage.
Pilgrims also have a specific place to visit: they can get their Diessenhofen pilgrim stamp at the kunst + wissen museum on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. As this service is available on set days of the week, it is worth checking current availability before travelling.
Planning Your Stay
Rodenbrunnen bathing area is a river swimming spot with a jetty, steps and a small pebble beach. It is about 500 metres on foot from Diessenhofen railway station. The description of the facilities gives you an idea of what to expect; check the current conditions before your visit. For a fun way to explore the small town, try a puzzle trail. A children’s playground with a medieval setting offers a large grassy area, numerous play structures and benches.
Diessenhofen can be reached by train, postbus and boat. Timetables may change, so it is worth checking connections for your chosen travel date. Whether you are most interested in the protected old town, collections and architectural history, or the riverside landscape, these different highlights offer a concrete starting point for planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Diessenhofen, Schlatt, Bischofszell, Münchwilen, Frauenfeld, Steckborn, Arbon, Weinfelden.
Return to the main travel overview: Thurgau.
