Rickenbach is a municipality in the Winterthur District in the Canton of Zurich. This rural village combines a peaceful village character and natural surroundings with archaeological traces, church art and hiking opportunities. Around 58.8 percent of the municipality’s area is used for agriculture; historically, arable farming and viticulture shaped the area. For your trip, this offers a mix of local history and selected outdoor activities.
History from Archaeology to the Local Museum
Rickenbach has a history spanning more than a thousand years; it was first mentioned in a document in 820. Bronze Age flat graves and Iron Age burial mounds bear witness to early settlement. In Oberholz, a Bronze Age to Hallstatt-period burial mound site is listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property as a Category B object.
The Hanseli granary dates from 1677 and is now known as the local museum. It, too, is listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property as a Category B object. The two entries offer insight into different aspects of local history, from early settlement to a historic granary building.
Churches and Art in the Village
The Reformed church was first mentioned in 1275; its larger nave was built in 1695. Jacques Schedler created five stained-glass windows in 1966 and 1978. In Sulz, St. Joseph’s Church was built between 1957 and 1958 and consecrated on 18 May 1958. Its stained-glass windows by Jacques Schedler depict the Stations of the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ; the carved Stations of the Cross were created by Karl Ruff.
Hiking, Marble Run and Nature
The easy family hike “Hiking and Solving Riddles” leads from Seuzach to Rickenbach ZH. It crosses fields to Rickenbach-Attikon station and passes a barbecue area. Take the Thurbo S29 line to Seuzach; the S30 line is listed for the return journey. Before setting out, check the current timetable and the condition of the trail and barbecue area. A hiking guide for Rickenbach (ZH) also lists ten hiking routes.
The Rickenbach marble run was built by schoolchildren, residents and businesses from Rickenbach, Sulz and the surrounding area. It has 17 stations. In 2026, it was open until the end of October; check the season dates for your travel year. The first run is located directly in front of Volg Sulz. If the layout has changed, check the starting point on site.
There is also a specific option for cycling: on the existing route between Rickenbach and Rickenbach Sulz, a two-way cycle path runs outside the village along the main road and Stationsstrasse. During roadworks, check the local conditions. The beaver dam on the Schwarzbach is in an area with natural river morphology; this classification was described in 2025, and conditions along the watercourse may change.
Seasonal Events and Getting There
In 2026, Grafenwisen outdoor pool was open from 2 May to 13 September. If you are planning your trip around a day at the pool, check the dates for the relevant year. “vo puur zu puur” takes place every September as an open-farm day in the Canton of Zurich. The event includes farm tours, and free shuttle buses run between participating farms. At Mäck Luing, the 2026 programme included an informative farm tour with a visit to the herd of suckler cows. Check the dates for your travel year.
Regionally, Rickenbach is connected by Rickenbach-Attikon and Winterthur railway stations, regional bus routes and the nearby A1 motorway. Connections run towards Zurich, Winterthur and Thurgau. The best way to get there depends on whether you want to focus on a hike, a seasonal event or local history.
Discover more destinations: Winterthur, Brütten, Elgg, Altikon, Dinhard, Hettlingen, Elsau, Wiesendangen.
Back to the main travel overview: Winterthur.
