Hugging the Rhine River in Switzerland’s far north, Rheinfelden is a picturesque town whose name translates as “Fields of the Rhine”. It lies just across the river from the German town of the same name in Baden-Württemberg, with the two joined until Napoleon Bonaparte established the border along the Rhine in 1802.
Things to do in Rheinfelden
Occupying a beautiful building in the heart of Rheinfelden is the Fricktaler Museum, which explores the cultural and artistic history of the town. In addition to religious artefacts and 19th-century furnishings that once belonged to the house’s residents, it features a model of Rheinfelden’s Old Town and watercolour paintings by a local art teacher, Gustav Kalenbach-Schröter.
Dominating the eastern end of the Old Town is the Stork’s Nest Tower, which was originally constructed in the 13th century but has been rebuilt since. It rises to 28 metres in height and still exhibits bullet marks on its eastern edge from a Swedish attack during the Thirty Years’ War. From the top of the Stork’s Nest Tower, you can enjoy stunning views across the alleys of Rheinfelden below.
One of Rheinfelden’s most beautiful churches is the Christkatholische Stadtkirche St. Martin, a Gothic-style basilica that has existed since at least the 14th century. Admire its whitewashed exterior before stepping inside to see the 17th-century high altar that combines elements of German Gothic with Italian Renaissance styles. Also of note is the choir room with its Baroque wrought-iron grille.
Getting around Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is around 20 minutes’ drive from Basel and 25 minutes from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, which has flights to destinations across Europe and North Africa. Trains connect to the Rheinfelden railway station and buses travel throughout the town. The centre of Rheinfelden can easily be explored on foot.