Stadthaus mit Pavillon

The Stadthaus with its pavilions in Brugg is a mid-18th-century townhouse that has served as the municipal town hall of Brugg, in the Swiss canton of Aargau, since 1908. It stands at Hauptstrasse 3 in the old town, and together with the outbuildings around its courtyard it forms one of the most interesting heritage ensembles in the city.

What kind of building is it?

The Stadthaus went up in 1748–1749 in the late Baroque style. The Aargau heritage inventory calls it the richest burgher house in Brugg. It began life as the private residence of a wealthy family and only became the seat of the town authorities in the early 20th century. The canton has protected it since 1948, rating its significance as regional (priority B).

What do the facade and interior look like?

The house has two storeys, a square plan and a mansard roof. Smooth corner pilasters carry Ionic capitals decorated with garlands, while the arched windows and the portal have eared surrounds and shell-shaped keystones. A central hallway runs through the ground floor, ending in a two-armed staircase. Inside you will find rich Rococo stucco ceilings, and the upper floor holds tiled stoves from Steckborn. Because the building houses the city administration, most visitors admire the exterior and the courtyard.

What are the Stadthaus pavilions?

Behind the main house lies a courtyard with a fountain, and beyond it a former French-style garden. Two low service buildings beside the courtyard are listed in the heritage register as pavilions. They were probably built between 1840 and 1850 for the descendants of the cotton manufacturer Kaspar Meier of Rüfenach, whose family owned the property from 1782 to 1873. The southern building was originally a wood store, while the northern one held a cooper's workshop and a pigsty. In 2005, during the extension of a nearby car park, the courtyard facades were redesigned and the northern building was demolished and rebuilt. The pavilions gained cantonal protection in 2008. The 19th-century classicist limestone fountain forms part of the area covered by the national ISOS inventory.

How do you fit it into a visit to Brugg?

Brugg received its town charter from King Rudolf I in 1284, modelled on that of Aarau. Bern took the town in the 15th century, and in 1803 it joined the canton of Aargau. Combine your visit with the Black Tower (Schwarzer Turm) on Rathausplatz, built at the end of the 12th century and roughly 25 metres tall, the late Gothic Rathaus of 1579, and the Salzhaus on Schulthess-Allee, a former Bernese salt store. All of them lie within a short walk of the Stadthaus.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Brugg Stadthaus a museum?

No. It has housed the city administration since 1908, so the rooms are working offices and visitors mainly see the facades and the courtyard.

When was the Stadthaus built?

In 1748–1749, in late Baroque style, as a burgher residence. Its Rococo stucco ceilings and Steckborn tiled stoves survive today.

What were the pavilions used for?

They are former service buildings from the 1840s: a wood store, a cooper's workshop and a pigsty. The canton now protects them as heritage.

Is this the same building as the Rathaus on Rathausplatz?

No. The Rathaus of 1579 stands at Rathausplatz 2, while the 18th-century Stadthaus at Hauptstrasse 3 is today's seat of the town authorities.