Evangelical reformed Church and Rectory with Parish Barn

The Evangelical Reformed Church with its rectory and parish barn in Umiken forms a small heritage group in Umiken, a district that has belonged to the town of Brugg in the Swiss canton of Aargau since 2010. The buildings stand together at Villnachernstrasse 3, beside the old road toward the Bözberg pass.

What is this place?

Umiken was an independent municipality until the end of 2009. It grew as a street village, and the Bözbergstrasse has run through it since 1778. A local priest is recorded as early as 1256, and the parish church was dedicated to St. Maurice. The parish also covers neighbouring Riniken and Villnachern.

What can you see?

The church dates to 1521. It is a plain, elongated building with a narrow nave of Romanesque-Gothic origin. A tower with a pointed-arch portal rises on the west side, topped by a lean-to roof added in 1953. The three-sided choir goes back to 1521 and was rebuilt in 1770. It has a flat ceiling, a reconstructed round chancel arch and round-headed windows.

Inside, look for the wooden barrel vault restored in 1968, a late Gothic baptismal font, a newer pulpit and an organ installed in 1969-70. A staircase beside the tower leads up to the gallery.

The rectory is recorded in the cantonal inventory as dating from 1752-1755. The parish barn, built in 1760, stands at a right angle to it. It is a solid masonry building with narrow rectangular openings and a large segmental-arched gate. Above the gate is a coat-of-arms panel of the von Baldenstein family. One opening on the northeast side has been walled up.

Is the group protected?

Yes. The church and the barn came under cantonal protection on 7 May 1948 and federal protection on 16 March 1972. Both are rated as objects of regional significance (category B), and the protection covers the whole buildings.

How do you get there?

Umiken lies on the road toward the Bözberg pass, right next to Brugg town centre. Reach the group on foot or by car from Brugg, and enter the address Villnachernstrasse 3 in your navigation or map app. The coordinates are roughly 47.482 N, 8.190 E.

When should you visit?

The exterior can be viewed in any season, and clear afternoons give the best light on the facades and tower. The church is primarily a place of parish worship, so check opening times with the congregation before you go in. Allow 20-30 minutes, ideally as part of a walk around Brugg.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church built? In 1521. The choir was rebuilt in 1770 and the tower roof replaced in 1953.

Are there other parish buildings next to the church? Yes. The rectory of 1752-1755 and the parish barn of 1760 stand beside it, and both appear in the cantonal heritage inventory.

Is Umiken a separate town? No. The former municipality merged into Brugg on 1 January 2010.

Is the group legally protected? Yes, at cantonal level since 1948 and at federal level since 1972.