Saint Martin Church

St. Martin's Church in Egerkingen is the Catholic parish church of the village of Egerkingen in the canton of Solothurn, northwestern Switzerland. It sits on a walled terrace slightly above the street, and its roots go back to the Carolingian period. For anyone curious about Swiss history, it is a place where many centuries are layered under one roof.

What is the history of St. Martin's?

According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, the church dates to Carolingian times and rests on Roman foundations. That detail is backed by archaeology: the canton's archaeologists have documented a large Roman country estate beneath the church and its surroundings. A 2007 dig close by also uncovered a medieval sunken-floor building, several pits and a late-medieval cellar.

The church is first mentioned in 1294. At that time the right to appoint its priest was shared equally between the Counts of Falkenstein and the Knights of St. John from the commandery at Thunstetten. After the commandery was dissolved in 1528, Bern's share passed to Solothurn in 1539 under the Treaty of Wynigen. The parish once covered neighbouring villages too: Neuendorf until 1649 and Härkingen until 1805.

What does the building look like?

The ISOS heritage inventory describes St. Martin's as a narrow single-nave church with a Gothic choir tower. The whole complex stands on a masonry terrace, which gives it a clear presence in the village. It is listed among the protected monuments of the canton of Solothurn, at Domherrenstrasse 2.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The church is in the centre of Egerkingen, at roughly 47.323 N, 7.792 E. The village lies near the border between the cantons of Solothurn and Basel-Landschaft, close to Oensingen and Härkingen, on the route between Olten and Balsthal. You can reach it from Olten or Solothurn by road or rail, and from the station it is a short walk through the old village. There is no ticketed attraction here: it is best enjoyed as a calm stop and a starting point for a stroll.

What else is nearby?

Egerkingen works well as a base for exploring the canton: the old town of Solothurn, the town of Olten and the gentle hills of the Jura are all within reach. Several churches in the region share the St. Martin dedication, for example in Olten and Laupersdorf, so check the village name in your navigation app.

Frequently asked questions

Which diocese does the church belong to? The Diocese of Basel, in the St. Verena pastoral region. It is a Roman-rite parish church.

Is the church a listed monument? Yes. It appears on the canton of Solothurn's list of protected objects, and the area around it is also an archaeological site.

How old is it? Its origins reach back to the Carolingian era, and the first written record dates from 1294. The choir tower is Gothic in character.

Are there Roman remains under the church? Yes. The church stands on Roman foundations, and archaeologists have found the remains of a Roman country estate in the area.