St. Blasius

St. Blasius Church (Kirche St. Blasius) sits in the village of Gempen in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, district of Dorneck, at roughly 676 m above sea level. It is the parish church of a small village on the eastern slope of the Schartenfluh and Gempenfluh ridges, a short drive from Basel. A visit pairs well with a stroll through the village and a walk up to the nearby lookout tower.

What is the history of the church?

The village first appears in records in 1277 as "Gempenon". A chapel is attested here in 1301, and a church dedicated to St. Blaise is documented in 1619. According to German Wikipedia, the present building dates from 1788.

The parish story follows the region's. In 1460 the Prince-Bishop of Basel's income from the parish went to the newly founded University of Basel, which took over pastoral care. Gempen adopted the Reformation, and in 1534 the parish was merged with neighbouring Dornach. The village received its own vicar in 1756 and its own pastor from 1828. Solothurn bought the tithes and patronage rights in 1530, having acquired the Dorneck-Gempen lordship in two halves in 1485 and 1502. Major fires hit the village in 1566 and 1793.

What is the interior like?

The interior was renovated in 1965–1967, and the old furnishings were removed at that time. A commemorative publication marked the work. The church is small and rural, serving mainly the local parish, so check access on site.

What else is there to see in Gempen?

• Gempenturm on the Schartenfluh: a 28 m lookout tower at about 760 m, roughly 80 m above the village. The first tower on the site went up in 1897.
• Memorial "Den Siegern von Dornach 1499" outside the village, erected in 1854 for the Battle of Dornach in the Swabian War.
• Cherry orchards, long a local specialty. The village also traded milk with Basel and timber.

How do you get there?

Take PostBus line 67 (Dornach – Gempen – Hochwald – Seewen) to the stop "Gempen, Dorf". Dornach is served by Basel S-Bahn line S3. By car, a winding road climbs from Dornach (access to the H18 motorway), and there are links via Nuglar toward Liestal and via Hochwald to Seewen.

Frequently asked questions

Where is St. Blasius Church in Gempen? In the centre of Gempen village, canton Solothurn, at about 676 m above sea level.

When was the church built? A church is documented in 1619, and the current building is dated to 1788.

Does it keep its historic furnishings? The old furnishings were removed during the 1965–1967 interior renovation.

What can I combine with a visit? From the village you can walk to the Gempenturm lookout on the Schartenfluh, which has views over the Basel area.