St. Marien

St. Marien church in Balsthal is the Catholic parish church of this small town in the canton of Solothurn, northwestern Switzerland. Built between 1912 and 1914, it stands out as a well-preserved example of historicist church architecture in the region.

Where is St. Marien and what is it?

The church is at St. Annagasse 1, in the centre of Balsthal, where the Thal valley opens between the Jura ridges. Its coordinates are roughly 47.317 N, 7.695 E. It makes an easy stop on a stroll through town.

Why was it built?

In 1911 the parish decided on a new church. The earlier St. Anna church sat away from the centre and had become too small for the congregation. The commission went to architect August Hardegger of St. Gallen, chosen in early 1912. Work began that same year, and the church was consecrated on 24 May 1914.

Hardegger designed several churches in the canton of Solothurn during the 1900s. St. Martin in Olten and St. Antonius in Niedergösgen belong to the same group, so the three combine well into a day of church architecture.

What does it look like?

The building follows a historicist style with a Romanesque flavour: a large, solid volume visible from a distance, using forms from older traditions but conceived with an early twentieth-century outlook. The interior is largely preserved in its original state, so it reflects the architect's intentions closely.

Is it protected and maintained?

Yes. In 2007 the canton of Solothurn added the church to its register of protected historical monuments. The interior was restored in 2007–2008 at an estimated cost of about CHF 2.9 million, with a cantonal subsidy. After that, the outer shell of the building was also repaired.

How to visit

• It is a working parish church, so plan your visit outside service times.
• Keep quiet and dress suitably for a place of worship.
• Allow an hour or two for Balsthal. The town has other churches, including a Reformed church built 1906–1912, which is a separate building.

Frequently asked questions

When was St. Marien in Balsthal built? Between 1912 and 1914, and it was consecrated on 24 May 1914.

Who designed it? August Hardegger (1858–1927) of St. Gallen, who designed numerous historicist churches in Switzerland.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes. It has been on the Solothurn cantonal register of protected monuments since 2007.

Is it the same as the St. Anna church? No. St. Anna is the older church that stood off to the side. St. Marien was built closer to the centre in 1914, and its street is named St. Annagasse.