Discover 60 curated stories about Aarau in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
The FC Aarau's promotion to the Super League in 2013 was secured in a dramatic fashion, with the team's players already heading to the locker room when the news of their promotion was announced, caus…
Stadion Brügglifeld · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Lenzburg castle has a dark history, with one of its former owners, Johannes Parricida, being involved in the murder of King Albrecht in 1308.
Lenzburg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
A 65-year-old man set himself on fire in a Postauto in Kerzers, taking five others with him, in a shocking and unexplained incident that has left the community reeling.
Kerzers · · 💀 Dark history
A 75-year-old retiree was scammed twice by the same woman from Slovakia, losing over 200,000 francs, in a shocking case that unfolded at the Aarau district court.
Aarau district court · · 💀 Dark history
In 1976, divers in the Aare river discovered a 7-meter-wide wooden bridge from the late Roman times, which is an extraordinary archaeological find. The bridge is a testament to the ingenuity and engi…
Aare River · · 🔍 Hidden gems
On August 11, 1712, the Peace of Aarau was signed, granting each canton the right to choose its own religion and ending Catholicism's control. This historic event marked a significant turning point i…
Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
In 2002, FC Aarau was on the brink of financial ruin, but was saved by the issuance of 15,100 shares, worth 1,510,000 Swiss francs. This dramatic turn of events ensured the club's survival.
FC Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
The FC Aarau football club was on the brink of financial ruin in 2002, but was saved by an unusual action by its president, Michael Hunziker, who managed to sanitate the club and transform it into a…
FC Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich, a Swiss composer, struggled with his life in Aarau and eventually took his own life on October 16, 1836, due to feelings of isolation and frustration with his career.
Aarau · · 💀 Dark history
In the 16th century, the Effinger family, who lived in Wildegg Castle, experienced a series of tragic events, including the death of Christoff II, who lost his castle to a fire, and the loss of sever…
Wildegg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
The Lauchetal valley was once home to a thriving textile industry, with the Baumwollspinnerei Lauchetal factory playing a significant role. However, the area's history is also marked by a darker even…
Lauchetal valley · · 💀 Dark history
In 1976, divers discovered oak bridge abutments in the old course of the Aare river, which dated back to the Roman era and indicated the presence of a bridge crossing the river before the city's foun…
Aare river · · 🔍 Hidden gems
At the Kantonsspital Aarau, a surprise oasis was set up for nursing staff, complete with a beach bar, palm trees, and loungers, all hidden behind a white curtain.
Kantonsspital Aarau · · 🤯 Weird
A cat rescue operation in Aarau resulted in a shocking bill of over 1700 francs for the cat owner, highlighting the unexpected costs of animal rescue services.
Aarau · · 🤯 Weird
A violent clash between football fans and police at the Aarau train station resulted in multiple injuries and significant damage to property, including smashed windows and damaged police vehicles.
Aarau Train Station · · 💀 Dark history
A black swan, native to Australia or New Zealand, has been spotted swimming in the Klingnauer Stausee, a rare and unexpected sighting in the region.
Klingnauer Stausee · 🤯 Weird
A notorious traffic circle in Au SG, nicknamed the 'Gaggi-Kreisel', has a reputation for being the ugliest in Switzerland and has been the site of multiple accidents, including one where a driver fli…
Gaggi-Kreisel · 🤯 Weird
A drunken driver crashed his car on Schachenstrasse, which landed on its roof after hitting several objects, including a speed limit sign and a tree.
Schachenstrasse · · 💀 Dark history
A 22-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck by a car on Bahnhofstrasse, near the Kantonsschule, in a tragic accident that shocked the community.
Bahnhofstrasse · 💀 Dark history
Edi's Weinstube, a bar in the Niederdorf area, is decorated with old pornography and is known for its 5-frank wine, but it was on the verge of closing due to a 30% decline in consumption after the pa…
Edi's Weinstube · · 🤯 Weird
The Astra Bridge, a mobile bridge, was tested on the A1 highway and garnered international attention for its unique ability to move forward on its own, allowing construction to take place underneath…
Astra Bridge · · 🤯 Weird
In a bizarre sprint duel, two world record holders, Karsten Warholm and Armand Duplantis, competed against each other in the 100m dash at Letzigrund, with Duplantis emerging victorious in 10.37 secon…
Letzigrund · 🤯 Weird
A man in Aarau survived a freak accident when his air mattress exploded, blasting him off the bed and shattering windows up to 20 meters away.
Mehrfamilienhaus · · 🤯 Weird
The Loretokapelle in Kloster Muri has been the burial site of the Habsburgs since 1971, and it's also rumored to be the final resting place of Ljubow Fjodorowna Dostojewskaja, daughter of the famous…
Kloster Muri · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Kloster Muri was at the center of the Aargauer Klosterstreit, a heated controversy that led to the dissolution of the monastery in 1841 and had significant political repercussions.
Kloster Muri · · 💀 Dark history
The Leontiusbrunnen in Muri features a baroque-style fountain with a figure of Saint Leontius, a Roman soldier, which was created by Johann Baptist Wickart in 1683.
Leontiusbrunnen · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Ruine Stein, a medieval castle, was destroyed by the Eidgenossen in 1415 and later rebuilt as a fortress from 1657 to 1670, only to be destroyed again in 1712 after the Second Villmergerkrieg.
Ruine Stein · · 💀 Dark history
One of the Roman water pipelines from Vindonissa is still functional today, making it the oldest functioning technical structure in Switzerland. It was rediscovered in 1310 and has been modified seve…
Vindonissa · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The construction of new buildings in the area has led to the irreparable destruction of some sections of the Roman water pipeline from Vindonissa, sparking controversy among the public.
Vindonissa · · 💀 Dark history
The Meyersche Stollen, a 1.7 km long underground tunnel system, was built between 1791 and 1810 by Johann Rudolf Meyer Sohn, a fabric manufacturer, revolutionary, alpinist, and counterfeiter.
Meyersche Stollen · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Johann Rudolf Meyer, a renowned Seidenbandfabrikant, ended up as a counterfeiter in prison after inheriting debts from his father. His life took a dramatic turn, from building the Meyersche Stollen t…
Meyersche Stollen · · 💀 Dark history
Andreas Moser, a bayerischer Schriftsteller, created the oldest Turnplatz in Switzerland in Aarau, but his life took a dramatic turn when he was accused of being an Illuminat on the eve of the Konter…
Kantonsschule Aarau · · 💀 Dark history
The painter Johannes Brandenberg was commissioned to paint the Aarau town hall, but his depiction of hell included a portrait of the local hangman, who complained about being sent to hell. Brandenber…
Aarau Town Hall · · 😂 Funny
The Aarauer Bachfischet has been celebrated for almost 500 years, making it one of the oldest continuous traditions in Switzerland. The festival originates from the annual cleaning of the Aarauer Sta…
Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
The city hall of Aarau was once the location of the 'Rore' tower, from which the town was ruled, and later incorporated into the modern city hall. In 1283, King Rudolf I von Habsburg granted Aarau it…
Aarau City Hall · · 🏛️ Legendary
The closing of the monasteries founded by the Habsburgs in the 16th century, such as those in Wettingen and Muri, contributed to the outbreak of the Sonderbund War in 1847.
Wettingen and Muri monasteries · · 💀 Dark history
The Aargauer Kunsthaus museum in Aarau features an impressive collection of over 21,000 works of Swiss art, including pieces by famous artists like Alberto Giacometti and Jean Tinguely.
Aargauer Kunsthaus · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Mittelland Arena, a proposed new stadium for FC Aarau, was rejected by the people of Aarau in a 2005 referendum. The project, which included a shopping center, was deemed unsuitable for the city.
Mittelland Arena · · 🏛️ Legendary
The FC Aarau was founded in 1902 in the Ryniker brewery in Aarau, a fact that is still celebrated by the club's fans today.
Ryniker brewery · · 🏛️ Legendary
During the Revolution, the Brugg community suffered greatly, with capital stocks like the Challwyl'sche Pflege and the Horstamt Scholz-Pflege disappearing or significantly decreasing in value. The co…
Brugg · · 💀 Dark history
The Brugg community forest was severely damaged during the Revolution, with widespread logging and neglect leading to a significant decline in timber production. By 1800-1804, the forest was producin…
Brugg · · 💀 Dark history
The church of Seengen was built on the site of a former Roman settlement, where archaeological finds such as wall remains, legionary bricks, and mosaic pieces have been discovered. The settlement was…
Seengen Church · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Effinger family was known for their bravery and military prowess, with Christoff I fighting in the Italian Wars and later becoming a captain in the French army. However, his military career was c…
Wildegg Castle · · 🏛️ Legendary
The name 'Lommis' is derived from the Old High German words 'loup' meaning 'leaf' or 'foliage' and 'misi' meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike', likely referring to the clearing of the forest in the area.…
Lommis · 🔍 Hidden gems
The castle of Herdern was once the target of a soldier's attack in 1656, during which important documents went missing. These documents were likely from earlier times and are now lost to history.
Herdern Castle · · 💀 Dark history
Hans Kaspar von Breitenlandenberg, the owner of Herdern Castle, complained about the loss of documents during the attack in 1656. This event highlights the turbulent history of the castle.
Herdern Castle · · 💀 Dark history
During excavations in 1958-1959, a Friedhofskirche, or a cemetery church, was discovered in the Telli area, which likely belonged to one of the village settlements that predated the city's founding.
Telli · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Amtshaus in Meienberg was once part of a larger complex that included a residential tower, which was destroyed by fire in 1386 during the Sempacherkrieg. The building was rebuilt in 1575 and feat…
Amtshaus · · 💀 Dark history
The Habsburg castle, the ancestral seat of the Habsburg dynasty, was abandoned by the family in the 13th century because it had become too small and unrepresentative. The castle was later given to va…
Habsburg Castle · · 🏛️ Legendary
After the monastery's dissolution, the Benedictine monks from Muri went on to found the Abbey of Muri-Gries in Gries near Bozen in 1845, a surprising turn of events that led to the establishment of a…
Kloster Muri · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Kraftwerk Laufenburg power plant was built between 1909 and 1914, and its construction required the demolition of the Laufenburg rapids, also known as the 'kleiner Laufen'.
Kraftwerk Laufenburg · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Nekropole von Sarmenstorf, a necropolis in the Aargau canton, features 21 grave mounds, including the unique Mondsichelgrab, which was reconstructed and conserved after excavations in the late 19…
Nekropole von Sarmenstorf · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The second Roman water pipeline from Vindonissa was abandoned and demolished, but its remains can still be seen in the form of 30 pillar foundations in the center of Windisch.
Windisch · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Hirslanden Klinik Aarau was a filming location for the Swiss TV series 'Der Bestatter'.
Hirslanden Klinik Aarau · 🏛️ Legendary
The Neue Häuser, a row of 15 houses built between 1798 and 1825, is considered the first uniformly planned and constructed residential area in Switzerland.
Neue Häuser · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Telliring, a circular grass plaza, hosted the first Eidgenössisches Turnfest in 1832, marking the founding of the Eidgenössischer Turnverein, now known as the Swiss Gymnastics Federation.
Telliring · · 🏛️ Legendary
Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich, a renowned Swiss composer, lived and died in Aarau, leaving behind a legacy of Romantic-era music.
Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
Hieronymus Meyer, also known as Jérôme Meyer, was a Swiss entrepreneur, revolutionary, and alpinist who was elevated to the nobility for his services to Bavarian agriculture. He made history by being…
Swiss Alps · · 🏛️ Legendary
Johann Rudolf Meyer, the father, was a philanthropist and patron of the arts, but his life was shrouded in legends and controversies, including unverified claims about his birthplace and involvement…
Meyersche Stollen · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Arnold Niggli, a Swiss musician and critic, was a key figure in Aarau's musical scene, but his life was marked by a dramatic career change from law to music, and he went on to become a renowned music…
Stadtschreiber Aarau · · 🏛️ Legendary
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Hidden stories of Zurich beneath your feet
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