Grenchen, Protected townscape in Lebern District, Switzerland
Grenchen is a working town in Switzerland that spreads across a valley at the foot of the Jura mountains. The settlement mixes residential areas with open spaces and is shaped by workshops and factories that dot the landscape throughout.
The settlement was first recorded in written documents around 1131 under the name Granechun, derived from an old word meaning storage place. Over centuries, the town evolved into a major center for watch production, a role that continues to shape its character.
The town's identity is deeply rooted in watchmaking, a craft that shaped how people here work and think about precision. Walking through the streets, you notice this heritage in workshop windows and the care people take with their skills.
The town connects well by train to larger Swiss centers, making it easy to reach. Parking is available in the main areas, and the central zones are easy to explore on foot.
Medieval castle ruins perch on the cliff above the modern town, offering a contrast to the industrial landscape below. These remains hint at an older chapter in the settlement's story before factories arrived.
Location: Lebern District
Elevation above the sea: 451 m
Shares border with: Court
Website: https://grenchen.ch
GPS coordinates: 47.19306,7.39583
Latest update: December 14, 2025 22:44
Grenchenberg
4.2 km
Grenchen castle ruins (11th century)
3 km
St. Eusebius Parish Church (1805-1812)
104 m
All Saints chapel (1682)
2 km
City archive of Grenchen
245 m
Kath. Kirchenzentrum, Lengnau
2.7 km
Ökumenisches Zentrum Pieterlen
4.6 km
Villa Lambert with park
793 m
St. Klemenz catholic church and rectory
2.5 km
Parktheater Grenchen
443 m
Im Staad Chapel
3.4 km
Bettlachstock
4.1 km
Reformed Zwingli Church
405 m
Villa Girard, art house collection
470 m
Schulhaus I
163 m
BLS viaduct and railroad facilities Grenchen north (1915)
436 m
Schulstrasse, early medieval burial ground
236 m
Eichholz, cup stone of unknown age
1.4 km
Former Villa Girard, art house
469 m
Rain schoolhouse / cultural history museum
89 m
Hotel Löwen
68 m
Schulhaus II
241 m
Hôtel de Ville town hall
241 m
Former chaplains' house
1.9 km
Schulhaus III
287 m
Tithe barn with wayside crucifix
2.3 km
Old mill
535 m
Museum of cultural history
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