St. Ursus Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in Solothurn, Switzerland
St. Ursus Cathedral is a neoclassical church in Solothurn, Switzerland, dedicated to Saints Ursus and Victor. Its western facade is monumental white stone, divided into three sections by columns with pilasters and entablature, and crowned by a triangular pediment. A 66-metre onion-dome tower, long inhabited by a tower watchman, stands beside the building.
The current building was constructed between 1762 and 1773, designed by the Ticino architect Gaetano Matteo Pisoni. Earlier churches had stood on the same site for centuries, with roots going back to the early medieval period.
The cathedral takes its name from Saint Ursus, a Roman soldier said to have been martyred in Solothurn. Inside, visitors can walk past marble altars and gilded details that give the space a formal, ceremonial feel.
The 66-metre onion-dome tower once housed a tower watchman; the sources record no public tower access, so plan your visit around the cathedral's use as the bishop's seat and parish church. The interior was closed for about two years after the January 2011 arson attack and reopened after repairs costing some 8.7 million CHF.
The 66-metre onion dome was long inhabited by a tower watchman. A 1708 drawing by Peter Thumb shows that a second tower was already discussed for the earlier collegiate church, though it was never built. The old Wendelstein tower collapsed on 25 March 1762, prompting the rebuild.
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