History

Laufenburg used to be one municipality in the past. There was also a change between France and Austria (Habsburg).

In 1801, there was a war between France and Austria. Until then, this town belonged to the French, and after that, it was divided into two parts.

The Treaty of Lunéville redrew the map of Europe, placing the Rhine River as the boundary between French and Austrian territories.

So, the part given to Switzerland became part of the canton of Aargau, and the other part, the smaller one in terms of population, was given to the Grand Duchy of Baden, which today belongs to Germany.

Since then, this separation has never changed.

On the bridge, you can see a statue of the saint placed exactly on the boundary between Switzerland and Germany.

He is basically the patron of the boundary, allowing people to pass safely from one country to the other.

German Side

The historic town of Laufenburg is smaller on the side of Germany. The town has a few alleys to explore.

The houses are quite colorful, and you will surely have enough shade, which is important during the warm summers.

When you’re strolling around the alleys, I suggest going to the Heilig Geist Church situated on the German side. It is a prominent landmark that showcases stunning Gothic architecture.

Walk up to the Heilig Geist Church, explore the interior, and then head towards the lookout point. From there, you will have a beautiful view over to the Swiss side of Laufenburg.

Then head downstairs, explore the middle alley, and return to the bridge.

Before you cross over to Switzerland, don’t forget to walk along the promenade. You can take some cool photos of the houses on the Swiss side and yourself also.

Swiss Side

Laufenburg’s historic center has always been on the Swiss side, which shows that this part of the town is quite large.

Strangely, the Swiss side of the town is bigger, while the land on this side actually is smaller.

As you are walking through the old town, don’t forget to look up at the flags that nicely decorate the town.

Here, you can really see the difference between the two countries.

Switzerland really loves to decorate its villages and cities with flags during the summer season, which is not a big thing in Germany.

This is probably the most noticeable difference between both sides of the town. As the larger part of Laufenburg is in Switzerland, there are more alleys and fountains to see.

The houses are quite colorful but also similar to the ones on the German side.

Here, you can see that despite being split into two countries, the town still feels like it is only one.

The Catholic Church Laufenburg on the Swiss side is quite bright in the interior and worth a quick visit.

After that, head up to the tower (Ruine Laufenburg) just nearby to get a better view of the historic town.

How to go Laufenburg?

Laufenburg is between Zürich and Basel. From Zürich, it takes about 45 minutes by car and about an hour by train.

And from Basel, it takes about 50 minutes by train and around 30 minutes by car.

Also, Laufenburg makes a good stop when you are heading from Zürich to Basel.