Kaiseraugst: Roman Traces on the High Rhine

Kaiseraugst is a municipality in Switzerland, in the canton of Aargau and the district of Rheinfelden. It lies on the High Rhine and borders Germany and the canton of Basel-Landschaft. For travelers who want to combine their stay with archaeological history, the town has a clear focus: its Roman and Late Antique remains represent different functions—from securing a Rhine crossing to bathing, church, and production facilities. A look at these differences makes Kaiseraugst’s history more concrete than a mere list of sites.

Fort and Rhine Crossing

Around 300 AD, the Kaiseraugst fort was built after the Roman Empire had moved its northern border back to the Rhine. The fort was built to protect the Rhine crossing. The surviving fort wall is up to 4.5 meters high.

Bathing Complex and Church Remains

The Rhine baths add a Roman bathing complex to the picture of Kaiseraugst. Part of the complex can be visited; surviving features include a large cold-water pool with seating steps and a drain. The church remains tell a different story of construction. Through the fort wall, visitors can enter the shelter covering the early church. There, part of the semicircular apse of the Late Antique church can be seen. A church built between 360 and 400 AD was also discovered at the site of today’s St. Gallus village church.

Production and Archaeological Finds

Two of several Roman brick kilns are visible in today’s Liebrüti district. In the 4th century AD, building ceramics were produced there on a large scale for the entire city. This brings their production into focus alongside the surviving structures: the kilns connect the site with the production of building materials needed in large quantities for the city.

The underground well house adds a distinct chronological note. When it was discovered in 1998, it was completely intact and had remained untouched in the ground for 1,800 years. The find thus links a specific discovery with a much longer history beneath the ground.

The dates can be compared in broad terms: the fort was built around 300, brick production dates to the 4th century, and the church discovered at St. Gallus dates from 360 to 400. Fortification, production, and church construction thus fall within the same broad timeframe without becoming a single event.

Commercial Buildings and Animal Park

Among the Augusta Raurica buildings preserved on Aargau soil are the exceptionally well-preserved ruins of the Schmidmatt commercial buildings. A free ticket is required for access. Augusta Raurica’s animal park features old domestic animal breeds associated with Roman animal husbandry. The animals and programs may change over time.

Before your visit, check local access requirements for the Rhine baths, the church shelter, the brick kilns, and the Schmidmatt commercial buildings. You should also check the ticket requirements for Schmidmatt in advance.

Discover more destinations: Rheinfelden, Möhlin, Wegenstetten, Stein.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Rheinfelden.