Ostermundigen – Find a hotel among Klee trails and quarry history

Ostermundigen is a good choice for a stay that combines art and local history with outdoor walks. The sandstone quarries on Ostermundigenberg helped make the town well known and are associated with the art of Ferdinand Hodler and Paul Klee. If you are looking for a hotel in Ostermundigen, you can plan your trip around these specific interests: the Klee trails, the town’s history or its green spaces.

Quarries, art and local history

Ferdinand Hodler found the models for his painting “The Retreat of the Swiss after the Battle of Marignano” in the Ostermundigen quarries. Paul Klee, too, drew considerable inspiration from the quarries throughout his artistic career. The connection reaches as far as Bern: sandstone quarried in Ostermundigen was used for most of the buildings in Bern’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Ostermundigen Local Museum presents the town’s history. It collects objects, pictures and postcards reflecting local life; its themes include trades, schools, transport and associations. This perspective on everyday life and the development of the municipality complements the story of the artists and the sandstone.

Walks and green spaces

The “Ways to Klee” themed trail introduces visitors to the artist’s life and work through information panels, reproductions of his works, historical photographs and quotations. The route is 6.5 kilometres long and takes at least two hours. It leads to a viewpoint and information point in the quarries, where reproductions of Klee’s paintings are on display and there is a rest area with a covered shelter. The Ostermundigen section also passes the old stonemasons’ site in Waldeck and Ostermundigen railway station.

The walk from the Ostermundigen quarry to Bern starts at the terminus of bus route 10 in Ostermundigen-Rüti. It goes through the forest on Ostermundigeberg and includes a detour along a small road into the quarry. The quarry face offers a good overview of the site. The Helsana Trail has a different focus: it runs through Ostermundigenberg Forest, mostly along well-maintained forest paths. Marked access points are located by the Ostermundigen outdoor swimming pool, by the kindergarten in Rüti and west of the shooting range in Gümligen.

The parks also differ in character. Seepark is a public park open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its naturally landscaped pond is an important habitat for animals and plants. Rütipark was created in 2025 as an ecological enhancement, includes a wetland habitat and is freely accessible year-round.

Museum and cultural programme

For a stay with an additional cultural programme, consider Kulturbahnhof Ostermundigen, which is located in the railway station building. Its programme includes exhibitions, exhibition openings, theatre, readings, installations, music and video screenings, workshops and courses. If a particular date is important for your trip, check the programme for the day you have in mind.

The options have distinct focuses: “Ways to Klee” combines art themes with a walk of a specified length, while the local museum explores local history, associations and everyday life. The Helsana Trail offers another described way to explore the area on forest paths. These points of interest provide a factual guide when choosing Ostermundigen for your stay and looking for a hotel.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lengnau, Wohlen bei Bern, Bern, Köniz, Bern, Zimmerwald, Stettlen, Kirchlindach.

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