Riggisberg: Castle, Textiles and Trails

Riggisberg offers a range of opportunities to include culture and outdoor activities in your travel plans. Riggisberg Castle and the Abegg Foundation shape the cultural offering, complemented by hiking trails, routes in the Gantrisch region and winter activities. This allows you to plan your hotel stay around the things that interest you most.

Riggisberg Castle and its architectural history

Albrecht von Erlach (1644–1723) had Riggisberg Castle built in 1700. With one brief interruption, Riggisberg was under the rule of the von Erlach family for more than 400 years. The castle is a three-storey cubic building with rendered walls. A stair tower with a pointed roof adjoins it on the west side. Each façade has five window bays arranged in five rows; on the central axes of the east and south façades, wrought-iron balconies dating from the 1730s provide distinctive features.

A garden and pond lie around the castle. The visitor site is open year-round and offers views of the Alps. The building’s form, window bays and balconies give you different details to look out for as you take in the building.

The Abegg Foundation and Villa Abegg

Since 1967, Riggisberg has been home to the Abegg Foundation, with its museum and textile research institute. The foundation organises changing special exhibitions on historical textiles each year. The textile collection and the changing exhibition themes are both part of the town’s cultural profile.

Villa Abegg was built in the style of the Baroque architecture of northern Italy. Its rooms were designed specifically to house historical architectural elements, furniture, wallpaper, paintings and precious decorative arts. You can visit the reception rooms on a guided tour. The described route to the Abegg Foundation takes the S-Bahn to Toffen, followed by the postbus from Toffen to Riggisberg. Check the timetable for the connection before travelling.

Church and monastery: different historical details

Riggisberg Church also has its own architectural history: it is a hall church with a tower dating from the 12th century and a nave from 1687. The vaulted choir is fully integrated into the Romanesque tower and is unique in the surrounding area. The windows on the south façade feature stained-glass depictions of the symbols of the Evangelists.

Nearby Rüeggisberg offers another historical point of interest: its monastery was the first settlement of the Cluniac Order in the German-speaking world. The museum room, open daily, displays reliefs that are almost 1,000 years old, along with information about the monastery’s history and conservation work. The church, castle and monastery offer different points of focus, from architectural features in Riggisberg to the history of the monastery in Rüeggisberg.

Hiking, cycling and other activities

The Gantrisch Panorama Trail and the Jakobs Pilgerweg (St James’ Pilgrims’ Way) in and around Riggisberg are suitable for hiking. An extensive network of hiking trails offers further options. The Gantrisch region also has many kilometres of well-marked mountain biking and cycling routes. When planning, you can therefore choose whether to focus on one of the named hiking routes, other trails or a cycling route in the region.

In winter, the area around Riggisberg has long cross-country ski trails and snowshoe routes. Climbing is possible on the Gantrisch via ferrata; it requires a via ferrata set, good stamina, sure-footedness and a head for heights. These requirements set it apart from the hiking and cycling options mentioned above.

The approximately 50-kilometre Gantrisch themed legends trail leads through Gantrisch Nature Park and can be started in Riggisberg. In Riggisberg, the trail tells the story of the former lord of the castle, Rabbentaler. Another activity to enjoy together is the Riggisberg puzzle trail: families or friends can do it together, and the puzzles are suitable for all age groups. The trail has a total of 11 puzzle boards. It starts at Postplatz in the village centre, in front of the municipal administration and post office; postbuses also stop there. Check the transport details before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Kirchdorf, Uttigen, Rüeggisberg, Kehrsatz, Toffen, Gerzensee, Rüti Bei Riggisberg, Burgistein

Return to the overview of the wider area: Seftigen.