Page "Solothurn" Paragraph 17

Before 1200 there was a Zähringer fortified tower north of the Monastery of St. Ursus.

In the first half of the 13th Century, a city wall was built around the area of the former castrum as well as the adjoining industrial area to the east and the churches of St. Peter and St. Urs.

Near the Monastery of St. Ursus, a Franciscan monastery was built, and after 1280 it formed the northern city wall on the eastern part of the city.

In 1532, the French embassy with a church and stately home was built in the eastern half of the city.

In the western part of Solothurn, the town hall was built.

First it was along the main street and in 1476 it moved south of the Franciscan monastery.

A main market place grew up along the main street, and in the first half of the 17th century it moved to the northern banks of the Aare river.

The town hall, market place and clock tower formed the political and economic centre of city life.