The beer castle turns 150

Why Rheinfelden in the first place?

The founders Theophil Roniger and Mathias Wüthrich chose the location strategically. In 1875, the Bözberg line from Basel to Zurich was opened, and a year later the brewery was built directly on the railroad line. While other breweries at the time could only deliver within a day's carriage ride, Roniger and Wüthrich thought nationally. The most modern means of transportation at the time - the railroad - brought their beer to all parts of the country. A far-sighted decision that made the success of the next 150 years possible.

A castle as a brand statement

The name was also the program. Roniger prevailed over Wüthrich's suggestion of "Bellevue": "Feldschlösschen". The entire brewery was built like a castle - towers, battlements, a brewhouse that was later referred to as the "cathedral of beer".

The architecture was the message: a high-quality beer deserves a venerable home. Today, the castle is one of the most famous buildings in Switzerland - and is Rheinfelden's landmark.

The brewery horses, Thursdays

A tradition that I particularly like: every Thursday, the brewery horses deliver beer to Rheinfelden's old town. Clattering hooves on the cobblestones, the smell of leather, horses and beer - in the middle of modern Switzerland. These horse-drawn carts have belonged to Feldschlösschen since the beginning, like hops to beer. If you want to see a piece of living history, the Old Town is the place to be on a Thursday morning.

The anniversary year under one guiding principle: cohesion

As deeply rooted as Feldschlösschen is in Rheinfelden, the claim in the anniversary year is just as clear: we are not celebrating ourselves, but what unites us all. Together with the Sotomo research institute, we conducted the second "Barometer Zusammenhalt" survey in 2026 - a representative study on social cohesion in Switzerland.

The results: 96% of respondents consider cohesion to be important. At the same time, a majority of over 60 percent perceive it as (rather) weak - only 37 percent rate it as (rather) strong. The findings are clear: cohesion is crumbling. And that is precisely why it needs places and moments where it becomes visible - in clubs, at regulars' tables, at festivals.

Beer has united people for 150 years. It is precisely this feeling that we want to bring to life in Rheinfelden in 2026.

The events in the anniversary year

• Birthday weeks in the Brauwelt: June 8-14 and August 3-9. Two weeks with a different program every day - from guided tours, carriage rides and brewing courses to a Schlössli breakfast in the Feldschlösschen Restaurant.
• The new adventure tour (public dates: June 10, July 1, August 5, August 8, September 6, October 21, November 4): the scenic tour takes guests on a journey from the past to the future
• Sunset chat (June to September): End the day on the roof terrace every Thursday evening: Cozy summer evenings against the backdrop of the castle.
• Open-air cinema (August 18-22): Cinema experience in the open air, in the middle of the castle grounds.
• Oktoberfest (October 2-17): Bavarian lifestyle at Aargau Castle - the big festival in the historic Pichhalle with live music and beer culture.
• Winter Village (November 26-29): Twinkling lights, over 40 stalls, fondue and carriage rides - the atmospheric Advent experience in the region.

If you are planning a visit outside of the events: Brauwelt is open all year round and offers tours of the castle in four languages, the Feldschlösschen fan store, beer tasting at the largest digital tapping system in Switzerland and a deep insight into 150 years of brewing and Swiss economic history.

Dominique Zingg works in Corporate Communications at Feldschlösschen and is responsible for the activities for the brewery's 150th anniversary year.