Located in North Central Switzerland, Olten is the average large town you can expect to find in the German-speaking region of the country. When you get off the train you’ll see the River Aare in front of you which can be crossed on the historic Alte Brücke that leads you straight into the centre of the old town.
In the centre of the historic old town is the Oltener Stadtturm, a tall clock tower that chimes every 15 minutes, including at night. On the edge of the old town is a colourful local restaurant called the Rathskeller Olten. It even has lots of historic weapons hung on the wall!
As you walk further away from the river, you’ll see the town’s main church – the St. Martin church. And just beyond the church on the other side of the square are the two museums of Olten; the art museum and the natural history museum.
The general strike of 1918 in Switzerland was led by meetings held in Olten, the then industrial hub of the country. Over 6% of the entire nation went on strike at the time, which accounted for about 20% of its workforce if you discount women, children, and the elderly. On the last day of the strike, soldiers shot at strikers who tore up railroad tracks.
