Sculpture Park at Schoenthal Monastery

Schoenthal Monastery (Kloster Schönthal), first mentioned in 1145, includes one of the oldest churches in Switzerland. It is considered a showpiece of Romanesque architecture.

In 2000, Schoenthal Monastery was transformed into a place of cultural encounters. Embedded in the Jura hills, its collection of contemporary sculpture engages in a dialogue with nature. Individual walks to the artworks start at the Romanesque monastery church that itself houses a gallery for temporary exhibitions.

International and Swiss artists have produced site-specific sculptures for the meadows and woods around Schoenthal, having first familiarised themselves with the monastery, its history and the archaic landscape. The gradual development of the collection makes it a work-in-progress.

Currently, 33 works by 23 artists line the paths and trails of the Sculpture Park.

Visitors are free to make their way around the almost 100-hectare site at their own pace; sturdy footwear is recommended. The artworks can be seen in the course of a walk lasting anything from one-and-a-half to four hours - depending on how much time you have at your disposal for this encounter with art and nature. The Sculpture Park is open all year round.

Kloster Schönthal's temporary exhibitions are open between May and November. Opening hours are Sat, Sun and holidays from 11:00 - 18:00 / Fri 14:00 - 17:00.

There's also a small café with coffee and cakes; and you can book rooms.

Where: Stiftung Sculpture at Schoenthal, Schönthalstrasse 158, 4438 Langenbruck

About 40 minutes' drive from Basel. Directions on how to get there are here.

Admission is CHF 10.- for adults, CHF 20.- for families and CHF 6.- for artists.