Solothurn - Eleven Photographs and a Piece of My Childhood
Out and about with my Leica M EV1 and the Summilux 35 mm in the city where I grew up. I dedicate this journal to my mother and my aunt - two women from Solothurn.
Today I’m exploring Solothurn with my Leica. I have a small idea in mind: eleven photographs of the city of eleven. No checklist that I have to complete. Just a reason to look a little more closely and wander through the city.
Solothurn isn’t just another day-trip destination for me. My mother grew up here. As a child, I often visited my grandparents and spent a lot of time here. So my connection with this city goes beyond its beautiful architecture. Walking through the streets today brings those visits to mind. I’m out with my camera, but a piece of my childhood is always along for the walk.
Solothurn, as Beautiful as Ever
The houses beside the water, the rooftops and the green spires. And their reflections in the Aare. It’s a familiar view, but one I still enjoy photographing. I like the warm colours of the facades against the blue of the sky and water. This photograph feels right in colour.
Why Eleven?
Eleven belongs to Solothurn. But why? There is no single, clearly documented origin. The city’s special relationship with this number developed over the centuries. As early as the seventeenth century, Solothurn’s town clerk and chronicler Franz Haffner was collecting examples of it.
Solothurn once had eleven guilds and eleven bailiwicks. In the traditional order of the Swiss cantons, it holds eleventh place. This is often confused with having joined the Confederation as the eleventh canton. In fact, Solothurn joined in 1481 as the tenth member.
St. Ursus Cathedral offers some lovely examples: three flights of eleven steps lead up to the entrance. There are also eleven bells and eleven altars. Here, eleven is more than an interesting story. It is part of the building.
I like this little Solothurn quirk. The people enjoy their number, keep the tradition alive and find new occasions to use it. Today, I’m joining in.
Solothurn, 11:11
The clock on the Biel Gate ("Bieltor") reads eleven minutes past eleven. A perfect fit for today’s idea. The time gives the photograph an extra meaning. A brief moment I can capture – and one that belongs in this collection.
Later, I discover house number eleven beside a magnificent wooden door. Above it is an ornate balcony railing with gold details. In front stand racks filled with postcards and greetings cards.
I like this combination. An impressive historic entrance and an ordinary shop display. The colourful cards belong here. They bring colour and life to the old doorway. The eleven is a small detail you have to discover.
Familiar Places, Today's Perspective
For me, St. Ursus Cathedral is part of Solothurn. Its façade, statues, columns and broad staircase are impressive. I stop and take my time composing the photograph. People sit on the steps, others walk across the square. A man passes through the frame in front of me.
The cathedral gives the photograph its structure. The man in the foreground adds movement. I like the fact that this magnificent place isn’t an empty backdrop. People sit here, look around and pass by. The city belongs to the people spending their day in it.
Later, I photograph the cathedral again from beside the Aare. This time, I look for a view through the leaves and branches.
The dark leaves in the foreground leave an opening. Beyond it, the dome and tower stand in the light. I move a little, find the right position and release the shutter.
Photographs like this make me happy. The subject is familiar, but the composition is my own little discovery.
When the Light Plays Along
At the Clock Tower, the sun becomes part of the picture. It sits right on the edge of a street lamp, making the lamp look as though it is glowing. Rays spread across the photograph, with the tower still visible behind them.
The backlight doesn’t make the photograph easier. Reflections appear, and a soft veil of light falls across the tower. But that is precisely what I like about it. I want to keep the atmosphere of this moment rather than edit away every trace of the light.
Black and white feels right here. It draws attention to the lamp, the rays and the shapes of the tower.
The City Stands Still, Life Moves
Against a bright facade, I notice striped shutters and diagonal shadows. A lovely arrangement of lines and shapes. Then a cyclist passes by.
The cyclist becomes a blur of movement in the photograph. The façade remains still behind him. I particularly like this contrast: clear lines, solid walls and a person briefly passing through the frame.
Sometimes it doesn’t take much. An interesting background and a little patience for whatever comes along.
At the Basel Gate, another moment unfolds. A cyclist approaches the passage. His light-coloured back stands out against the dark archway. I release the shutter before he disappears into it.
The massive stone blocks and diagonal shadow would have made a beautiful subject on their own. With the cyclist, the photograph tells a little more. People still ride through and use this old gate. It is part of life today.
I like the difference in scale between the building and the person. The gate has stood here for a long time. The cyclist is in this particular spot for only a brief moment.
Autumn at my Feet
Beside the Aare, I also look down. A few autumn leaves lie on the paving stones. I lower the camera close to the ground and focus on the leaves. The city behind them becomes blurred.
Here, the small things take the leading role. Solothurn remains recognisable in the background without having to reveal every detail.
This photograph stays in colour. The warm leaves against the cool water and sky capture something of this autumn day. A different view of the city – and one I particularly enjoy.
Eleven Photographs, My Solothurn
To finish, I look across the Aare once more. The cathedral rises above the rooftops, with clouds passing overhead. Reflections move across the water.
A lovely way to end my walk. After the details and brief encounters, I see the city as a whole again.
In the end, I have my eleven photographs. Colour and black and white, classic views and small observations. Not every photograph contains an eleven. It doesn’t need to. The number gave my walk a direction without restricting it.
Looking through the photographs, I realise how much I enjoy being here. The Aare, the streets, the towers and gates. The magnificent façades and the ordinary life unfolding in front of them.
As a child, I came to Solothurn to visit my grandparents. Today, I also come to photograph it. The personal connection has remained.
These eleven photographs are my small love letter to a beautiful Baroque city that will always be part of my family’s story. And it's a declaration of love for my Leica M EV1.
