ARCHITECT, Swiss
(active 1680-1689 in Solothurn)

Interior view

1680-89
Photo
Jesuit church, Solothurn

A close relationship can be identified between the Jesuit architecture of Switzerland and the activities of the Vorarlberg architects. In the Jesuit church at Solothurn this can be traced back to the south German Baroque architecture of St. Michael's in Munich. It was the Jesuit building supervisor Heinrich Mayer more than anyone else, in fact, who endeavoured to assimilate the novel architectural ideas of the Vorarlberg school.

The foundation stone of the Jesuit church in Solothurn was ceremonially laid in 1680, the construction was completed by 1689. Mayer may have worked out the definitive plans along Vorarlberg principles, the wall-pier arrangement is pure Vorarlberg. However, the church is derived from the Jesuit church of St. Michael in Munich, especially the hall church design, the arrangement of the galleries, and the very basic transept.

The photo shows the nave of the church.