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culture

examining the historical record could reveal
any amount of other significant numbers, the
date Solothurn joined the Confederation, for
example, or the number of towns.

numerological Explanations.
The study of numerology bloomed in the
late Renaissance, and many Solothurn
inhabitants deemed 11 to be a ‘holy’ number:
it is the number of Jesus’s faithful disciples, for
example, or the brothers of the Old Testament
Joseph. In Judeo-Christian numerology, 11
is considered the most intuitive of numbers,
commonly associated with faith and psychics,
but the beliefs held by the faithful at the
St Ursen Cathedral of St Ursus are equally compelling.
Cathedral with Most numerology uses base ten, and so 11 is
sets of stairs always ‘one more than is needed’, standing for
by 11 and 11 hope, the Divine, or the pursuit of perfection.
column
Folktale Explanations.
There is also a centuries-old folk legend
concerning the number 11. It is said that at
one time the people of Solothurn worked
hard, but despite this, they could not prosper.
Then magical elves – ‘elfs’ in German - came
from the nearby Weissenstein mountain to
hearten the townspeople. This brought joy
and new strength, saving the inhabitants.
Therefore, the number 11, or ‘elf’ in German,
Square in was adopted as a tribute to their saviors.
Solothurn Mythology about elves is generally common
with one of 11 in German-speaking countries, and they are
fountains
often represented by this number.
you are inside, cross the nave and walk to the
11th flag stone, laid at the heart of the building, The number eleven is present
this will be the only place from where you can throughout Solothurn.
see the cathedral’s 11 altars. Whatever the explanation, the ’11 motif’ goes
beyond the church. There are 11 fountains,
Geopolitical Explanations. 11 museums, 11 historical waterfalls, and 11
So, what is the reason for the obsession with towers! Unsurprisingly, there are 11 churches
this unlikely number? There are a number and chapels in the town, making a unique
of theories, the most prosaic of which is architectural ensemble.
geopolitical. In 1481, Solothurn became the
11 canton of the Swiss Confederation, and by The number 11 remains a part of the life of the
th
the 16 century it had been divided into 11 town to this day: for example, children enjoy
th
protectorates. Furthermore, back in 1252, the a special celebration on their 11th birthday.
town guilds elected 11 members to the town Likewise, Confiserie Hofer, a bakery now
council. in its 100th year, has the aptly named ‘11-’’
chocolate bar, and the marketing opportunity
However, the problem with explanations of has also been seized on by the town’s flagship
this kind is their post hoc nature. Doubtless, brewery, called Öufi Bier, or ‘Eleven Beer’ in

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