History

Since 1645, the clay from the “Kellenmattgraben” was used by the Frauental monastery to make bricks, and was later cut by the brickworks in Sins.

The history of the Ziegelei-Museum begins in 1873, when Martin Lörch bought the clearing between the Rainmatter and Lindenchamer forests. On this clearing, he built a simple workshop and later a house for his family, wife Rosina and sons Caspar and Jakob.

Eldest son Caspar Lörch took over the business in 1906 and continued hand-made tile production until 1933.

Since 1982, the Ziegelei-Museum Foundation has maintained the historic brickworks and the associated biotope.

The museum opened in 2013, as the only museum in Switzerland dedicated to the history of brick and tile making. The collection is kept at the museum. Various exhibitions, guided tours and workshops share knowledge about the brick and tile trade and ceramic building materials.

In 2021, the tower with a viewing platform and working kiln was constructed using rammed earth blocks. The tower is an experiment in the possibilities of rammed earth as a future-oriented construction material.

The Lörch family ca. 1918 and Jakob Lörch ca. 1924.