Tröckneturm (Drying Tower)

The drying tower and surrounding ponds are among the most striking architectural monuments from the heyday of the textile industry in eastern Switzerland.

History: The history of the Tröckneturm tower is closely linked to the nearby Waldegg Castle (built in 1475). The stately estate, which included several ponds, was owned by the Abbey of St. Gallen for almost 300 years and fell to the canton after the Helvetic Revolution. In 1825, St. Gallen merchant Johann Jakob Täschler (1786-1830) purchased the castle and the surrounding area at auction and built a factory extension to Waldegg Castle. There he operated a red dye works. It was also Täschler who had the drying tower built in 1828. Architecture: The building is a well-thought-out construction: the overhanging roof allowed the cloth to be hung outside in good weather. In bad weather, the lengths of fabric could be hung up inside and dried by means of heating.

Current use: In 2019, the city acquired the Burgweiher area and made it accessible to the public. The tower belongs to the Tröckneturm Foundation, which was established in 1997. This foundation had the unique textile history site converted into a meeting place. An exhibition on the history of the city of St. Gallen and the history of the textile industry was also set up. The exhibition rooms can be visited on guided tours conducted by the Textile Museum. The Tröckneturm can also be rented for events. Since January 2023, the registry office has also been offering wedding ceremonies in the Tröckneturm.