Wald ZH is in the Hinwil district of the Zurich Oberland, at the transition between the Zurich Oberland and Toggenburg, about 25 kilometres southeast of Zurich. The municipality extends across gentle hills and dense forests; the Jona flows through Wald. Historic buildings and traditional homes stand alongside modern residential neighbourhoods in the townscape. The town’s history also has several sides: agriculture, textile production, mills and textile businesses are all part of it, with the first recorded references dating back to the early Middle Ages. Wald therefore offers a range of starting points when choosing a destination—from local history and traditions to art and hiking.

Textile History at the Wald Local History Museum

The Wald Local History Museum is housed in a former office building belonging to the Spoerry and Schaufelberger company. The owner at the time, Spoerry, donated the building to the municipality in 1943. The museum’s location thus points to the history of local businesses; from there, the permanent exhibition explores other aspects of the town. It looks back at the past of the former textile centre, traces the history of local trades and presents local traditions.

The local history museum is open to visitors and groups by prior arrangement if they are interested in the chronicle or exhibitions. Anyone planning a visit should therefore make an enquiry in advance. The exhibition combines economic and local history with inherited customs, offering a different perspective on Wald from the art at the Lozzi Museum or the trails through the countryside.

Wald’s New Year’s Eve and Carnival Traditions

At 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, nine pairs of Wald’s Silvesterchläuse gather at the railway station. Their procession leads from there to Schwertplatz. During Carnival, the Wald Umezüg formations parade through the area to the sound of drummers and fifers; they acknowledge monetary donations with loud shots from muzzle-loading pistols. These events take place at different times of the year, each giving local traditions their own setting.

The «Knabenumezüge» tradition in Wald traces its origins to military musters in the municipality. Together with the New Year’s Eve and Carnival processions, this tradition is part of a stay focused not only on buildings and landscape but also on local customs. If you want to attend a particular event, check its date before travelling.

Kinetic Sculptures at the Lozzi Museum

The Lozzi Museum offers a different focus from the local history museum. The latter explores the chronicle, textile trade and local traditions; the Lozzi Museum puts sculptures centre stage. Around 180 sculptures are partly kinetic and can be set in motion by visitors themselves. The museum is a four-minute walk from Wald ZH S-Bahn station. Two distinct cultural themes therefore meet in Wald: the town’s history and an exhibition where movement is part of the artworks.

Hiking and Exploring Wald

The «Zurich Oberland: Bachtel» route is a moderately difficult summer hike covering 17.4 kilometres and taking 5 hours and 15 minutes. It crosses the Bachtel summit and descends to Wald, reaching the railway station via the «Bleiche» building complex. On the descent to Wald, the route passes the Bachtelspalt, a fissure about 15 to 20 metres deep in Nagelfluh conglomerate rock. The distance, duration and difficulty level clearly indicate the scope of this hike, making it a different choice from a visit focused primarily on local history or art.

People also jog, hike and barbecue along the Schmittenbach in the Sagenraintobel gorge. The village fountain walk offers another way to find your bearings: its stops are numbered from 1 to 16, with stop 1 marked as the start and stop 16 as the finish. While the Bachtel route is described by distance and duration, the walk follows a fixed order of stops.

You can choose what to focus on in Wald according to your interests: local history and trades at the local history museum, kinetic art at the Lozzi Museum, seasonal traditions or a longer summer hike. Visiting conditions vary too: the local history museum is open by prior arrangement, while the Bachtel route is described as a summer hike. This lets you choose the focus that best suits your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Bubikon, Bäretswil, Dürnten, Grüningen, Fischenthal, Gossau, Hinwil, Wetzikon

Back to the overarching travel overview: Hinwil.