Solothurn
TL;DR
Watchmaking birthplace (first automatic watch 1926) with Baroque architecture
Solothurn anchors Switzerland's watchmaking heritage—the 1926 invention of the first automatic watch occurred in Grenchen, and the canton showed 11.6% employment growth in watchmaking by 2023. The Baroque architecture (St. Ursus Cathedral, Jesuit church, Arsenal) reflects Counter-Reformation investment, while modern industries span engineering, machinery, and paper. The city's medieval Clock Tower dates to 1250. The 2024 labor market shows rising jobseeker numbers in industrial sectors, reflecting the watch export downturn, but the diversified base (machinery, electrical equipment) provides economic resilience beyond horology.