Over a hundred years of Badi Glarus in Ygruben

There had already been discussions about a swimming pool in Glarus before 1921. The matter was formalised at the municipal assembly on 30 October 1921, when it was decided to build a swimming pool in Ygruben. The subsequent local council meeting decided to make the necessary land available.

Just one year later, the first bathing regulations came into force. They comprised thirty articles and governed the operation of the newly established facility.

In the mid-1990s, a comprehensive refurbishment was on the cards. In 1996, the municipal assembly approved a loan of 2.99 million Swiss francs. In 1998, the final construction accounts were submitted, and the updated bathing regulations came into force. In 1999, grants were awarded by the historic preservation and heritage protection authorities – a testament to the historic value of the complex, whose changing rooms remain protected to this day.

In March 2025, the local council decided to suspend the operation of the Badi for the 2025 season as part of cost-cutting measures. There was strong opposition from the local community: a petition was launched within a few days, and on 4 April 2025, the PRO BADI GLARUS association was founded. Thanks to a deficit guarantee from the Glarner Gemeinnützige Foundation, the 2025 season was secured.

More than a hundred years after the decision to build it, the Badi Glarus in Ygruben remains a public family swimming pool: featuring a 50-metre swimming pool, a non-swimmers’ pool and a paddling pool, a lazy river, diving facilities, as well as a sunbathing area, a playground and a kiosk. Since 2026, the association has been gradually taking on a greater role in running the facility.