Portrait of the city

Grüezi and hello - we introduce ourselves ...

Altstätten - The town in the St. Gallen Rhine valley


Altstätten is located in the eastern part of Switzerland, in the canton of St. Gallen and near the Austrian border. This tradition-rich center of St. Gallen’s Rhine Valley is one of the most picturesque rural towns in eastern Switzerland. The history is palpable everywhere in this hamlet located on the edge of the Rhine plain nestled at the foot of Appenzell hill country.


The historic old part of town is made up of numerous quaint streets, narrow alleyways, plazas and hidden gems. The cozy arbor on Marktgasse is particularly noteworthy, as are the elaborate façades and numerous gables decorated with neatly painted traditional wooden window coverings.

Altstätten has a population of around 11’000 inhabitants. There are many good reasons why the residents of Altstätten appreciate and enjoy living in our small town. Altstätten is an attractive place to live and work, it provides a high quality of life for all generations. As an economic and business location, Altstätten is characterized by an impressive variety of industries with a large number of jobs.


Altstätten combines urban and village advantages: a diverse cultural offer and numerous shopping opportunities, surrounded by generous nature in the extensive urban area. Around 150 clubs and associations and many living traditions, such as the regular markets and Carnival, make Altstätten a vibrant town.


Our carnival events attract visitors from near and far. Altstätten is considered Carnival stronghold in the Rhine Valley - the street Carnival is well known. During days of Carnival, the town transforms into a state of exception. The town is getting really lively!


The Röllelibutzen Verein is the organizer of the street Carnival in Altstätten. This club together with countless Carnival bands and groups ensure for emotion and mood in the town. The legendary Tschätteri parade on Saturday and the big parade on Sunday are each attended by thousands of spectators. The evening entertainments, masked balls and Carnival concerts are full of hustle and bustle. Many bars and pubs are decorated. The Carnival in Altstätten is still in full development and constantly creating new Carnival traditions.

City Altstätten
Rheintaler Kulturstiftung
St.Galler Kulturförderung