Country
Fossil hunting in Switzerland
Swiss rock runs from Triassic marine reptiles through Jurassic ammonites to Alpine limestone lifted thousands of metres by the mountains themselves. One clay pit in Aargau still produces complete dinosaurs.
The Gruhalde clay pit at Frick has yielded partial and complete Plateosaurus skeletons since 1961, and of the three great Plateosaurus bonebeds it is the only one still excavated. Three bone horizons run through the Late Triassic part of the section.
Beside the working pit sits a public hammering area, the Klopfplatz, free and open at any hour with no booking. The material there is marine Jurassic rather than dinosaur bone, so ammonites, belemnites and shells are what a visitor takes home.
Monte San Giorgio in Ticino is the other great Swiss fossil site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but excavation there is restricted to permit holders: two universities and the Lugano cantonal museum. The public offering is the fossil museum at Meride.
1 fossil site
Updated 17 September 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Can you find dinosaur fossils in Switzerland?
- The Gruhalde clay pit at Frick in Aargau has produced Plateosaurus skeletons for over sixty years. The dinosaur beds are inside the working pit, so the public hammering area beside it yields marine Jurassic shells instead.
- Is fossil collecting legal in Switzerland?
- It varies by canton and by site. The Klopfplatz at Frick exists so that the public can collect, though scientifically valuable finds remain cantonal property. Monte San Giorgio, by contrast, restricts excavation to permit holders.