The Kyburgs founded the small town around 1230 at the location of today’s Mellingen, on the west bank of the Reuss, and encircled it with a wall. Earlier settlements were on the eastern side of the river. The Habsburgs, who became territorial lords in 1273, granted Mellingen city rights in 1296. A bridge over the river has existed since 1253 – with a bridge gate from 1526; today’s bridge dates from 1928.

Catholic Mellingen was a particularly important bridgehead between the Protestant towns of Bern and Zurich and therefore repeatedly the site of hostilities motivated by religious differences. The town was occupied by troops no less than 12 times between 1528 and 1712.

These days, most people speed past Mellingen – on their Intercity journey from Bern to Zurich ­– a few seconds before disappearing into the Heitersberg tunnel. The new suburban Mellingen-Heitersberg railway station on the Heiterberg line has hourly connections to Aarau and Zurich and was opened in 2004.

The medieval old town quarter of Mellinger has been well preserved. From a bird’s-eye view it has a flat-triangular form alongside the Reuss. The short Hauptgasse leads between two gates, the Lenzburgertor with clock tower (1450) and the Reusstor. Further noteworthy sights are the small Iberghof Castle dating from 1580, the Catholic church, the Hexenturm tower and the small town museum.

The Reuss is the most important leisure and recreational area around Mellingen. The scenic stretch between Bremgarten and Mellingen is particularly popular with rubber dinghy skippers.