Theodor Zeerleder was a Swiss architect, draughtsman, and watercolourist. From 1839 to 1842, he studied architecture at the polytechnical school in Karlsruhe. From 1843 to 1845, he continued his training with the Parisian architect Jean-Louis Victor Grisart (1797–1877). On 30 November 1846, he set off from Bern on his first major journey, during which he travelled to Italy, Malta, and Greece. There is evidence of longer stays in Rome, Naples, the Palermo region, and Athens.

On 28 November 1847, he set sail from Piraeus for Egypt. He stayed in Cairo from 1 January to 26 March 1848. He then travelled to Constantinople and arrived back in Bern on 9 December 1848 at the earliest. Towards the end of 1849, he travelled to Egypt again and made a trip along the Nile from Cairo to Wadi Halfa and back.

In 1854, Count Albert Alexander de Pourtalès (1812–1861) entrusted Zeerleder with the conception and execution of the Selamlik in Oberhofen Castle, an Arab-style interior with neo-Islamic stained-glass windows inspired by Egyptian stucco and glass windows.

Between 1854 and 1859, Zeerleder travelled to Germany, France, Belgium, and England. These journeys served his further training as an architect. In England, he was impressed by the general interest in monument conservation and the newly founded South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) (Bäbler and Bätschmann, 2015, p. 8). His legacy can be found in the Burgerbibliothek Bern.

Bäbler, M. and Bätschmann, M. T. (2015). Theodor Zeerleder (1820–1868). In: Stiftung Schloss Oberhofen (ed), Mythos Orient (pp. 8–12). Hünibach: Jost Druck.

Bäbler, M. and Bätschmann, M. T. (2006). Mit Zirkel und Palette. Theodor Zeerleder (1820-1868). Berner Architekt, Zeichner, Orientreisender. Stämpfli.

Stiftung Schloss Oberhofen (ed.) (2015), Mythos Orient. Ein Berner Architekt in Kairo, exhibition catalogue (Oberhofen Castle, 2025–2016), Hünibach: Jost Druck.