Cathedral Of St. Gall (St. Gallen Cathedral)

Most visitors to St. Gallen see the cathedral first from the Klosterhof, the great open courtyard that separates it from the former abbey buildings, and the first impression is of scale. The church's façade, with its two slender towers, rises to a height of around seventy metres, and its pale stone and pink plaster stand out against the dark wooden roofs of the old town. It is known locally as the Stiftskirche, the collegiate or abbey church, and it is the seat of the Catholic diocese of St. Gallen. Few churches in Switzerland have so much monastic history attached to them, and none surpasses it in the Baroque tradition.

The story begins with Gallus, an Irish monk who travelled with the missionary Columbanus and, according to tradition, settled as a hermit in a wooded valley in the early seventh century. After his death, a church was built over his cell, and in 719 the priest Otmar organised a Benedictine abbey on the site. Through the Middle Ages the abbey grew in power and learning, and its scriptorium and school made it one of the leading intellectual centres of Europe. Gallus is remembered in the town's name and its emblem, a bear, which according to legend helped him by carrying firewood. For almost a thousand years the abbey was ruled by an abbot who was also a prince, controlling a large territory, and its relationship with the neighbouring Protestant city was often tense.

The church you see today was built in the second half of the eighteenth century, replacing an older and increasingly dilapidated building. The abbot decided on a new church in the fashionable late Baroque style and brought in architects and artists from southern Germany and Austria. The result is a building of elegant movement, with a long nave, a large domed rotunda and a choir, and an interior filled with light. The ceilings are covered with painted scenes in pastel colours, framed by stucco ornament in white and gold. The choir contains richly carved stalls, an ornate wrought-iron grille and large altars, and the pulpit and confessionals are works of fine carving. Everything is designed to create a feeling of harmony and joy, typical of Baroque Catholicism.

The cathedral is part of the Abbey District, which UNESCO added to its World Heritage list in 1983, and it forms a group with the Abbey Library next door, which contains the manuscripts and the famous hall. Many visitors combine the two, entering the library after the church. The surrounding area includes the old town and its streets of oriel windows, so a walk can take in a good deal of the city's history.

The cathedral is a working church, and services and events can limit visits, so it is important to check the times and to behave respectfully. Entrance is normally free, though donations help. Allow thirty to forty-five minutes, and visit in the morning when the light through the windows is good. The cathedral suits history readers, architecture lovers and anyone who enjoys quiet, beautiful interiors.