Fraumünster (Zürich)

Fraumünster stands on Münsterhof in the old town of Zürich, on the left bank of the Limmat, and is recognisable from afar by its slender green spire. The church is a former abbey, founded in 853 by Louis the German, who placed his daughter Hildegard at the head of the women's community. Tradition tells how the founding was guided by a stag with glowing antlers that led the abbey's first women to the spot, a story that is told in paintings and still gives the church a certain local mythology.

For several centuries the abbess of Fraumünster was among the most powerful figures in Zürich. The abbey held rights that included minting coins and influence over the choice of the city's leaders, and the abbess was ruler over considerable lands. That secular power ended with the Reformation. In 1524 the last abbess, Katharina von Zimmern, handed the abbey over to the city, and the church became a Protestant parish church, as it remains today.

The building itself combines Romanesque and Gothic parts, with later changes. The tall, thin tower with its green copper spire dates from the early eighteenth century. The interior is plain compared with the baroque churches elsewhere in Switzerland, which makes the colour of the windows all the more striking. The choir contains five tall stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall, made in 1970 and produced in blue, green, yellow, red and other shades that shift as the sun moves. These windows are the main draw for most visitors, and their imagery refers to Biblical scenes and figures. In the transept stands another window, by the Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti, a relative of the more famous sculptor Alberto, and it makes for an interesting comparison in style.

Just off the church is a cloister, with a cycle of large murals painted by Paul Bodmer in the first half of the twentieth century. They illustrate the legend of the founding of the abbey and episodes from Zürich's early history, and they are well worth a look because many visitors walk past them. Archaeological remains from the earlier abbey buildings can also be seen below the church.

Münsterhof is a quiet square with fountains, and it is only a short walk from Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof and the Münsterbrücke, which crosses the Limmat toward Grossmünster on the other bank. The church is often paired with Grossmünster in a single walk through the old town.

Fraumünster remains a church in use, with services and occasional concerts, so access can be limited and photography is restricted in some areas. It suits art lovers, history readers and anyone who enjoys quiet interiors. A visit takes thirty to forty-five minutes, and it is best in the morning, when the light on the Chagall windows is strongest. Check opening times and any entry fee on the official website.