Grossmünster (Zürich)

The Grossmünster is the great Romanesque church of Zürich, on the right bank of the Limmat, and its two towers are among the city's best-known symbols. Seen from the bridges and quays, the towers with their rounded, Gothic-style tops dominate the old town and appear on postcards, posters and the city's skyline. The church is closely linked to the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland, because it was here that Huldrych Zwingli began preaching in 1519, calling for a return to the Bible and the reform of church practice. His sermons helped change not only religious life but also civic order in Zürich, and the city became one of the leading centres of the Reformation.

Legend gives the church an even older origin. According to tradition, Charlemagne founded it on the spot where the early Christian martyrs Felix and Regula, patron saints of Zürich, were buried, after his horse knelt at the graves. Whatever the truth of the story, the church has medieval roots, and the present building was constructed mainly in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in the Romanesque style, with thick walls, round arches and a plain, solid interior. The towers were given their present tops in the eighteenth century. A statue of Charlemagne sits on the south tower, and the original, much weathered, is kept in the crypt.

Inside, the church is austere, as befits a building that became a centre of Protestant worship. After the Reformation, images, altars and decorations were removed, so the space is bare, and attention falls on the architecture itself and on the modern stained-glass windows by the Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti, which add colour in the choir and the aisles. The Romanesque capitals in the cloister and on the columns include carved figures and animals, which are worth studying. The crypt holds the statue of Charlemagne and offers a glimpse of the church's history.

Visitors can climb the Karlsturm, the south tower, by a narrow spiral staircase to a viewing platform that offers a panorama over the old town, the Limmat, Lake Zürich and, on clear days, the Alps. The climb involves many steps and is not suitable for people with mobility problems or a fear of heights, and a small fee is charged. The church is also used for services, concerts and special events, so check access before you plan your visit.

The Grossmünster stands on the edge of the Niederdorf, so the church is a natural combination with a walk through the old town's lanes, and the Fraumünster on the opposite bank is reached via the Münsterbrücke. Lindenhof and the Kunsthaus are within walking distance. A visit to the church itself takes about thirty to forty-five minutes, and more if you climb the tower. The church suits history readers, architecture lovers and anyone interested in the Reformation, and weekday mornings are generally the quietest time.