St. Gallen Cathedral (Abbey Cathedral) (St. Gallen)

The Cathedral of St. Gallen, often called the Abbey Cathedral, dominates the abbey precinct in the old town, its two tall towers visible from many streets. It is the main church of the former Benedictine monastery and today the seat of the Catholic diocese of St. Gallen, which was created in the mid-nineteenth century. The church is widely considered one of the great late Baroque buildings in Switzerland, and it forms the centre of the Abbey District, inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage list in 1983.

The monastery's origins go back to Gallus, an Irish monk who settled as a hermit in the valley around the early seventh century, and to the abbey founded here in 719 under Otmar. For about a thousand years the abbey was a powerful religious, intellectual and political centre, ruling surrounding lands as a small state. The monastic community was dissolved in 1805, after the canton of St. Gallen had taken shape, and the church later became the cathedral.

The building you see dates from the second half of the eighteenth century, constructed between about 1755 and 1767. The architects Peter Thumb and Johann Caspar Bagnato were among those who worked on it, and the sculptor Christian Wenzinger was responsible for much of the carved decoration. The plan combines a long nave with a domed rotunda and a deep choir, giving a sense of space and movement that a conventional church form would not. Inside, ceilings are covered with painted scenes and delicate stucco, in cream, pale green and gold, and the choir has richly carved stalls. The colour scheme is surprisingly light, and on a bright day the whole interior glows.

The façade faces the Klosterhof, the large open courtyard that separates the church from the former abbey buildings. Standing in the courtyard first gives the best view of the towers and the composition as a whole. The Abbey Library, which is a separate attraction and sits in the adjacent wing, is a natural pairing on the same visit, and Gallusplatz and the old town are only a few minutes away on foot.

The cathedral remains a working church, so services, concerts and special events can limit access, and visitors should dress and behave respectfully. Entrance is normally possible during daytime outside services, but check current times before planning a visit around it.

It suits architecture lovers, people interested in Swiss religious and cultural history, and anyone who enjoys quiet interiors. A half hour is enough to see the main spaces and a full hour is comfortable if you want to study the ceiling paintings and the choir. Binoculars are useful if you want to read the detail in the upper vaults, and a visit in the late afternoon often brings the best light through the windows.