Kloster

The cathedral of St. Maria Himmelfahrt with its three naves can be considered the city's most important building. The 800 year old cathedral was reopened in October 2007 after many years of restoration. A pleasant walk through the pedestrianised Old Town takes you along twisting alleyways to the Bishop's Palace.

Graubünden's largest late-Gothic building was restored after the fire in the town in 1464, with parts of the previous Carolingian building being reused. Since 1919, a special decorative feature of the church has been three stained-glass windows by the artist Augusto Giacometti.

Climb the 368 steps and you will be rewarded with an unforgettable view of the town of Fribourg.

Created between 1987 and 1991 by the painter Venturelli and recognised by UNESCO, these 7 windows provide a sermon on human rights and on the Christian message.

Built in 1900 thanks to the specific bequest of Gabriel de Rumine, the palace includes a clutch of buildings: the University, the library and the Fine Arts and Science museums.

Dominating the town from the top of the hill, Lausanne cathedral is a Gothic building dating back to the first half of the 13th century, and displays architectural features borrowed from the Anglo-Norman and north-eastern French styles.

Built in 1270, this is the only old convent established since 1260 that has survived.

There are myriad churches worth visiting in this area, e.g., S. Francesco in Locarno, Santa Maria della Misericordia in Ascona, S. Vittore in Muralto.

The former papal college has a magnificent two-storey courtyard in the Lombard style (1585-1602) embellished with coats-of-arms and open loggias. It now houses a secondary school. The complex includes the Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia, built in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Home to Switzerland's most famous Renaissance fresco: The crucifixion of Bernardino Luini (1529), one of Leonardo da Vinci's pupils. The monastery was founded in 1490, the construction of the church began in 1499 and was consecrated in 1515.