Abbeys & churches

The Franciscan Cloister of Mariaburg sits atop Burgstock hill in the heart of Näfels.

The Münster is one of Basel's main sights. Situtated in a promiment position high above the Rhine River, the former episcopal church presides high above the region.

The Abbey of St. Gall has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, and has plenty of impressive treasures just waiting to be discovered in its library, vaulted cellar and new exhibition hall.

The Sacred Mountain (Sacro Monte) consists of the pilgrimage church of Santa Maria Addolorata and the Way of the Cross leading from Brissago up the hill to this church.

St. Martin’s Church is the heart of the Catholic parish in Olten. This is where the community comes to worship.

On 18 May 1478 the people of Zug, under the direction of Hans Felder, laid the foundation stone for this late-Gothic church. The main entrance is flanked up on the left and right by the city’s patron saints, Oswald and Michael.

The abbey church of Payerne, which was founded in the 11th century by Cluniac monks, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture and building technology of the period. The abbey church, the 14th century parish church facing it, and the adjacent buildings together form a noteworthy unity.

In the 16th century, the architect Ulrich Ruffiner built the St. Romanus fortified church on the rock spur above Raron. Almost 500 years later, the people of Raron opened the cavernous St. Michael rock church. Together with the grave of the poet Rilke, the pair of churches are a magnet for tourists in the community in Valais.

Beautiful former monastery on Rheininsel – the brilliance and richness of the magnificent interior of the baroque building are overwhelming. The monastery church is one of the most significant Swiss sacred buildings.

Begun in 1421, Bern's Cathedral took 150 years to complete, and was erected entirely by volunteers. The cathedral was built for the purpose of housing a bishop, but Protestantism reached Bern before its bishop did. The cathedral represents the last major work of late Gothic architecture in Europe.

You do not to need to be a believer in order to be inspired: the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the most beautiful sacred buildings in Ticino.

The Burial Church of Santa Maria is one of the most precious sacred buildings in the Canton of Graubünden.

The Cathedral of Mary's Ascension is the focal point of Chur's Bishop's Court. This diocese dates back to late Roman times, making this the oldest still functioning bishopric north of the Alps.

Ittingen Charterhouse, a former Carthusian monastery with more than 850 years of history, is one of the most important cultural sites in the region.

This little village in the heart of the Leventina valley is rich in historical monuments. Surrounded by vineyards the small village has seven churches running the length of the town as well as countless historic bridges and buildings. On your guided tour of the village you will learn about Giornico's fascinating history.

One of only two Protestant churches in Lucerne, St. Matthäus was the first, built in 1848 in a neo-Gothic style.

Frauenthal Monastery can be found in a secluded and scenic spot in the canton of Zug. It is considered to be the oldest Cistercian monastery in Switzerland.

All year around, the church's caretaker, Beat Gmür, and the sextant Erich Sax are afoot and afield in the Ammler mountains to find the material for the enormous landscape of creches.

Founded in the 8th century, Disentis Monastery is today the spiritual and educational center of the Upper Rhine Valley (Vorderrheintal). A cultural history exhibition depicts the history of the Benedictine Abbey as well as ecclesiastical art.

Fischingen is the only lived-in monastery in the canton of Thurgau.

The Abbey of Saint Maurice in Valais was built 1500 years ago as a place to honor martyrs. The pilgrimage destination was once the spiritual center of the Burgundy Empire and today houses one of the richest ecclesiastical treasures in Europe.

The Cistercian nuns at Maigrauge are ready to offer young women a temporary retreat in their cloister.

What’s special about the Rapperswil monastery is that guests may truly immerse themselves in the life of the community.

A magnificent Cistercian abbey 20 minutes away from Fribourg, founded in 1137 by Guillaume de Glâne, leader of the Ecuvillens.

The Old Town of Lausanne has imposing buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, such as the famous Cathedral of Notre-Dame. The charming city on Lake Geneva has a lot to offer otherwise as well. For instance, Switzerland's first subterranean mountain train.

Churches built over a period of 1000 years, frescoes, tombs, splendid halls and Gothic columns: the Abbey of Romainmôtier and the House of the Prior mirror the changes that faith and church underwent. They also reflect the timelessness of beautiful buildings.

Due to its multicultural character, Geneva is often called the smallest metropolis. It has a lively Old Town with wine taverns, art galleries and antique dealers. The Cathedral of Saint Pierre sits on the peak of the hill on which the Old Town is located.

A singularly beautiful panorama of the pre-Alpine landscape, the lakes and the snow-capped Alps. The Santa Maria degli Angeli chapel, designed by world-famous architect Mario Botta, is a marvel of contemporary architecture and features paintings by Enzo Cucchi.

The Collegiate Church of St. Leodegar is the oldest sacred building listed under the protection of monuments in the canton of Solothurn. It was first mentioned in 778 AD. as the Werith Monastery.

This former Benedictine monastery with its cloister, crypt and Switzerland's largest nave, is closely linked to the history of the Habsburg dynasty. The oldest burial place of the Habsburgs is in the unique Abbey church; later tombs are in the Loreto chapel, with the hearts of Emperor Karl and his consort Zita.

The bell tower of the Gothic cathedral, high on the hill on which the Old Town is built, is home to the city’s most enigmatic resident.

The Basel Historical Museum with its three sites is widely regarded as the most important museum of cultural history on the Upper Rhine. It collects, conserves, records and researches objects and artefacts of relevance to our cultural heritage for future generations, tells visitors the story of Basel, and is a place for discourse and engagement with both present and future.

The choir walls of this church, built in around 1480, are covered by a cycle of wall paintings – now fully restored.