An intellectual and religious center

The Abbey of St Gall is situated in the north-eastern part of Switzerland, in the town of St Gall. It is an impressive architectural ensemble containing numerous buildings clustered around the abbey’s main square, the west side contains the ancient abbey church (the current cathedral), flanked by two towers and the ancient cloister, which today holds the abbey library. The northern section of the square consists of 19th-century buildings such as the ancient arsenal, the Children’s and Guardian Angels’ Chapel and the former Catholic school.

Abbey Cathedral St. Gallen is an excellent example for a great Carolingian monastery, one of the most significant cultural centers in Europe since the 8th century. It represents 1200 years of history of monastic architecture and ensemble of a large Benedictine convent. In 1983, the world recognized the location’s importance, designating the Abbey of St. Gall a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

The High Baroque Library is one of the most beautiful examples of its period, and the present cathedral is one of the last historic Abbey church buildings in the West.