Summary of St. Gallen Attractions
Situated amidst pre-Alpine hills in Eastern Switzerland, St Gallen boasts the unique position of bordering four countries. The city’s principal attraction is the Abbey of St Gallen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that unveils over 1,300 years of heritage.
The remarkable abbey library contains a vast collection of medieval manuscripts, and along with the neighboring cathedral, showcases stunning 18th-century interior craftsmanship. St Gallen’s Old Town serves as a large pedestrian zone, replete with over 100 Renaissance and Baroque bay windows, indicative of exceptional artistry. Additionally, visitors can explore the city’s historic textile industry, ascend the surrounding hills, and enjoy the scenic views of Lake Constance.
Here are the notable attractions to experience in St. Gallen:
1. Abbey Cathedral of St Gall
The history of St Gallen’s UNESCO-listed abbey traces back to the Carolingian era in the 8th century.
For much of its history, it functioned as a separate principality or a city-state, with a population of approximately 70,000. The current cathedral structure, dating from the mid-18th century, emerged after the monastery’s peak.
It features Baroque architecture, which appears modest on the exterior yet is spectacularly lavish within.
The interior is adorned with intricate stuccowork, frescoed ceilings, and sculptures adorning nearly every surface, while the color palette of turquoise and beige is unlike many churches globally.
2. Abbey Library of St Gall
Constructed concurrently with the abbey cathedral, the library houses Switzerland’s oldest collection of literature, acknowledged as one of the most ancient and richest globally.
This collection originates from the 8th-century Carolingian monastery and encompasses thousands of manuscripts, incunables, and early printed works.
In total, the library contains 160,000 volumes, many of immense historical significance.
Examples include a version of the Rule of St Benedict, establishing guidelines for medieval monastic life, and Manuscript B of the seminal poem, the Nibelungenlied.
Beyond its historical value, the library structure is breathtaking.
It is deemed one of the pinnacle achievements of Rococo architecture in Switzerland and was designed by Peter Thumb of the Vorarlberg School.
3. Lapidarium of the Abbey Library
A wealth of early medieval stone artifacts was uncovered during the abbey excavations in the 1960s.
Today, visitors can explore the site’s Early Medieval origins in the abbey’s subterranean chambers.
This exhibition features a hidden collection of Carolingian artifacts, including intricately carved capitals and their associated imposts.
Moreover, this section features a scale model of the abbey as it existed in the 9th century.
Information regarding the life of the abbey’s namesake, the 7th-century Irish monk St Gallus, alongside cultural and historical context about the monastery is also provided.
4. Old Town
St Gallen features a charming historical core that is easily accessible due to the absence of vehicular traffic.
Noteworthy are the elaborate oriels (bay windows) adorning the facades of historic houses.
In total, there are 111 oriels to spot, many of which are masterfully carved and painted, originally belonging to textile merchants from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Prominent locations to view these features include the lively Marktgasse, Schmiedgasse, Spisergasse, and Kugelgasse.
At the eastern edge of Marktplatz, visitors will encounter the Waaghaus, a 16th-century building used for weighing, declaring, and storing goods.
This recognizable structure, distinguished by its crow-stepped gable, now serves as a venue for exhibitions and concerts.
5. Peter and Paul Wildlife Park
Located on the hilly northern outskirts of the city, this free animal park remains open year-round and offers views of Lake Constance.
The park provides a setting to observe Alpine animal species in a naturalistic environment.
Here, red deer, fallow deer, wild boars, marmots, wild cats, lynxes, and Alpine ibex safely roam and rest within this pre-Alpine landscape.
Additionally, the park emphasizes an educational perspective, complete with detailed information about the species, their biology, and behavior.
The on-site restaurant features a terrace, allowing guests to dine while enjoying the picturesque views.
6. Kunstmuseum St Gallen
The city’s renowned art museum houses masterpieces spanning from the Late Middle Ages to the 20th century.
Although the museum’s reserve is extensive, they display only a fraction due to spatial limitations in the Stadtpark location, thereby ensuring that exhibitions remain dynamic and engaging.
The collection includes iconic works by Renaissance luminaries such as Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt, yet the majority features artists active in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Prominent Swiss and German artists represented include Ferdinand Hodler, Paul Klee, Max Liebermann, Carl Spitzweg, and Franz von Lenbach.
Additionally, the collection features Impressionist masters like Monet, Sisley, and Pissarro, alongside earlier French painters such as Delacroix and Camille Corot.
7. Textilmuseum
Up until the 20th century, Eastern Switzerland served as a hub of excellence for embroidery.
This process was initially performed manually until the Industrial Revolution prompted a surge in machine-embroidered goods, propelling St Gallen’s textile industry forward.
The textile museum showcases examples of historic local embroidery and lacework from the Netherlands, as well as ancient textiles from Egyptian tombs.
The institution also boasts a textile library comprising over two million original pieces from the industrial era and features a fully operational machine dating to 1850. Recent exhibitions address contemporary aspects of the clothing industry, alongside discussions of the environmental and social implications of “fast fashion.”
8. Naturmuseum St Gallen
St Gallen’s Natural History Museum has been established since 1846, yet re-opened in an architecturally striking new building in November 2016. Located a few kilometers east of the city center, the exhibits are arranged in more family-friendly formats.
Renowned displays include a Nile crocodile taxidermy specimen captured in 1623 and a nearly complete skeleton of an edmontosaurus.
Also noteworthy is the relief map of the St Gallen and Appenzell cantons, which is the largest of its kind in Switzerland.
Visitors can also discover the contributions of influential conservationist Emil Bächler and view various minerals discovered in Eastern Switzerland.
9. Stadtlounge
In the western part of the city lies Bleicheli, a commercial district historically significant for textile manufacturing.
The name derives from the German word “bleichen,” meaning bleach, as fabrics were traditionally sun-bleached in this area.
In 2000, a square in this modern district was chosen for an art installation, covered in tiny red rubber granules, mimicking a carpet appearance.
This area is furnished with sun loungers, tables, and chairs, providing a vibrant living room ambiance within the city.
The Stadtlounge has become a popular gathering spot for university students, especially attractive during the evening when the ambient orbs light up the square.
10. St Laurenzen Kirche
The St Laurenzen Kirche, a Swiss “monument of national significance,” is located on Marktgasse in the Old Town.
A church has occupied this site since the 13th century, with the current structure being the fifth iteration over 800 years.
Originating in the 15th century, the church underwent significant Neo-Gothic renovation in the mid-19th century.
Uniquely, this renovation positioned the church’s organ at the front of the nave instead of the traditional rear location.
Given that most architectural elements date from the 19th century, the primary allure is the opportunity to ascend the tower.
During the warmer months, two tours daily take guests to the top, offering beautiful views of the intricately patterned tiles of the church’s roof and the streets of the Old Town below.
11. Botanical Garden
Inevitably, one does not need to be an expert in horticulture to appreciate St Gallen’s Botanical Garden.
In tranquil green surroundings, located near the Naturmuseum, the garden features over 8,000 plants from around the world, all meticulously labeled.
There are two greenhouses that provide habitats for a variety of climate zone plants, teeming with orchids, palms, cacti, and picturesque ponds adorned with giant water lilies.
During the summer, the ponds become particularly enchanting when the lilies are in bloom, and one of the most unusual specimens is a Chilean rhubarb with notably large leaves.
12. Schützen Garten
On Sankt Jakob-Strasse, visitors will discover the Schützen Garten brewery.
Established in 1779, Schützen Garten is recognized as the oldest brewery in Switzerland.
The acclaimed brand is widely distributed throughout Eastern Switzerland and operates independently, crafting an array of beer varieties from IPAs to traditional German wheat beer and a schwarzbier.
Schützen Garten offers daily tours conducted in German, providing insights into the facility, which underwent a modern renovation in 2012. The following year, a unique beer bottle museum was inaugurated at the brewery, showcasing a collection of over 3,000 bottles from 140 different Swiss brewers, including ancient clay vessels dating back 150 years.
13. Drei Weieren
The elevated ridge that demarcates St Gallen’s southern neighborhoods serves as an appealing public recreational area.
This area, known as Freudenberg, offers visitors picturesque views of the city and opportunities to swim during favorable summer weather.
At the highest point, five artificial ponds bear historic significance.
The first two were excavated in the 17th century to secure a water source for the city, followed by additional excavations over the next 200 years.
Swimming has been a tradition in these ponds since the 1700s, and currently, two ponds are available for summer swimming, one free of charge while the other requires admission fees.
Weather permitting, visitors can also enjoy ice-skating on the Buebenweiher pond during winter.
14. Lake Constance
Central Europe’s third-largest lake is located just 15 minutes by car from St Gallen.
In contrast to dramatic and imposing landscapes, the lake’s shores offer serene vistas, interspersed with small resort towns and agricultural lands.
This relatively gentle terrain is ideal for cyclists, who can traverse the scenic Lake Constance Cycle Path that encircles the perimeter.
For a distinctive experience during the summer, one may also visit the Städtische Seebadanstalt in Rorschach.
This public swimming facility, extending onto a pier that juts into the lake, provides opportunities to swim and sunbathe on the decking.
15. Walter Zoo
Located approximately the same distance westward, Walter Zoo is Switzerland’s largest privately operated zoological facility.
This establishment is home to around 500 animals from over 100 species.
Notably, it features a habitat for a colony of 17 chimpanzees as well as a newly constructed Serengeti enclosure housing lions.
Walter Zoo is internationally certified and actively participates in breeding programs.
It offers more than just a conventional animal exhibit: children can enjoy camel and pony rides, engage with farm animals in interactive petting sessions, and partake in nocturnal experiences such as overnight stays in a tipi tent.
