Page 246 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

7 "'
ST GALLEN 170,000

ABBEY documents in the
The number of
Abbey Library.
EXPERIENCE Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden
⌂ Klosterhof 6a # Abbey: 9am–6pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm
Sat, 12:15–6:30pm Sun; Stiftsbibliothek: 10am–5pm daily;
lapidarium: Jun–Oct: 2–4pm Wed & Sat ∑ stibi.ch
Nestled in the centre of the historic town, this abbey
is one of the most spectacular examples of Baroque
architecture in Switzerland. As well as containing the
elegant cathedral, there is a fascinating lapidarium
with archaeological displays, as well as the magnificently
decorated Stiftsbibliothek (abbey library), the oldest The twin Baroque
bell towers
library in Switzerland.
The Benedictine abbey was established in 747 and was at the
height of its importance from the 9th to the 11th centuries.
The Romanesque church and monastery, built during that
period, have not survived, their only remains being the crypt
containing the tombs of the abbots. The present Baroque
cathedral and monastery, designed by master architect
Johann Michael Beer von Bildstein, were
completed in 1767. The interior dec­
oration was executed by the
foremost artists of the day.
Such is the impor tance of
this sight, with its works
of art and its renowned
library (p244), that it was
made a World Heritage
Site in 1983.

St Gallen Cathedral,
with its Baroque
architecture

High altar
Frescoes by Josef
Wannenmacher adorning
the cathedral ceiling
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