Kathedrale St.Gallen in Switzerland

www.sg.kath.ch

Historic legacy In the middle of the town Saint Gallen is the abbey located. There is no parking at the abbey itself, you just have to park at a parking lot.

Unexpected visit After an appointment we were given a tour through the former abbey, the stunning church and its two crypts, the library.

Paintings Generally, I don't like cathedrals and churches like this one. It's too gaudy. But the paintings on the ceilings on this cathedral are very impressive and I could have spent hours looking at them.

The cathedral represents one of the last monumental Baroque monastic constructions in Europe. It was built from 1755 to 1767 under the direction of Vorarlberg native and master builder Johann Michael Beer. The choir stalls with 84 lovely carved seats and the historic organ are works of art in and of themselves. Every Tuesday, there is a Evening Prayer (Domvesper)at 5.30 P.M. The inside of the church is painted in vibrant colours and adorned with stucco, and the interior is decorated with numerous carvings. A serene atmosphere prevails in the church thanks to the soft lighting and malachite green stucco. After the secularisation of the Convent in 1805, the church became a parish church and 1847 at the same time cathedral of the new founded diocese. In 2013, the altar area was renewed. Especially impressive is the baptism fountain with the respecting of the frescos of the cupola. Beside the different liturgy Services and concerts there are also guided tours, for example from may to September every Saturday at 10.30 A.M. (Free admission, collect).