St.Gallen

The world-renowned metropolis of Eastern Switzerland

Historical World Cultural Heritage site

Built in 719 as a monastic hermitage, the St.Gallen monastery with its imposing, double-towered cathedral has become one of Europe’s most important spiritual centres. Among its most precious treasures are the plan of St.Gallen – a medieval architectural drawing of the monastic complex – and the oldest German dictionary. Many manuscripts were originally written in the monastery and can still be found in its archives today.

The Abbey Library, built in 1758, is a tourist attraction and destination and has one of the most stunning historical reading rooms in the world. The library, which still lends books today, boasts a collection of around 170,000 books. Special tourist draws include the more than two metre high 16th century globe and the Egyptian Schepenese mummy on display in its double sarcophagus which the library has owned since 1836. Schepenese, a priest's daughter, is thought to have lived from about 650 to 610 BC. The architecture of the Abbey Library is also a sight to behold: the elaborate, vaulted hall with its ornate inlaid floors, wood-panelled bookcases with decorated columns and richly stuccoed ceiling paintings is a splendid example of Baroque architecture.

St.Gallen also has another tradition – the local football club, FC St.Gallen, is the oldest football club in continental Europe. Founded in 1879 by English students in St.Gallen, FC St.Gallen is a traditional club and the passion of an entire region. Weekend after weekend, the people of Eastern Switzerland cheer on their FC St.Gallen in the Kybunpark stadium, away from home or in front of the television screens.


#lovestgallen-moments
from the city of St.Gallen.

The Abbey District has been a UNESCO
World Heritage site since 1983.

Discover the Abbey District of St.Gallen

The entire St.Gallen Abbey District was declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1983. The Baroque cathedral with its two towers is the landmark of the city of St.Gallen and one of the last monumental monastery buildings of the Baroque period. At the heart of the Abbey District is the Abbey Library, one of the oldest and most beautiful libraries in the world. The changing exhibitions of valuable manuscripts and unique documents leave a lasting impression of St.Gallen's scientific monastic culture.

Textile industry of world renown

The city’s rich textile heritage stands in contrast to its monastic splendour. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, St.Gallen was the leading centre of embroidery – rich American merchants flocked to the metropolis of Eastern Switzerland to buy the fine fabrics. Even today, half a percent of the world's textile production comes from St.Gallen. For centuries, the lives of the people of St.Gallen revolved around linen production, cotton weaving and embroidery of manufactured fabrics. The textile industry played a significant role in shaping Eastern Switzerland and its influence can still be felt today.

Prominent fashion houses like Chanel, Dior and Armani incorporate St.Gallen embroidery into their designs, and the big name fashion shows in Paris, Milan or New York all feature haute couture creations made from St.Gallen fabrics. The creations are worn by many celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Michelle Obama, Adele, Madonna and Charlène, Princess of Monaco.

St.Gallen has many old buildings, remnants of the textile industry, with illustrious sounding names like “Oceanic”, “Washington” or “Wilson”. To bring the exciting textile tradition of the holiday region to life for tourists and locals alike, embroidered QR codes were affixed to these architectural landmarks. Scanning these codes with a smartphone or tablet provides access to information and interesting facts about the houses. The Textile Trail, which leads past these textile houses as well as the Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum (Museum of History and Ethnology) and the St.Gallen Textile Museum, immerses visitors in the centuries of St.Gallen's textile history.

A getaway in the heart of St.Gallen

The Drei Weieren, or Three Ponds, are located just a few minutes from the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site perched above the city of St.Gallen. The ponds were built in the 17th century to supply water for textile bleaching and putting out fires, and it soon became popular among locals as a destination for outings and swimming. Back then, men and women had separate bathing ponds which is still reflected in the names Manne- und Buebeweiher (pond for men and boys) and Frauen- und Familienbadi (pond for women and families). Also the beautiful historical Art Nouveau wooden buildings are a reminder of St.Gallen's past as a textile metropolis. Today, the local recreational oasis invites young and old to swim, stroll, picnic and sometimes even ice-skate in winter. With its one-of-a-kind view over the city of St.Gallen and Lake Constance, the Drei Weieren are a popular and magical excursion destination.

Leisure tips in St.Gallen

Textile rarities and embroidery

The many exhibits in the Textile Museum also show how textile production evolved over time in St.Gallen. The museum has a magnificent collection of embroidered curtains (Vitrages and Rideaux) which were mainly exported to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since the merchants also collected textile rarities and fabrics from all over the world as inspiration for their own creations, the museum boasts rare treasures like embroidery work found in Egyptian tombs which are a testament to the age-old craftsmanship of the embroiderers. A special attraction is the hand embroidery machine which dates back to around 1890. A live demo of the machine’s operation is given every Thursday and Friday from 12 pm to 5 pm.

Where can I park my car? When and where does the next bus or train leave? Where are the taxi ranks?

All information on how to get to the city of St.Gallen