UNESCO World Heritage

Abbey of St. Gall

1400 years of cultural history

The foundation stone for the abbey was laid in 612 by the Irish itinerant monk Gallus. A good 100 years later, Abbot Otmar revived the monastery and transformed it into an important centre for writing activities and book illumination. The spirit of the Benedictine monks can still be felt in the historically impressive walls today. The Abbey Library of St Gall, also known as the pharmacy of the soul, has what must be one of the most attractive rococo halls in Switzerland. Besides the 170,000 books, it also accommodates one of the most important autochthonous collections of medieval manuscripts in Europe. The Plan of St. Gall, the “Evangelium Longum” and the oldest conserved German language book, the “Abrogans”, are particularly worthy of note.

Factsheet
Date of Inscription

1983

Criteria of Inscription

ii, iv

Category

Cultural Heritage

Region

St. Gall

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Events
Abbey of St. Gall
  11.06.2023
The UNESCO World Heritage properties in Switzerland open their doors and invite you into the world of our Heritage with unique experiences!  Would you ...
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Visitor centre
Abbey of St. Gall
The exhibition The Miracle of Tradition – The Plan of St Gall and Europe in the Early Middle Ages focuses on the unique abundance of early medieval ...
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School excursions
Abbey of St. Gall
This offer is available in German only Ein Kloster wie St.Gallen war nicht nur ein bedeutendes geistiges und kulturelles, sondern ein ebenso wichtiges wirtschaftliches ...
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School excursions
Abbey of St. Gall
This offer is available in German only After an introduction to the origins of the abbey of St.Gallen and to medieval book culture in the vaulted cellar and in ...
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School excursions
Abbey of St. Gall
This offer is available in German only Die Tonspur eignet sich hervorragend zur Vorbereitung auf einen Besuch. Die Klasse 5/6a des Schulhauses Feldli aus St.Gallen ...
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School excursions
Abbey of St. Gall
This offer is available in German only How did a child grow up in a monastery? What did a monk own? An animated film, documents and writing materials give an ...
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Educational material
Abbey of St. Gall
You can find other explanatory videos here: The World Heritage Lavaux, vineyard terraces Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes Swiss Alps ...
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School excursions
Abbey of St. Gall
Around the year 600, a group of monks from Ireland went on pilgrimage to the mainland. One of them was Gallus. The monastery of St. Gall was founded at the place ...
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Good to know
Abbey of St. Gall
More about it
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Good to know
Abbey of St. Gall
Criterion (ii): The Abbey of Gozbert (816-837) exerted a significant influence on the development of monastic architecture following the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle, ...
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Our heritage
Abbey of St. Gall
How would you describe your role within the World Heritage Site? Recently, I was introduced at an event as "Madame Abbey". I think that's a good description ...
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Attraction
Abbey of St. Gall
From palm-fringed lakes to grandiose glacier landscapes, from medieval villages to vibrant cities: the Grand Tour of Switzerland gives access to an incredible ...
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Good to know
Abbey of St. Gall
History Without its convent, the town of St. Gall would not exist. A vulnerable position far away from any major crossroads is not a likely setting to establish ...
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Museum
Abbey of St. Gall
Virtual tours of the Abbey Library and Abbey Archives The beauty and uniqueness of medieval manuscripts lie in the particular materiality of the writing material ...
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Educational material
Abbey of St. Gall
A short film by the Swiss Commission for UNESCO
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Good to know
Abbey of St. Gall
In 1983, the Abbey of St Gall, the Convent of St John at Müstair and the Old Town of Bern were the first cultural heritage sites in Switzerland to be included ...
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