The most beautiful religious buildings Switzerland

Flamboyant Gothic font, Baroque chair. An exceptional acoustics that motivates high level concerts in July-August.

The present building was erected on the remains of a 4th century Palaeochristian funerary church and the foundations of a 10th century Romanesque church. In Gothic style, the church of Saint-Gervais, of the same name as the district surrounding it, was erected in the middle of the 15th century in what was then a town in the medieval old town on the right bank. Several restorations brought back to light frescoes and paintings that can be admired today, as well as the magnificent carved wooden stalls in flamboyant gothic style and beautiful stained glass windows.

An architectural charm still intact for this religious building consisting of a nave and chapels dating from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. It was part of the parish of Saint-Martin de Vevey. Like many churches, it underwent transformations when the Reformation was adopted in 1536. The polychrome paintings were then camouflaged like all the ostentatious signs of Catholicism. It was rediscovered that in 1924 the witnesses of a past construction with an authentic keystone of an old chapel and tombs in the choir.

Situated high up (above the Russian church), this site may have been a Roman necropolis (tombs from this period have been discovered there). In 1497, a tower and four turrets were added to the first church. An architecture that greatly pleased Victor Hugo, who came several times to Vevey. So much so that he would have made a sketch of it to make a replica in the Pays de la Loire region. At the back of the church, a stained glass window represents Saint Martin dividing his coat in two.

Catholic worship, abolished in 1536 by the Bernese, resumed in private homes in 1798 and, from 1812, in the new Mercerie temple. In 1832, the church of Notre-Dame du Valentin was built, the first Catholic church built in Lausanne after the Reformation. In 1992, it was elevated to the rank of basilica by Pope John Paul II. The church features a magnificent fresco by Italian Futurist Cubist painter Gino Severini (1883-1966).

Built in the 13th century on the ruins of an old church dating from the year 1000, Saint-Laurent is the first Protestant temple founded by the Bernese. Having survived with difficulty through the ages, notably because of the fire in Lausanne and certain acts of vandalism, a new temple was built between 1716 and 1719, and the main façade was renewed again in 1762. Today, the Reformed Church of St. Lawrence offers visitors the opportunity to observe its beautiful baroque façade with a clock tower.

Built in 1818 and 1822, this neoclassical temple is worth a visit for its astonishing Romanesque-Byzantine wood carvings (1919-1930) by Ernest Christen, pastor and artist. It is a building renowned for its interior paintings: paintings by Eric Hermès and stained glass windows by master glass artist Charles Wasem (based on models by Eric Hermès) complete the decoration. Some of the frescoes evoke the former parish of Carouge. The stained glass windows are also masterpieces for the period in which they were made. In addition to worship, concerts are organized.

It was built in 1481, especially for its choir, with the stained glass windows Giacometti.

It is to be seen in the chorus of the choir, which dates back to 1492, and especially for its polychrome windows made by the Augusto Giacometti.

Archaeologists have found an apse dating from the^5th century on its site, which attests to a religious life. It was built between 1151 and 1272 in the late Romanesque style. It is nevertheless the only Episcopal church in Switzerland. Inside, the cathedral contains architectural and decorative treasures with two large, richly decorated and gilded triptychs, as well as a Roman well, which is over 800 years old. Among the treasures, you will appreciate the altars, the frescoes and the organs. The church has the privilege of having been preserved like all the buildings of the bishopric.

The doors of St. Catherine's Church are just waiting to be pushed open to discover the beautiful baroque architectural ensemble. It is one of the oldest religious buildings in the city. This 17th century building was restored and modified in the 20th century, first in 1920-1921 and then in 1994. It was badly damaged by the earthquake of 1946. Inside, the stained glass windows are particularly well arranged, the small ones at the bottom and the large ones at the top. The high organ is magnificently displayed in its woodwork setting.

Founded in the ^11th century by monks attached to the Abbey of Cluny (Burgundy), this beautiful Romanesque church was completed in the ^12th century. In the ^15th century, a vast nave collapsed due to lack of maintenance, and was never rebuilt. Despite the absence of the nave, this church is one of Switzerland's most beautiful Romanesque buildings, and is listed as a historic monument. The frescoes date from the ^14th century and were only discovered in 1897, as they had long been covered by a grey whitewash applied by the Protestant Bernese.

The church is believed to have been built in the ^15th century on the ruins of a monasteriolum, a small church possibly dating back to the ^11th century. It features a square tower topped by an eight-sided curved spire measuring 7.5 m on each side. After the arrival of the Bernese in 1536, the church became a Protestant temple, which it still is today. Old Montreusiens call Saint-Vincent le temple des Planches. The modern stained-glass windows are the work of Vaud artist Jean Prahin. From the terrace, there's a fine view of the greater Montreus area.

After passing through the imposing portal of the building, you can admire the beautifully frescoed vaulted ceiling inside. On the wall adjacent to the church, you can read the history of the parish (Lutry church and convent). Lutry's origins are attested by a few notes mentioning the existence of a castrum and a fishing village(lustriacum). However, the town really took off in the ^11th century, thanks to the establishment of a Benedictine convent. Originally very modest, it consisted of a simple claustrum to the south of the church; its buildings expanded in the ^13th and ^14th centuries to form a vast monastic complex. In 1577, the vaults of the church's nave and choir were completely covered with Mannerist paintings by the Flemish painter Humbert Mareschet. They represent one of the richest ^16th-century decorations in Switzerland. A rarity in Switzerland, especially after the Reformation, which prohibited and even demolished this type of painting. It is said that they were in fact offered to the parish by the authorities in exchange for the parishioners' acceptance of the Reformation. However, the painter avoided all religious and biblical figures, outlawed by the Reformation, and replaced them with zoomorphic figures: atlatls, satyrs, fauns and chimeras. A "grotesque décor" with scrolls and graceful animals, roosters, rabbits and cranes, as well as a masked putto (love) facing a turkey. A possible metaphor for the vanity of those who conceal their personality.

It is the second largest Russian church in Switzerland, alongside the one in Geneva. In the ^19th century, many families of the Russian aristocracy came to spend the winter in Vevey. The Shouvalov family had two daughters, including Barbara, who died in childbirth in Vevey in 1872. Her family made a donation to the town to build a church in her memory. Typical of Slavic architecture, it was designed by Ippolito Antonovitch Monighetti between 1875 and 1878 and completed by the town's architect Samuel Késer. The church was listed as a historic monument in 1979.

The Stiftung Jesuitenkirche Solothurn, the beautiful Jesuit church in Solothurn, is one of the most beautiful baroque buildings in Switzerland. Built in the 17th century between 1680 and 1689, according to the plans of the Jesuit Heinrich Mayer, it is distinguished by the limestone statue of the Virgin Mary on the main façade, as well as by its organ, built a century later, at the end of the 18th century. The church regularly hosts outstanding organ concerts.

The first mention of Saanen's church dates back to 1228. A beautiful church that retains all its character, its most striking feature is the bell tower in the shape of a Romanesque tower (Bernese bell tower style) dating from 1444. Inside, a series of ^15th-century frescoes, painted al fresco, depict the martyrdom of the saint who gave the church its name, and on the north side of the nave, the Last Judgment. In the balustrades, you can admire the ^{mid-18th-century} organ, with its imposing Baroque-style case and lovely paintings that have remained intact despite the passage of time.

It has been restored with obvious good will, but renovation, old imitation, really smells too new.

The Abbey of St. Gallen is very large and still has the same dimensions as when it was founded. On the left, you will notice a door with a coat of arms; it marks the boundary between the buildings belonging to the state (towards you) and those belonging to the church (beyond the door). As you leave the library to the left, you will see the cell of Gallus, who arrived in St. Gallen with relics of two saints, Didier and Maurice, who are today the city's patrons.

This is Switzerland's second largest cloister after Einsiedeln; It blends a th century Romanesque style with a Gothic style of the th century. On the front, a part dated 1854 and 1892 (restoration) curiously hosts the library premises. Behind, the oldest part of stone corresponds to the abbey church built in 1100; Very nice with its pure Romanesque architecture. You can walk through the garden of the Gentlemen, a framed courtyard of arcades.

This construction of the end of the th century is topped by a baroque steeple (th) which does not harm its elegant sobriety. Inside, we admire the modern windows, especially by Hoffmann, and a baroque allegory of justice whose original is located in the museum of the City.

This basilica was founded in the th century by Queen Berthe de Bourgogne. Through its plan on the ground, this sanctuary would be the most important specimen of the Lombard Romanesque style in Switzerland. In baroque times, the original façade, with two towers, was transformed and a single central steeple was erected in the nave axis. 1571 stained glass windows preserved at Bally-Prior Museum.

This is one of the most beautiful examples of late Baroque style in Switzerland. It was built between 1739 and 1742 by Franz Singer. Inside, beautiful decoration Régence.

Founded in 1120, and rebuilt in 1730 after a fire, it still houses a religious college with 200 boarding students. It is one of the largest of its kind in Switzerland and its influence on the valley was essential until the French revolutionaries, as good anti-clerics, came to put it in order in 1798. Today, the monastery still houses a community of Benedictine monks. Public guided tours of the abbey are organised every week and can be booked online.

Built in the ^11th century by Cluniac monks, the Abbey Church is one of the most important examples of Romanesque art in Switzerland. Built according to a typically Cluniac layout, it is characterized by a remarkably well-preserved unity of style. The purity and majesty of its architecture make this monument a masterpiece of Romanesque art at its best. In 2007, with the abbey church threatening to collapse, emergency measures were put in place and a major restoration program launched. Allow 1h30 for the audioguided tour.

It is the main work of Jean-François Reyff. A fine late-Gothic building with early-Baroque and Renaissance elements dating from 1653-1656, the church features Switzerland's first Baroque curvilinear façade and a beautiful octagonal dome. Inside, the sculpted decor of the ^17th and ^19th centuries can be admired in many places, while the sacristy boasts a number of fine pieces of silverware. The monastery buildings feature handsome ^17th-century facades.

The 13th-century monastery has been a state building since 1916, but St. Maurice's church has been a parish church since 1872. See the stained glass windows by Aloys Balmer dating from 1896 and the magnificent altarpiece by Peter Spring from 1593 from the Mannerist period. Also the liturgical furniture with late Gothic sculptures from Fribourg and two altarpieces from the Reyff workshop from the 17th century. In the monastery, the ceiling of the refectory was painted in 1748 by Melchior Eggmann.

Elevated to the status of basilica minor in 1932 by Pope Pius XI, this church dates back to 1201, but was completely remodeled at the end of the ^18th century by the Berchtold brothers, with paintings by Gottfried Locher. A major restoration, completed in 2011, has brought many of the works to the fore. The Neapolitan crib on display near the entrance is unique. It features 75 figurines, the oldest dating back to the ^18th century. Scenes from everyday life are depicted on the right: a tavern, a market and even courtesans on the balcony.

This^17th-century building features^18th-century frescoes and stuccowork. Its bell tower is particularly beautiful, and the view of the lake from its esplanade is sublime. The church is on the way to Monte Brè, Lugano's famous peak. There's something southern about its architecture, with its campanile and ashlar facades. The beautiful staircase leading up to it gives it the air of a fine aristocratic residence. The village is also very charming, with many lovely walks to choose from.

This small chapel is located between the church of Santa Maria del Sasso and the village of Morcote. This small building dating back to the late Middle Ages is worth visiting for the surprising paintings on its south wall: about twenty souls, represented as completely naked men, are trapped in a net (the Purgatory) and try to get out; those who manage to free themselves are saved by angels. Those who manage to free themselves are saved by the angels, while the others are dragged along by the demons.

This well-preserved Baroque church, set slightly off-center in a small wood above Carona, is one of the finest examples of Baroque decorative art. Built in the ^17th century on top of a small chapel dating from 1515, the church boasts several attractive exterior arcades. It houses frescoes by Giuseppe Antonio Petrini (1667-1759) and sculptures by Alessandro Casella dating from 1646. A shaded Way of the Cross leads to the church.

The church is located at the entrance of Campione coming from Bissone. It is believed to have been founded in the 9th and 10th centuries. Its monumental staircase with double intertwined banisters descends majestically from the entrance porch to the lake. The church has a wonderful fresco on the south wall of its nave, painted by Lanfranco and Filippolo De Veris in 1400, depicting the Last Judgment. There are also other paintings, including those by Campione Isidoro Bianchi (1602-1662).

This church dates back to the end of the th century. This was mentioned for the first time in 1480. The interior shared by a large lateral wall, according to the Franciscan usage, is an exquisite inspiration. It is painted entirely by a fresco where it can be noted that Renaissance refinement leaves free reign to an ornamental sincerity invaded by grace. In its centre is the Crucifixion, and around fifteen paintings expressing the life of Christ.

From their rocky promontory, the churches present an interesting heritage site. On the site of a former medieval castle, the two stone religious buildings have the particularity of possessing an imposing cycle of frescoes dating from the end of the 16th century. The interior of the church is completely covered with an interesting wooden coffered ceiling from 1575. The buildings are an eye-catcher and we recommend that you go and discover their architectural secrets.

This beautiful Romanesque church of Valle Leventina, built in the th century, offers great architectural interest, due to the great perfection of the stone blocks that make it up and artistic, for the few sculptures that adorn it. You will notice, among other things, the two lions that frame its western portal, or the finely crafted capitals representing a fantastic bestiary (lions, heads of ram). The apse contains frescoes carried out by Nicolao da Seregno in 1478.

The church of San Carlo is a representative monument of the Lombard Romanesque art of the 11th and 13th centuries. It has the peculiarity of having two apses, built during two distinct construction phases. All alone on its mountain pasture, it gains in majesty, especially since it dominates the surroundings. Its interior is just as remarkable with its numerous frescos. On some of them, we can see characters who seem to be Byzantines.

The complex includes a medieval chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, more precisely to Santa Maria delle Grazie, the convent itself and finally the church of San Giovanni. Of the original convent built in 1477, only the altarpiece remains. In the altar area, you will notice a fresco dating from the 14th century attributed to the group of Giovanni da Milano. Finally, the single nave church is a significant example of the late Baroque. It contains a multitude of sculptures and stucco reliefs as well as numerous frescoes by local artists.

Built from 1723 to 1738, to plans by architect Giovan Pietro Magni, the church boasts numerous works of art: fine^18th-century stucco by Francesco Catenazzi and Giovanni Battista Bagutti; the four paintings by Giovanni Battista Bagutti (1744) in the vault are richly colored. In 1994, the church was restored to its original beauty. It also boasts a beautiful ^16th-century cloister.

This historically and religiously significant baptistery is the oldest surviving Christian monument in Switzerland. It dates from the^5th century, when the first attempts were made to introduce Christianity into the region. It is small and octagonal in shape and contains a rare stone basin from the Middle Ages in which baptisms by immersion were performed. There are also remarkable Romanesque frescoes from the 12th century.

This building has been altered on several occasions. The chapel on the right seems to have been the choir of a previous construction. Here you can admire the splendid 15th century frescoes by the painter Antonio de Tradate. These rustic scenes, which depict the cycles of peasant life (corresponding to the different months of the year), are preserved in excellent condition. They are the masterpiece of the master. The present building dates from the 17th century and the Roman bell tower has been remodelled to fit in with the Baroque architecture.

In a small square in the historical centre of Ascona stands the church of San Pietro e Paolo, dating back to the 16th century. You can admire its beautiful bell tower and its beautiful sundial. This church is famous above all for the paintings it houses, especially the following three paintings : The Coronation of the Virgin, The Sons of Zebedee, The Invitation to Emmaus by the master Giovanni Serodine, a native of the town. Born in the early 17th century, he was a pupil of Caravaggio.

It contains important Renaissance frescoes and numerous ex-votos by the painter Giovan Antonio Vanoni (1810-1886), a master in the art of depicting scenes of rural life. Dating from 1500, it is one of the oldest in the valley. The Franciscans were responsible for the work and this is reflected in the sober architecture of the building. The beauty of this church is also reflected in the paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries, which remain the most beautiful in the region.

The sanctuary is a true masterpiece as much for its architecture and exterior decoration as for the valuable works of art it houses. In the chapels of its side aisles are paintings by illustrious masters, including Raphael's Madonna of the Goldfinch , copied by Romanino. In the chapel on the right in particular, Bramantino's Flight into Egypt, painted in 1522, while in the first chapel on the left, one can admire a Tomb of Antonio Ciseri.

The Rabten Choeling Center is also called the Center for Tibetan Studies. Perched at an altitude of 820 m, this Tibetan centre of 55 monks, founded in 1977, opens its meditation space to the public. Daily prayers are recited in the morning at 7am and in the evening at 6pm, Monday to Friday. Other more elaborate prayers also take place according to the events, and visitors are welcome for each celebration. It is also possible to stay at the house.

The Abbey of St. Gallen is a remarkable architectural ensemble that dates back to 747 and consists of several buildings grouped around the monastery square. Its main components are the magnificent Baroque cathedral and the former cloister, whose wings house the abbey library, one of the oldest in the world. A perfect example of the great Carolingian monastery, the complex has been one of the twelve Swiss sites listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. THE recommended visit to St. Gallen.

This Capuchin convent was built in 1606 by the town's inhabitants. The site is best known for its location on a lakeside peninsula, its magnificent rose garden and the grotto dedicated to Saint Anthony, which still attracts pilgrims. Spiritual retreats are held here, where you can take part in the convent's religious and community life. Men and women of all faiths are welcome. To help you make contact, you'll be assigned a brother or sister to accompany you.

During the celebration of the centenary of Napoleon's Act of Mediation, which established the autonomy of the canton, this square took its current name. The square coincides with the southern access to the medieval city and echoes the Piazza del Sole, which gave access to the city to those arriving from the north. Nowadays, Piazza del Sole has been completely restored by the architect Livio Vacchini. A little further on is another important square: the Piazza della Collegiata called Piazza Grande.

This basilica is the main sanctuary of the city's Roman Catholic Church. It was built between 1852 and 1857 on the bastion of Cornavin. It is inspired by the great Gothic cathedrals of the 13th century, such as those of Beauvais or Amiens. It is however built in molasse. Inside, you can admire, in the central chapel of the ambulatory, a statue of the Virgin, offered to the Catholics of the city in 1860 by Pope Pius IX. It is a stage of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

The Tell Chapel, built in 1585, is located near the parish church and was built by the landowner Peter Gisler and Johan Scherer. It is located on the presumed site of Tell's house. The frescoes by Heinrich Gessner are a witness of a 16th century illustration: these frescoes are very valuable historically because they represent the myth of William Tell and the life of the Swiss hero. Renovations in 1949 have brought the work back to life while respecting the original. Another chapel can be visited on Lake Uri to complete the story.

Today a Protestant temple, Saint-François was originally a convent. Built around 1270 by Franciscan monks from Besançon, they are the ones who contributed to the extension of the vineyards of Lavaux. The upper parts date back to 1370-1387 and the bell tower, 56 m high, around 1400. Inside, the pews are reversible (ingenious system of rocking backrests), to listen to both mass and the magnificent organ concerts in April and November. Note that the vaults of the choir have a painted decoration of false joints, white on a beige background.