It is said one of the best sites to see in the Old Town of Zurich is the Evangelical Protestant Church named The Grossmunster.
Built from 1100 to 1220 and renovated several times thereafter, the Romanesque church is the most famous landmark in the city equipped with twin towers. Since the Imperial Roman architecture it is considered as a part of the first pan-European architectural trend featuring medieval columns with grotesques adorning the capitals.
The Grossmunster houses a Reformation museum and theological school of the University of Zurich.
What To See At Grossmunster
Don’t miss reaching top of the twin towers, which is three-story, by taking 200 steps up. See the marvellous views of Zurich including nearby churches like Peterskirche and Fraumunster from the north tower.
See the beautiful stained-glass windows in the choir which were made by Augusto Giacometti in 1933. It depict the Three Magi bearing gifts to Mother Mary and her Child.
Crypt part of the church has three aisles and here the important thing to see is 15th-century stone statue of Charlemagne, a replica of it can also be seen atop the south tower from where it was removed.
The Theological Institute of Zurich University is housed in the cathedral’s chapterhouse. A door from here heads to an atmospheric cloister where a wide variety of creatures, real and mythological, are depicted.
Renovations And Rebuilding Of The Grossmunster
Under Huldrych Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger the church served as the beginning point of the Reformation in the first half of 16th century. Between 1781 and 1787 Johann Caspar Voegeli and John Hagge Mille added the characteristic tops of the new-Gothic towers. Later, Gustav Gull and Hermann Fietz made interior renovations between 1913 and 1915. In 1932 Sigmar Polke added beauty to the church with the glass windows and Augusto Giacometti made the cloister, the stained glass windows, the Romanesque capitals in the church and the Romanesque.
The bronze doors were made between 1935 and 1950 by Otto Munich. During the same period the Reformation museum in the cloister was build.
One of the twin towers is called Karisturm and to reach the vantage point visitors need to step up 187 stairs to see bird’s eye views of the city.
Modern Destruction
The towers were destroyed in 1763 after a fire. It was thereafter reconstructed with Gothic-style sections and the interior was fully embellished with Baroque decoration. However, in the 19th and 20th centuries it was again restored to the original Romanesque appearance.
Opening Hours Of The Grossmunster
The Grossmunster is opened all the seven days of a week but abiding by the below time schedules:
March to October – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Sunday when it opens after the service.
November to February – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Sunday when it opens after the service.
Adresss Of The Grossmunster
Grossmünsterplatz
8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 251 38 60
Nearest Tram Stop For The Grossmunster
Halmhaus
Official Website
www.Grossmunster.ch
