Of all the magnificent churches in Switzerland, the gothic St. Vincent in Montreux will not likely…read moremake the top of anyone's list, but if you love history, architecture, and picturesque views, and you happen to find yourself in this wonderful town, it's definitely worth a visit.
We had just enjoyed breakfast at the nearby and charming Tea Room de la Baye (just outside the Le Pont bus stop in Old Town via Bus 206), so it was a quick walk over to this ancient medieval church rebuilt in its current form in the early sixteenth century. It was a brief climb up a single flight of stairs near the Hotel Tralala and a gentle incline up Rue de Temple from there.
During the restoration of the present church building in the early 1970s, the foundations of three different church buildings were discovered via excavations, the first from the 8th century AD, the second from 1200, and then the modern structure from the 1400s to its completion in 1524.
Visitors may first want to pass the entrance and go around back to the beautiful terrace with its spectacular views of Lake Geneva and a glimpse of Chateau Chillon down the eastern coast. There are a few benches for resting and contemplation if you wish. When you're done, come back to the entrance doors which are facing Old Town, close to the street.
Churches in Switzerland bear the story of the Protestant Reformation, and St. Vincent (named after the patron of winemakers) is no different. The vaulted interior comes off as very plain compared to other Swiss cathedrals, but of course, the original decor may have been more ornate until the 1536 invasion of the Protestant Bernese (who ruled the canton of Vaud until 1798's liberation by Napoleon). The invading reformers made a point to remove or deface all iconography in the formerly Catholic structures and many elaborate works of religious art were destroyed throughout the country during this time.
The church today remains a parish of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud.
The stained glass windows are modern from 1973 and signed by the Vaud artist, Jean Prahin. All are abstract except the panel of St. Vincent himself in the back right wall of the nave, the only representation of the human form you'll see inside.
The current organ is a 2009 Metzler with 24 registers, 2 keyboards, and 1532 pipes, which was installed to replace a faulty Ziegler instrument from 1953. We were thrilled to be present when the organist (Martine Reymond) happened to drop in at midday on Monday to practice for an upcoming performance. We were the only other souls present and we were awed at this private performance.
Find information about upcoming concerts at www.concerts-st-vincent.ch and other church information at http://montreux.eerv.ch/. Learn about the organ at http://www.metzler-orgelbau.ch/htm/organs/montreux-r.htm and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-W858RcksE.
