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Grossmünster

3.8 (37 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Grossmünster Churches Photos

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Exterior
William W.

This is yet another Zurich cathedral that is gorgeous on the outside but rather plain on the inside. But unlike the others, Grossmünster does offer an intense section of stained glass when it catches the sun just right and a mighty pipe organ! The better pictures are on the outside, and the interior would be best during a church service or organ concert.

Andreas K.

All the time I used to live in Zurich, I never did it. It really took a return visit as a "tourist" to find some of the daily treasures of the city. One of them - the visual landmark of the skyline - is the Grossmuenster which is a stunning combination of elegance and simplicity reflective of the Zwinglian Reformation in the 16th century. Yes, I did see it from the street level, river level, and even had my graduation in it. But I never made it to the top of the tower - until this time. On a sunny day, the view over the city is just amazing!!! And as a little extra bonus, there are two spray paintings of Zurich's notorious "Sprayer" Harald Naegeli: illegal and a thorn in the officials' eyes in the past, but widely admired, he was now "allowed" to place two legal sprayings within the tower ...

Jennifer K.

Grossmünster is one of the most recognized landmark in Zurich with the twin towers in the facade. The exterior of the church is really photogenic as it towered over Limmat River on a small hill. I was planning to pay CHF 4 to climb the tower but when I saw no photographs sign everywhere inside the Church, I changed my mind. Being a Church built during the Romanesque period, the interior though a little plain but the modern stained-glass windows by Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti was added in 1932. I like how they have a bronze miniature modern right in front of the Church which is from the visually impaired so they can "see" the architecture details by touch.

Giacometti Stained Glass
Anton K.

Originally constructed in 1100 and inaugurated in 1229, Grossmunster church is an outstanding example of a Swiss Reformation Church. Huidrych Zwingli began the Swiss -German reformation movement here in 1520. That being said the exterior is in the Romanesque style of architecture with it's distinctive twin towers and is much more appealing than the interior. The interior reflects the Reformation idea of simplicity away from the Roman papacy. In other words, it is not nearly as awe inspiring as cathedrals in Spain, Italy, etc... What is worth seeing is the simple Romanesque crypt (11th-13th century, the ornate bronze doors (1935 &1950 ) by Otto Munch, the 1935 stained glass windows by Augusto Giacometti, the translucent Agate windows and some ancient paintings, manuscripts and bibles. It is free to enter but cost 5 CHF for adults, 2 CHF for 65+ to climb the part stone and wood stairs to the tower for impressive views of Alt Zurich and the Limmat River. The climb can be stressful for some. No photos are permitted inside. Ask for a card in your language that describes some of the features and objects found inside the church. There is a bronze miniature outside the church for the visually impaired. Legend has it that Charlemagne founded the church which is debatable. What is not debatable are the Roman burial grounds found near the church, as well as, the burial ground for numerous saints.

View from the top
Kanchan B.

What a lovely church and amazing views from the tower! I reckon if u are in Zurich for only a short visit and can't take the cable car up to Felsenegg for the views, then definitely pay the CHF 4 per person and climb the towers of this church for beautiful Zurich city views instead. I also loved the legend of how this church was built and don't forget to touch the third steeple of the model of the church for luck (you will know which one to rub as its shiny). The stained glass windows reminded me of Murano glass patterns and there is a mix of modernism and traditional images. Not as polarizing as the Chagall windows at the Fraumünster church in Zurich, but still definitely quite not what you usually encounter in a church of this era. Btw, the church tower climb isn't very taxing - if you have done the one in Notre Dame or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I would suggest this climb is comparable. The stairs are stone and then switch to wider wooden ones around the half-way mark. There's also a sort of gallery somewhere in the middle that has a poster of the windows as well as depictions of how Zurich city grew (see my pics for these). I also don't think a lot of people climb the tower or I was just remarkably lucky as when I got to the top there were only 5 other people there and so didn't have to fight to take photos of the views. There is one particular view that lets you spy on the rooftop gardens and swimming pools of the surrounding houses and I enjoyed checking that out (hopefully stating that doesn't make me come across like a perv!) Final recommendation - Go and climb!

View from the top of the belltower.
Varun D.

Beautiful views of Zürich from the top of the bell tower. Not much of note inside the cathedral really. Just the standard stained glass windows and the like but the view from the top is enough to warrant a visit. 5 swiss francs for a ticket to the top of the tower and 100% worth the investment. Just a note of caution to those who have an issue with climbing stairs or who are claustrophobic that its a long climb up a very very narrow staircase.

Jessica S.

My husband and i made it a point to go and see this very old church during our layover in Zurich. It's absolutely stunning with it's twin towers. Definitely a must when going to Zurich You are not allowed to take pictures inside, which is a shame, because it's beautiful on the inside.

Grossmünster

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17 years ago

One of the central sights in Zurich. Beautiful view from the towers when the weather is nice.

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Grossmünster Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Grossmünster

Amazing Stained Glass - We stumbled upon the Grossmuenster walking through the Altstadt of Zurich.

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Fraumünster

Fraumünster

3.9(31 reviews)
0.2 kmKreis 1

Yelp Review 2026 #53:…read more My first visit to Fraumunster, I didn't even bother going in. I just took pictures of the 4 iconic and most photographed churches in Zurich. I revisited Zürich recently and this time, I checked out the Marc Chagall windows. As an art history buff, I owed myself a visit here even though Chagall isn't my favorite. He's a very important part of art history. He's known for his use of bold and vivid use of colors. He dabbled in painting, stained glass, ceramics, set design, etc. Other notable stained glass creations in Fraumunster include those by Heston, and Giacometti. It costs 5CHF (at time of writing) to enter - which is cheap by Swiss standards. You can't buy tickets in advance or online. Be sure to check their hours. There's a small crypt museum which was only opened to the paying public after renovations in 2016. There's a lot of text to read to learn more about the church. An excerpt: "The Fraumünster was founded in 853 by King Louis "the German", a grandson of Charlemagne. The royal abbey was built on a site which had still been flooded by Lake Zurich until not long before. According to the founding legend, the king doubted whether the location was suitable, whereupon a rope descended from the heavens to mark the construction site, a sign which allayed Louis' concerns."

We had been told by our guide the Fraumünster was free, which was inaccurate - it's $5 for adults…read moreand ended up dropping in before we left Zurich. Is the space pretty? Yes. Is it worth a special trip? No. There are about 4-5 different stained glass windows and while it's very relaxing and unique to a degree, there just isn't much to see and the air quality really isn't great. All in all, if you're in the area, have 10 minutes to spare, and don't mind the fee I'd say go for it, but otherwise (especially if you have allergies) you're not missing much by skipping it.

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Fraumünster
Fraumünster
Fraumünster

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Predigerkirche - View of Predigerkirche

Predigerkirche

3.8(6 reviews)
0.4 kmKreis 1

Predigerkirche is one of the four main churches in the old town of Zürich besides the Fraumünster,…read moreGrossmünster https://www.yelp.com/biz/grossmünster-zürich-3?hrid=8kvOPOQJfwo-FTh7sS4Erw and Saint Peter. It was first built in 1231 and completed in 1269 as a monastery of the Dominican Order. It has had extensive renovations, the most recent significant one completed in 1967-1968. The pipe organ was installed in 1503 and then broken following the Reformation. In 1879, a new organ was installed and that one was in turn replaced in 1923. The church is open and I was not disturbed while I entered and sat for a few minutes peacefully. A service was getting ready to begin and I was not interested in attending, so I departed. [Review 16472 overall - 22 in Switzerland - 1980 of 2021.]

The purpose of a church is for worship, and a gaudy or overly decorative appearance certainly…read moredoesn't matter to God, nor a complete lack of artwork and style. However, if you're approaching this religious facility as a tourist, this is certainly one of the most ordinary churches you'll ever tour in Europe. The exterior of Predigerkirche adjacent to the Zentralbibliothek is extraordinary. But I wouldn't go out of my way to tour the interior. With plain white walls and a total lack of embellishments, it won't wow visitors like other churches across the continent. But the ceiling is admittedly spectacular. Honestly, the best pictures you'll take here are of the majestic clock tower outside.

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Predigerkirche - Predigerkirche, Zürich

Predigerkirche, Zürich

Predigerkirche - Predigerkirche, Zürich

Predigerkirche, Zürich

Predigerkirche - Predigerkirche, Zürich

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Predigerkirche, Zürich

Lindenhof - Lindenhof

Lindenhof

4.7(35 reviews)
0.4 kmKreis 1

This hill is located in the the oldest part of Zurich (near Schipfe). It was once a Celtic…read moresettlement and then it became a Roman fort. The stone wall of the fort is what you see today. There's more history there that is still being uncovered. Some items found around the Lindenhof date back to the 1st century BC. Today, it's a large park with incredible views of Zurich and the Limmat River. We saw groups of people playing boules in the grassy area on a Sunday, as well as people playing chess. There's a fountain in the middle of the square that pays homage to Hedwig's women who wore battle gear to defend the city during the seige of Zurich in 1292. It's worth seeking out as it can be quite peaceful up there even though it's a tourist hot spot. The walk up the somewhat steep pathway and steps to get there from the city center is worth it. I've read that there is an elevator for those with mobility issues, but I didn't see one. There are benches as well as places to sit along the wall. It's shady and breezy up there. A great place to relax and enjoy the view.

This was a part of a self guided walking tour recommended by our hotel; we only had one night in…read moreZurich and wanted to see what we could without overdoing it. We stayed at a hotel on the other side of the river and walked across a lovely bridge to get here. You start at the bottom of the hill where there is a one lane road. While there are cars (or were, when we visited), mostly there are pedestrians and bicyclists. The lane is full of little shops and restaurants all vying for your attention and money. Eventually you come to a wide and tall (long) staircase going up. At the top is what is considered Lindenhof Hill, a quaint park with gorgeous views across the river and towards Lake Zurich. There is a fountain and old pumping station, as well as some Roman artifacts. It's a nice park to just sit and take in the views, or play a game of giant chess/checkers. The streets are all narrow in this area, but once you leave the hill, you need to find Thermengasse. It is a covered pedestrian walkway with grating for a walkway. Underneath the grating is an exposed archeological dig of a Roman heating system. There is signage throughout the passageway telling you all about it. As night began to fall, we made our way around the area, just taking everything all in. We ended up by the Fraumuenster church and walked across the Muenster bridge towards the Niederdorf area. If we had had more time, we would have explored the area more, but we were happy with the highlights we did see. It was a nice little introduction to the city. 78/2025

Photos
Lindenhof - Roman heater system

Roman heater system

Lindenhof - View from Lindenhof Hill

View from Lindenhof Hill

Lindenhof - Stairway to Lindenhof Hill

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Stairway to Lindenhof Hill

Münsterhof - A commemoration plaque of Winston Churchill's "United States of Europe" speech

Münsterhof

4.3(3 reviews)
0.2 kmKreis 1

It's the medieval square in front of the Fraumünster Church. This large square was once the…read morecourtyard of the abbey. We visited on a Sunday morning. The area in front of the church had rows of tables that were being set up for a lovely post-service lunch gathering for its parishioners. How cool is that? Actually, the tables may have been in front of the Grossmünster now that I look back at it. Either way, it's cool that they even do that. We crossed over the bridge to this square after taking in the views of the Grossmünster. It's a major gathering place in Zurich's Old Town. There were many locals having brunch at the cafés, and tourists learning about the history of the square and the guild houses around it. The Münster Fountain was particularly impressive. What's cool is that these fountains provide excellent drinking water. There's an area with a tap where you can fill up a pitcher or water bottle. It appears that Winston Churchill was here in 1946. There is a plaque commemorating his "United States of Europe" speech at the University of Zurich. It's in front of the guild house called "Zunfthaus zur Meisen" where he visited during his time here. It's a part of the city that shouldn't be missed. You're going to pass through it anyway to get to the Fraumünster and to Lindenhof Hill. It's worth it just to walk along the cobblestone streets of Old Town.

The square area surrounding the Fraumunster, often the sight of local events including their annual…read moreChristmas market. Off the square you will find lovely cobblestone streets to lose yourself in as you take in the local flavors and feasts for the senses.

Photos
Münsterhof - Crossing over the Münsterbrücke to get to Münsterhof

Crossing over the Münsterbrücke to get to Münsterhof

Münsterhof - Checking out the Christmas market here!

Checking out the Christmas market here!

Münsterhof - The 17th century guild house (Zunfthaus zur Meisen) where Winston Churchill was a guest in 1946

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The 17th century guild house (Zunfthaus zur Meisen) where Winston Churchill was a guest in 1946

Grossmünster - churches - Updated May 2026

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