Grossmünster Church

Grossmünster

A Romanesque church that became the symbol of the Reformation in Zurich.

The Grossmünster Church is one of Zurich’s most iconic landmarks. According to legend, Charlemagne discovered the relics of Saints Felix and Regula on this site. Centuries later, it became the cradle of the Reformation led by Ulrich Zwingli. Today, Grossmünster is both a spiritual symbol and an architectural gem, blending Romanesque design with modern stained-glass windows by Sigmar Polke – and offering stunning views from its twin towers.

Transport

How to Get There

Ways to get to the attraction

On foot from Zurich center 28-42 min.

From Lucerne by car ~46 min.

From Basel by car ~1 h 15 min.

From BRN airport (Bern) by car ~1 h 52 min.

From SIR airport (Sion) by car ~3 h 4 min.

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Attraction

Description

Detailed information about the attraction

What is this place

The Grossmünster is a Romanesque Protestant church in Zurich’s Old Town on the right bank of the Limmat. It is one of the city’s key landmarks and a pivotal site of the Swiss Reformation.

Key features

Twin towers with the current neo-Gothic tops from 1787 – added after the 1763 fire.
Karlsturm: 187 steps to the viewing platform – vistas over the Old Town, the lake and the Alps.
Sigmar Polke stained-glass windows (2009) – seven made of agate slices and five in colored glass.
Choir windows by Augusto Giacometti (1932–1933) – a vivid Christmas cycle.
Bronze portals by Otto Münch (1935–1938 and 1950) – reliefs on the Reformation and biblical scenes.

What to see

Karlsturm tower and its platform with six panoramic windows.
Crypt with 14th–15th-century murals and the original statue of Charlemagne.
Contemporary Polke windows and the historic Giacometti choir glazing.

History

According to legend, Charlemagne founded the church over the graves of the city’s patron saints. Construction of the present building began around 1100 and it was consecrated around 1220; the Romanesque crypt from the 11th–13th c. and the monastic cloister survive.

During the Reformation, Huldrych Zwingli preached here from 1519, with key disputations in 1523. In 1524, the organ and statues were removed, shaping the famously austere interior.

In later centuries, the wooden spires burned in 1763 and the present tower tops were added in 1787. The 20th century brought Giacometti’s choir windows (1932–1933) and Münch’s bronze doors (1935–1938, 1950); in 2009, Polke’s glazing was installed. Restoration works run from 2025 to 2029.

Practical information

Location: Old Town, right bank of the Limmat, Zwingliplatz 7.

Getting there: Trams 3, 4, 11, 15 to Helmhaus; about 10 minutes on foot from Zürich Stadelhofen.

Access: Church entry is free. Karlsturm ascent CHF 5, concession CHF 2. Ground floor wheelchair-accessible; gallery, choir, tower and crypt are not accessible.

Visiting hours: Church – daily 10:00–18:00 (Mar 1–Oct 31), 10:00–17:00 (Nov 1–Feb 28); Sundays open after service. Tower follows the same seasonal pattern, Sundays after service.

Visit duration: 30–45 minutes for the interior; 60–90 minutes including tower and crypt.

Best time: Early weekday mornings; clear weather for the tower views.

Notes: 2025–2029 restoration may affect access. Photos without flash or tripod; Polke windows are copyright-protected; large luggage not allowed.

Tours