Fraumünster, Zürich 
View of the Fraumünster (left) and Peterskirche from the Grossmünster.
Graceful tower and spire.
Interior of the three Chagall windows. Photo
Al Ianni. 
The Jacob Window by Chagall. Photo: Rael B.
Fraumünster frescoes. Photo: Doug R.
Of all the church spires that pierce Zürich’s skyline, the slender, blue spire of Fraumünster (Minster of Our Lady) is the most graceful. And it is best known for housing magnificent stained glass windows by Marc Chagall.
History
A Benedictine convent was founded on this site in 853 by Emperor Ludwig (Louis the German), the grandson of Charlemagne. There was already a convent on the site, for how long we don't know.
Ludwig's daughter Hildegard became the first abbess. In 874, Hildegard's sister Bertha added a simple basilica with a crypt beneath to hold the relics of Felix and Regula, the patron saints of Zürich who were martyred nearby.
The abbesses gained considerable rights in the 11th century and the convent was the home of many German noblewomen until the 13th century. The present church dates from the 13th century, but the crypt of the old abbey church is preserved in the undercroft.
The convent was closed at the Reformation (which was led from the pulpit of the Grossmünster across the river). On November 30, 1524, the last abbess (Katharina von Zimmern) converted to the Reformation movement and donated the church and abbey to the city of Zürich. As at the Grossmünster, all the icons, images and the organ were destroyed.
In the following centuries, the Fraumünster was used as a place of worship by Veltliner and Huguenot refugees and later the Russian Orthodox Church. Between 1833 and 1844 it hosted by Catholic and Protestant services.
The Fraumünster was extensively renovated in the 20th century, including the addition of masterful stained glass windows by an 80-year-old Marc Chagall.
This church, with its slender, blue spire, is on the left bank overlooking the former pig market, Münsterhof. Entrance is into a small east door beneath the spire, leading into the transept.
Inside, the basilica has three aisles, a Romanesque choir and a Gothic nave. The choir dates from 1250-70 and is notable for its lofty height (18m) and simplicity of design. But the main attraction of the choir, and the entire Fraumünster itself, is the set of five stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall in 1970.
Best seen in bright morning light, the windows are 10 meters high and each has its own color theme. The blood-red " Prophets" window on the north (left) wall features Elisha watching Elijah mount to heaven in a chariot of fire; Jeremiah sits above drenched in a divine blue.
On the opposite wall is the "Law" window, with Moses looking down upon the disobedience and suffering of the people, who follow a horseman into war.
The left-most of the three main windows is the blue "Jacob" window, which shows the patriarch's wrestling match with the angel and his dream of the latter to heaven.
On the far right is the yellow "Zion" window, depicting an angel trumpeting the end of the world and the descent of the New Jerusalem from the heavens; below are King David and Bathsheba.
In the center is the green "Christ" window, which starts with Joseph standing at the bottom beside the family tree of Christ. In its upper branches is a vision of Mary holding the baby Jesus with the Lamb of God at her feet. Scenes from Jesus' life and parables culminate in a Crucifixion scene in which the cross is barely visible and Jesus seems to float free towards the source of luminescence above.
Also stunning is the 9m-high stained-glass window in the north transept by Giacometti. Created in the 1940s, this would take pride of place in the Fraumünster were it not for the Chagall windows. It is a vision of God and Christ with eight prophets below and the Four Evangelists framed by ten angels.
There is a modern series of frescoes by Paul Bodmer in the cloister to mark the founding of the Fraumünster.
| Names: | Fraumünster; Church of Our Lady |
| Type of site: | Former abbey church; parish church |
| Faith: | Protestant (originally Roman Catholic) |
| Dates: | Founded 853; rebuilt 13th century |
| Architecture: | Gothic and Romanesque |
| Address: | Fraumünsterstrasse |
| Phone: | None - inquire at tourist office. |
| Tram: | 4 |
| URL: | www.fraumuensterchor.ch |
| Hours: | May-Sept: Mon-Sat 9am-noon and 2-6pm, Sun 2-6pm; Oct, Mar-Apr: Mon-Sat 10am-noon and 2-5pm, Sun 2-5pm; Nov-Feb: Mon-Sat 10am-noon and 2-4pm, Sun 2-4pm |
| Cost: | Free |
Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Fraumünster. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Zürich Map or get our free Google Earth download.
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Rick Steves' Switzerland
- Frommer's Switzerland
- The Rough Guide to Switzerland
- Personal visit (exterior only; December 2006).
