Fraumünster is one of Zurich’s defining landmarks, its slender green spire rising above the west bank of the Limmat in the Old Town. Founded in 853 as a Benedictine convent by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard, it became a powerful medieval institution whose abbesses held privileges including the right to mint coins and collect tolls. The convent was dissolved during the Reformation, but the church remains an active Reformed place of worship.
The main draw inside is the set of five stained-glass windows Marc Chagall created for the choir in 1970. Their saturated blues, greens and reds bring biblical scenes to life with floating figures and dreamlike imagery. Look, too, for Augusto Giacometti’s striking window in the north transept and the Romanesque choir itself. Along the south side, the cloister’s frescoes tell the story of the abbey’s founding.
Allow time to sit quietly and see how daylight changes the colour of the windows. There is a charge to visit the church interior, and access may be restricted during services, so check opening times before setting out. Afterwards, cross the Münsterbrücke to Grossmünster or pause for coffee on nearby Münsterhof square.