St. Gallen

About

Founded as a humble hermitage by the Irish missionary monk Gallus in 612, in just 100 years it had evolved into a Benedictine abbey, which required contemplative study and a library. Today, the entire Abbey complex has been awarded a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the interior of both the cathedral and library are some of the most stunning (and important) examples of rococo design in the country. A walk through the charming, cobblestone streets and squares of St. Gallen’s traffic-free old town is a visual treat, bring visitors past half-timbered houses embellished with turrets and colourfully-painted oriel windows dating from the 16th to 18th century.