1) Church with a view
The church of St.Laurenzen is the most important church in the city, second only to the cathedral. The present building dates back to the 15th century but it was altered extensively between 1850 and 1854 and is now a neo-Gothic basilica. Visitors have a breathtaking view from the tower of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
2) Welcome to the red carpet
Visit the largest outdoor living room in Switzerland! The “Citylounge” art project designed by the renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist and architect Carlos Martinez covers public squares and streets in the old town with a red carpet. Rist won the international City-People-Light Award for her glowing moon in 2008.
3) Cultural centre in the old locomotive depot
Built between 1903-1911 during the city’s textile heyday, this urban building is the largest surviving locomotive ring depot in Switzerland, making it a monument of national significance. Today the Lokremise as it is called is an multidisciplinary cultural centre offering theatre, films, art exhibitions and a restaurant.
4) Nightlife district with history
The St.Mangen district in the north part of the St.Gallen old town with its namesake, the St.Mangen Church, is one of the most beautiful in the city and at the same time, an area buzzing with nightlife, restaurants and bars. St.Catherine's monastery – a former Dominican monastery – is also located here. Visitors have access to the remarkable cloisters and the inside courtyard.
5) A day at the museum
The city has a vast number of museums: The Kunstmuseum, or art museum, with its painting and sculpture collection and many temporary exhibitions is one of the most important museums in Eastern Switzerland. Other museums worth visiting include the new Nature Museum built in 2016, the Historische und Völkerkundemuseum (Museum of History and Ethnology), the Kunst Halle St.Gallen, the Museum im Lagerhaus, the St.Gallen Textile Museum and the Nextex as well as the Sitterwerk, where a guided tour can also be booked next door in the Kunst-Giesserei, or art foundry.
6) City of oriel windows
Who has the biggest and most beautiful in the city? This was the question of the 17th century when the St.Gallen merchants commissioned new oriel windows to be built. Today there are 111 intricately carved and richly decorated oriels that adorn the building façades in the pedestrian zone.
Our tip: Gaze upon the oriels from one of the many street cafés amidst the hustle and bustle.
7) World-class performances
Most people usually think of New York when they hear the words “world premiere”. Or London. But not St.Gallen. But with its many musical and opera premieres, the capital of Eastern Switzerland can easily keep pace with the great cities of the world. The St.Gallen theatre is also the oldest professional theatre on record in Switzerland. Today, concerts are held in the Tonhalle St.Gallen, a concert hall. This architectural jewel was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the neo-Baroque style and completely renovated in 1993.
8) Where art meets knowledge
A building with architectural significance and simultaneously an educational institution for students from 87 countries: this is the University of St.Gallen. Here you will find works or art by international artists including Giacometti, Miró and Richter, which are not only integrated into students' everyday lives, but also into the architecture: in the main building, art serves as a counterpart to the architecture, while in the library building, the interaction between the works of art and the diversity of architectural forms takes on a narrative quality.
9) Follow in the footsteps of the celebrated architect Calatrava
Architectural sculptures from the Carolingian era, medieval half-timbered houses, opulent textile buildings and sweeping structures come together to form the urban landscape. Famous architects have made their mark in St.Gallen and entice visitors to take a journey of discovery. For example, Heinz Tesar who refurbished the Lagerhaus, a building complex of former warehouses which is today a multi-functional venue. Or Santiago Calatrava who designed the emergency call centre, the Pfalzkeller, an event venue belonging to the Abbey District, and the bus stop at the Marktplatz, or Market Square.
10) A visit with Giacometti and Miró
St.Gallen is a mecca for art lovers from around the world: whether Baroque, Rococo, Classicism or Art Nouveau, whether Wannenmacher, Giacometti, Richard Serra, Joan Miró – a stroll through the capital of Eastern Switzerland is like walking through a huge museum.
