Einsiedeln Abbey

Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland, and a long-established pilgrimage site. The abbey complex is prominent for its Baroque architecture and monastic community.

The abbey church contains a venerated image of the Virgin, commonly referred to as the Black Madonna, and draws pilgrims and visitors for religious services and visits. The complex includes monastic buildings, cloisters and a library used by the Benedictine community.

The monastic establishment dates back to the early medieval period and developed over centuries into the present abbey; the current Baroque church and many visible elements date from major rebuilding in the early 18th century. The abbey has continuously functioned as a Benedictine house and pilgrimage centre.

Einsiedeln Abbey sits in the municipality of Einsiedeln in central Switzerland, roughly within an hour’s drive south of the Zürich metropolitan area, surrounded by rolling hills and lake-country scenery.

• Pilgrimage site: A major pilgrimage destination, the abbey attracts pilgrims for the statue of the Virgin often called the Black Madonna and for liturgical celebrations.

What to See #

• Abbey Church: The Abbey Church is a large Baroque church known for its ornate interior, frescoes and as the site of the shrine housing a venerated Black Madonna statue.
• Monastery complex: The monastic complex includes cloisters, a library and facilities of the Benedictine community that occupies the site and runs the pilgrimage services.