Fraumünster

Fraumünster is a historic Protestant church in Zurich’s old town, originally founded in 853 and notable today for its prominent stained-glass windows. It occupies a central riverside position on the Limmat and is an established landmark of the city.

The interior is best known for the large, colorful stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall and additional windows by Augusto Giacometti; these modern works sit alongside medieval architecture and are a primary reason visitors enter. The church also contains a cloister and visible Romanesque/Gothic stonework that are of interest to people studying medieval ecclesiastical buildings.

The Fraumünster began as a Benedictine convent founded in the 9th century and later became a significant ecclesiastical foundation for the region. Over the centuries the church fabric was modified and repurposed, and it became a Protestant house of worship during the Reformation in the 16th century.

The church stands in Zurich’s Altstadt on the eastern bank of the Limmat River, within walking distance of the Bahnhofstrasse and other central city attractions.

• Location tip: The church sits on the Limmat riverbank in Zurich's Altstadt, directly visible from the river promenade and close to the Grossmünster across the water.

What to See #

• Chagall windows: Located in the choir, a set of large stained-glass windows made by Marc Chagall are a 20th-century addition and one of the church's most famous visual draws.
• Giacometti windows: A series of modernist stained-glass windows by Augusto Giacometti complement the Chagall windows and are visible in the church's eastern areas.
• Cloister and medieval fabric: The cloister and remaining medieval fabric show Romanesque and Gothic elements and provide close-up views of carved stonework and tomb slabs.