GROSSMÜNSTER CATHEDRAL

The Grossmünster Cathedral, a shrine steeped in history and a true emblem of Zurich, has marked the cityscape and the old town for many centuries. According to legend, it was Charlemagne who had the church built when he discovered the tombs of Felix and Regula, the patron saints of the city of Zurich, martyrs who died for the Christian faith against Roman domination. Its construction in Romanesque style began in 1100 and spanned a long period with numerous renovations and alterations over the centuries. In the 16th century, Ulrich Zwingli, the main architect of the Reformation in Zurich, was appointed parish priest of the cathedral and turned the city over to Protestantism within a few years. In 1525, Catholic services were officially abolished, and Grossmünster became the first Reformed church in Switzerland. The cathedral's characteristic two large, identical towers, once made of wood, were replaced in 1781 by neo-Gothic bell towers. One of the two towers, the Charlemagne Tower (Karslturm), has a copy of a statue of Charlemagne at its top, the original being housed in the crypt, the oldest part of the site. The chancel has beautiful stained glass windows by Augusto Giacometti from 1932 highlighting scenes from the Old Testament. In 2009, German artist Sigmar Polke created beautiful agate windows in the nave depicting key figures from the Old Testament. The most courageous will climb the 187 steps to the top of the Charlemagne Tower.