Zurich, June 2026

Sitting on the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city and its financial heart, Zurich.  Most visitors, like myself, head to the Old Town and wander around the narrow medieval lanes on both sides of the river.  Many guild houses and historic squares occupy this area.  These windy alleyways lead up to Lindenhof, an old Roman fortification with views across the Limmat River.  I came here to see the Fraumunster, one of Zurich’s oldest religious buildings, founded as a convent back in 853.  The highlight here is a set of 5 stained glass windows in the choir of the church and a rose window in the southern transept created by modernist artist Marc Chagall.  The biblical stories depicted are of bold colors and abstract imagery which makes them special.  The rose window depicts the stages of Genesis and in the center Noah’s Ark.  The 5 panels are the Window of the Prophets, Window of Jacob, Window of Christ, Window of Zion, Window of the Commandments.

Zurich Old Town

Fraumunster

Fraumunster

Fraumunster

“According to legend, the devout princesses Hildegard and Bertha followed a deer sent by God, carrying burning candles on its antlers.  It led the sisters to the place where Fraumunster was later to be built.  Hildegard and Bertha became the abbey’s first abbesses.  Since the 13th century, their remains have lain in the alcove under the large frescoes depicting this founding legend.

The Heaton Window behind the organ was created by Clement Heaton in 1914.

Chagall Rose Window depicts the stages of Genesis surrounding the center of the rose which features Noah’s Ark, symbolising the salvation of creation.

Chancel of Fraumunster

Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows at the Fraumunster

Window of the Prophets where Elijah is being carried away in a fiery horse-drawn chariot with the angel Cherub hovering in the middle.  At the top in the round arch, the Creation is depicted.

Window of the Prophets where Elijah is being carried away in a fiery horse-drawn chariot with the angel Cherub hovering in the middle.  At the top in the round arch, the Creation is depicted.

Window of Zion depicts an angel annoucing the beginning of eternity.  The bottom part depicts King David singing psalms.

Window of Zion depicts an angel annoucing the beginning of eternity.  The bottom part depicts King David singing psalms.

Window of the Commandments depicts Moses holding the tablets of the 10 commandments and observing the suffering of humanity.  At the bottom is Isaiah, held by an angel, preparing to spread his message of peace to the world.

Window of the Commandments depicts Moses holding the tablets of the 10 commandments and observing the suffering of humanity.  At the bottom is Isaiah, held by an angel, preparing to spread his message of peace to the world.

These abstract stained glass windows are unlike anything I have seen and definitely worth a visit if you are in Zurich.   Next post will be on my day trip to nearby Liechtenstein.  Stay tuned!

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