Along with the main Grossmünster and St. Peter's Cathedral, Fraumünster is one of the three most famous churches in Zurich. For a long time, she competed with Grossmunster for the title of the city's most important cathedral. By the way, it is not unreasonable: at least Fraumunster is almost two hundred years older. The cathedral dominates on the eastern shore of Limmat, Fraumunster stands slightly away from the western embankment

As part of the Benedictine Order convent, the cathedral was built in the 9th century . But the Zwingli reformation led to the closure of the abbey in 1524, and the monastery building was destroyed in 1898 . From the whole complex there was only the Muensterhof square (once there was a pig market) and the church, which is still acting . Its roman-gothic appearance can be called restrained, which is quite appropriate for evangelical ky-reformist church . After the reformation, the church was used for Catholic and Protestant services, and at one time even Orthodox services were held here . Without a single master the church slowly and surely collapsed, so reconstruction in 1960 was very convenient .

You can say that Fraumunster is much more interesting inside than outside. First of all, here is the largest organ in the canton, in which more than five and a half thousand pipes. The cathedral regularly hosts concerts of classical music, accompanied by a symphony or chamber orchestra and its own mixed choir, which has more than 100 votes. Often, invited performers perform here. The concert schedule is compiled for a month ahead, visiting them is paid.

Noteworthy are the Gothic nave and the well-preserved Roman cloister (inner gallery) with a choir of 18-meter height dating from 1250-1270. In the period from 1921 to 1941 he was painted with frescoes by Paul Bodmer with pictures of the patron saints of the city and the history of the monastery. And the northern nave of Fraumunster is decorated with the stained glass of A. Giacometti, created by him in the 40s of the 20th century. This is a large-scale work depicting the God of the Father and the Son, eight prophets, four evangelists and ten angels.

But, perhaps, the main treasure Fraumunster - the stained-glass windows of the choir and the southern nave of the work of Marc Chagall, created by him in the framework of the project for the restoration of the cathedral in the 70s of last century . I must say that it was not easy for the artist to take up the work on the cathedral windows . First, at that time Chagall was and in the second place, the size of the windows ten meters made you think . But today, five paintings on the Old Testament and Gospel stories in the pointed windows of Fraumunster are considered masterpieces of world culture . Each of them is executed in its gamut: presumably, Chagall used the color symbolism of blue-green shades to denote the Earth and the yellow-red ones for Heaven .

Magic Fraumünster

Fraumünster at night

Fraumünster from the inside

Fraumünster view from the city

Authority, Fraumunster