Abbey Library of Saint Gall

About Abbey Library of Saint Gall

The Abbey Library of Saint Gallen is **the oldest library in the world still in continuous use**, with a manuscript collection that traces an unbroken thread **from the 7th century to the present day**. The abbey itself was **founded in 612 AD by the Irish monk Gallus**, a disciple of the wandering missionary Columbanus, who chose a remote valley in what is now northeastern Switzerland as the site for his hermitage. Within a century, the community he established had become **one of the most important centres of Christian learning in Europe** — a scriptorium where monks copied and illuminated manuscripts with extraordinary skill, a school that educated scholars from across the continent, and a library that preserved texts that might otherwise have been lost in the early medieval period. Among the treasures the library preserves are manuscripts that survived the collapse of the Roman Empire: **Latin texts of Virgil and Horace**; early Christian theological writings; and **one of the oldest architectural drawings in existence — a 9th-century plan for an ideal monastery** that was never built but reveals what Carolingian monks imagined the perfect religious community should look like. The current **baroque library hall, built between 1758 and 1767**, is a masterpiece of late baroque design: an oval room with richly carved wooden galleries rising to a ceiling fresco depicting the **four councils of the early Church**, lit by tall windows and smelling, on warm days, of centuries of manuscript vellum. It has been called **the most beautiful library room in the world**. The Abbey Library is in the centre of Saint Gallen, **about 80 kilometres east of Zurich**. It is open to the public throughout the year except during major religious festivals; entry is by **timed ticket**. Visitors are required to wear **felt overshoes to protect the parquet floor**. The library is best visited in combination with the **adjacent Cathedral of Saint Gallen, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site**, whose baroque interior is one of the finest in Switzerland. The town of Saint Gallen itself — known historically for its **textile industry** — has an attractive old centre and makes a pleasant day trip from Zurich.

Highlights

• ✦ One of the oldest libraries in the world, founded in 612 AD
• ✦ Rococo library hall with 170,000 volumes
• ✦ 2,100 manuscripts, some over 1,400 years old

Practical info

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to visit the Abbey Library of St. Gallen?

Adult entry costs around CHF 12–14, with reductions for students and children, and it's included in some Swiss Travel Pass combinations at a discount. The ticket also covers the adjoining cathedral and the small museum area. Photography inside the historic hall itself is generally not permitted to protect the manuscripts.

Why do you have to wear slippers in the Abbey Library?

Visitors are given felt slippers to wear over their shoes to protect the library's original 18th-century inlaid wooden floor from scuffing and dirt. It's a quick, free step at the entrance and part of what makes the visit feel like stepping back in time. The slippers can feel a little slippery on the polished parquet, so move carefully.

How do you get to the Abbey Library of St. Gallen by train?

St. Gallen has direct rail connections from Zürich (about 1 hour), Munich (around 3 hours) and Bregenz in Austria (about 30 minutes). From St. Gallen's main station, it's a flat, easy 10-minute walk through the old town to the abbey precinct — no bus or taxi required.

What makes the Abbey Library of St. Gallen historically important?

Founded in the 8th century, it holds one of the oldest and richest monastic book collections in the world, with around 170,000 volumes including roughly 2,100 manuscripts, some dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The rococo hall itself was built in the 1760s and is considered one of the finest surviving library interiors in Europe. Along with the cathedral, it was UNESCO-listed in 1983.

How long does a visit to the Abbey Library take?

Most visitors spend 30 to 45 minutes in the library hall itself, reading the information panels and viewing manuscripts on display in glass cases. Adding the cathedral next door brings the total to around an hour to 90 minutes. It pairs well with a short walk through St. Gallen's compact, well-preserved old town.

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