Grossmünster

Why go

The Reformed parish of Zurich (reformiert-zuerich.ch) says that until the Reformation the Grossmünster was both part of a college of canons and a parish church, and that its twin towers still mark the city's skyline. The parish's visit page says the church interior is open to visitors free of charge for quiet reflection and viewing. Its pages describe a climb of 187 steps to a platform about 50 metres up in the Karlsturm; tower tickets are sold only at the tower desk and cannot be reserved, and the parish says it cannot guarantee the climb when visitor numbers are high. The crypt, which the parish calls the oldest part of the church, holds 14th- and 15th-century wall paintings of the martyrdom of the patron saints Felix and Regula and the original seated figure of Charlemagne from the south tower, and it closes to visitors on rainy days to protect the paintings. This record is the church, not the Grossmünsterplatz in front of it.