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After visiting Zurich’s Predigerkirche, I was on a quest to make it to the last of the city’s four major churches that I had not visited before the end of the day.
The Church of St. Peter’s.
Problem was, there were so many photos to take in the beautiful Neumarkt area that I kept getting sidetracked!
Finally, crossing the river, it was easy to find the oldest parish church in Zurich. Standing on the former site of an ancient Roman temple to the god Jupiter, the church’s clock tower is said to be the largest in Europe and can be spied from most locations within the city. With a clock face measuring almost nine meters in diameter, it is an amazing site to behold!
Arriving at the church, we discovered, as did other tourists arriving at the same time, that the entrance was opposite of where we thought.
Making our way down the stairs, through the alley and back up another set of stairs, we finally found a courtyard with some interesting art pieces. Not even convinced that this was the entrance, we made our way inside to discover what makes this church interesting.
In 1345, the church was acquired by the city’s first mayor, Rudof Brun. His grave and monument can be seen by the outer tower wall. The first pastor, Leo Jud, served from 1523 until 1542 and contributed to the first translation of the Bible in Zurich. The church’s second pastor, J.C. Lavater, served from 1778 until 1801 and was so popular that people reserved seats for Sunday mass. His gravestone is in the courtyard, to the left of the entrance, on the church wall.
As I walked into the church, I noticed immediately the similarities between St. Peter’s and the Predigerkirche. The first church in Zurich that was built as a Protestant place of worship, after the Reformation during the eighth century, St. Peter’s exhibits the same elegant, simplicity although its tower and choir date back from a Romanesque church built in 1230.
During the Middle Ages, the short spire windows of the tower was the home of the town watchman, whose duty was to look out of the windows every fifteen minutes for signs of fire. Should a fire be spotted, he would sound an alarm and hang a flag out of the window facing the fire. Since Zurich, unlike so many other cities, never endured a major fire, the system worked well.
As I walked through the interior of the church, I took note of the three-aisled Baroque nave and the Romanesque choir that still contains some faded medieval murals. Above the pulpit, the name of God in Hebrew can be spotted, reflecting the Reformation emphasis on the original biblical languages. Another important feature of the church is the original 9th century foundation walls which can still be seen beneath the chancel.
In addition, St. Peter’s contains a baptismal font, dating back to 1598 and richly carved choir chairs from the 15th century. These chairs were transported to the church from the suppressed convents of the city. Make sure to take a look upward at the beautiful crystal chandeliers and the wood paneled gallery.
Even though, I initially thought that St. Peter’s was so very like the Predigerkirche, I learned from my visit that this church had a much richer history and much more to discover in its interior.
If you are taking a stroll through the streets of Zurich, take a look upward, find the largest clock tower and head that way! Its worth the visit!
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St. Peter’s Church
- https://www.st-peter-zh.ch/home.html
- Address: St. Peterhofstatt 2, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 800-1800, Saturday, 1000-1600, Sunday, 1100-1700
- Admission: free
- Getting There: Tram, stop Paradeplatz
Massive crowds fill the interior every day seeking to inspect this architectural phenomenon. Though classified as a temple, it is unknown how worship was conducted here as it is quite different from many other ancient Roman temples. Today, though, many take a seat near the altar, head bowed in prayer and contemplation…appropriate as its inception as a church when Byzantine emperor Phocas bequeathed it to Pope Boniface IV in AD 608.
Interspersed between the bays are the tombs of many famous figures from Italian history…painters Raphael and Annibale Carracci, composer, Arcangelo Corelli and architect Baldassare Peruzzi as well as the Italian kings, Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I. There are also many paintings that adorn the walls, the best known being the Annunication by Melozzo da Forli.
After my visit was complete, I stepped out into the piazza to take a better look at the fabulous temple from afar. The crowds were probably as thick here as they were inside, however, I was able to step up onto the raised platform that surrounded the amazing fountain that holds court in the center of the square.
If you are on your way to the Piazza Navona, or just in the area, step inside to see this incredible architectural gem and then have a seat around the beautiful fountain. Grab a gelato or a drink and relax for a while.
One of the most decorative churches in Portugal, the monastery was built on the site of the church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém on the harbor of Praia do Restelo. Monks of the military-religious Order of Christ resided here at the time and provided assistance to seafarers in transit.
The Monastery of Jerónimos is one of the most visited landmarks in Lisbon and tourists should be aware of long waits to enter…I had no idea. Fortunately, as I took my place in line, I was informed by a passerby that I could enter the Archaeological Museum next door, purchase my ticket there and skip the line. Of course, I was a bit skeptical…if I left my place in line and what I was told was inaccurate, it would be back to the end of the line again. Thankfully, they were correct. I waited for ten minutes, purchased my ticket and walked past everyone who had been in front of me and was still waiting in the warm afternoon temperatures.
You will also encounter some of the remains of important figures in Portuguese history, including presidents Teófilo Braga and Oscar Carmona, playwright, Almeida Garrett and modern poet Fernando Pessoa.
The Church of Santa Maria de Belém, in the monastery, does not need a ticket to enter and is truly the highlight of the monastery. Access to the upper level choir loft is from the monastery, so be sure not to miss it. Take in the view of the church from above before heading downstairs. Of particular interest is the crucifix, the beautiful paintings and the carved choir seating all bathed in the subtle light streaming in from the rose window.
As I entered the church’s lower lever, my senses were truly overloaded as I was not sure where to set my gaze. Entering from the side portal, I first encountered the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões which are located in the lower choir. These magnificent tombs, designed by sculptor Costa Mota can be admired from all angles and both offer extreme detail. The baptismal chapel is also located near the side doors as well as the exquisite Altar Dourado. Along the north wall are beautiful confessionals and large stained glass windows decorate the space, allowing alluring filtered light to enter.
As I walked around the church and marveled at the amazing details that decorated every niche, every column and every arch, I encountered the remains of Cardinal-King Dom Henrique and the children of Manuel I as well as the tomb of King Sebastião and the descendants of King João III.
Overall, my visited lasted just over an hour and I was touched by the artistry and grandeur of this amazing place.
As I entered the fortress-like facade, with its two large clock towers and massive solid walls, I ran my hand over the large wooden doors passing through into the interior. The first thing I noticed, however, was how dark the cathedral appeared. Though the second story of the ambulatory has a series of windows and the narrow windows of the lateral aisles allow light to enter, the church appeared to be much more gloomy than others I have visited.
Dodging other visitors, we made our way toward the front of the church admiring the rose window in the West facade and the interesting barrel vaulting of the nave.
Especially interesting were the chapels, one especially enclosed by a Romanesque gate. Others include a funerary chapel, near the entrance of the cathedral, built by wealthy merchant Bartolomeu Joanes in the 14th century which still contains his tomb with his laying figure inside.
At the end of the 13th century, King Dinis of Portugal ordered the construction of a Gothic-style cloister. The cloister was damaged, along with many chapels and the royal pantheon during the earthquake of 1755. Since renovated, the cloisters can be visited today, however, when we visited, it was Sunday and they had not yet opened for the afternoon. I was truly disappointed as I understand, the tile work is simply amazing and it offers some of the most beautiful architecture in the city. Additionally, we were not able to visit the Treasury as it is also closed on Sunday.
After making our way past the Pai Tau village, we followed the directions to the beginning of the path to the monastery. Posted signs warned of “fake monks” known to hit on tourists for money. Thankfully, we only encountered local residents climbing the 431 steps to make offerings at the monastery.
Finally, we made our way to the main temple. Though a sign informs visitors of no photography, we were able to capture some of the beauty displayed in this temple, where the walls are lined with almost 13,000 miniature gold ceramic Buddha statues stacked on shelves. Each twelve inch statue displays a different pose and expression and contains an inscription bearing the name of its donor.
The embalmed body of Reverend Yuet Kai is prominently displayed in a glass case in the main hall and three large gilded Buddha statues are also presented to its rear.
Heading to the upper terrace, we encountered the Amitabha Hall, Avalotiskesvara (Kwun Yam) House, Cundi House, Ksitigarbha House, Jade Emperor Hall, Sprinkler Guanyin, YueXi Pavilion and Naga-puspa Court.
Most interesting to note within the pavilions and houses are the Horseback bodhisattva in the Avalotisvara (Kwun Yam) House and the massive gold Amitabha Buddha statue in the columbarium (Amitabha Hall). In the two story columbarium, gold framed drawers, each with a Buddha image are stacked around the hall and contain the ashes of the deceased.
A unique site featured in many films and television series, the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery is one of the most interesting and historic places that we visited in Hong Kong. Though the monastery is in a bit of disrepair and construction continues to stabilize the upper hillside, the statues were most mesmerizing and the architecture quite interesting.
Making our way around the complex, we noticed the pristine condition of the grounds and buildings and the artistry of the colorful architecture. There are many pronounced structures, including the Main Hall of Buddha and the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, with the older buildings at the rear of the property.
As we approached the main courtyard, we first encountered a smaller temple leading to the main courtyard that faces the Temple Gateway. Inside the temple there are deities and guards safeguarding the entrance.
There are a few eateries located near to the monastery’s main buildings as well as reasonably-priced souvenir shops. One thing I learned later, however, was that the monastery is known for making wooden bracelets. They are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha. I wish I had been privy to this information as we would have purchased a few, to not only subsidize the monastery, but to remember the tranquility experienced here.
You can continue your path to wisdom and enlightenment by taking the Wisdom Path, a short walk from the monastery. Here, is a sort of a colonnade where a series of wooden posts forming a figure eight are engraved with the Heart Sutra, a revered prayer by Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians, which is generally chanted during the morning services or other occasions such a funerals. The path is well-marked and can be accessed from either the monastery or the Big Buddha.
No matter what your religious affiliation, you will certainly appreciate why the Jiangsu Province monks chose this site.
The church of San Babila was built on its current site in 1095, to house these relics, and extended with additional construction at the front and a new baroque facade. Though much of its original style has been lost during renovations, the church still retains its original medieval feel. During the 19th century, the complex was renovated with the aim of restoring the appearance of the medieval basilica and in the early 20th century the Neo-Romanesque facade by Paolo Cesa-Bianchi was built. The bell tower was eventually added in 1920 to replace the original tower which had fallen in the 16th century.
With the many grand churches throughout Italy, it was quite surprising when I entered, that San Babila was a very simple, mostly unadorned church. The interior has a nave and two aisles with two side chapels that date from the late Renaissance. Pay particular to the right aisle as it has an image of the Madonna, highly esteemed by the Milanese community. Also particular to note are some lovely medieval frescoes, Renaissance windows and beautiful mosaics.
If traveling in this area of Milan and happen to enter or exit at the San Babila metro, take a moment to stop in and relish the quiet beauty.
Established in the 5th century, the basilica was formerly dedicated to both Saints Zechariah and Stephen, though eventually given over to the latter. The original building was constructed around the year 417, destroyed by fire in 1070 and rebuilt in the Romanesque style in 1075. Since 1594, many reconstructions, expansions and restoration have been completed including enlargement of the apse and the main altar, lengthening of the nave and reconstruction of the facade, reconstruction of the bell tower by architect Gerolamo Quadrio and the construction of the sacristy and the modernization of some chapels.
St. Stefano is most famous for the many saints interred within its walls, most notably, San Carlo Borromeo and for two major events that occurred in the church. The Duke of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza was assassinated by four conspirators in 1476, under the medieval portico outside the church, as he visited the basilica for the celebration of the patron saint. The remaining pillar of the portico can be viewed in front of the belltower. Also, after years of speculation, the baptismal certificate from 1571, of the painter Michelangelo Merisi, better known as “Caravaggio”, was discovered in 2007 in the archival documents of the basilica, giving a definitive answer to the age-old question of his baptismal and birth place.
Though the basilica is very little known to tourists, it is easily accessible from the Piazza Fontana and quite impressive for its size and historical significance. Though the church is in desperate need of renovations, there are many items worth noting on its interior. Many of the side chapels contain beautiful and original stained glass and paintings and the altar is quite grand with its gold tabernacle. Also, be sure to note the imposing organ, the unique statues and the beautiful vaulted ceiling. Of particular interest is the life-sized bronze statue of Jesus on the cross, flanked by his mother and disciples, at the rear of the structure.
The small square chapel, a breathtaking area, was originally decorated with frescoes by Sebastian Ricci, an Italian artist. Today, you can still see his work…gaze upward at the incredible ceiling which depicts the Triumph of Souls Among Flying Angels and the glory of the four patron saints, Santa Maria Vergine, Santa Ambrogio, Santa Sebastiano and Santa Bernardino de Siena. The rest of the chapel is adorned with an altar and a niche with the statue of Madonna Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows) kneeling before the body of Jesus. Skulls and bones, believed to be the deceased from the hospital and corpses from seventeenth century cemeteries, are arranged in niches and on cornices, pillars and doors. Some are stacked “frame-like” appearing as oversized paintings in simple shapes while others are arranged in ornamental patterns, like skull and crossbones. The skulls that you observe in cases above the door are those of executed prisoners.
Remains interred near the altar are those of a young girl, who, according to legend, comes back to life on November 2nd, All Souls Day, and lures other skeletons in a morbid dance.
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