Sankt Gallen

By · Kanton Sankt Gallen, 🇨🇭 Schweiz

St. Gallen is a city in eastern Switzerland, at about 670 m above sea level. Its centre is the abbey district, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old town around it has painted oriel windows, small lanes and a long history of textile and embroidery trade.

The city is quiet and good for a short stop. Most visitors stay one day or one night. It is also a base for Lake Constance and the Appenzell hills.

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Bedste rejsetidspunkt

May to September is the best time for walks and day trips. Summer is mild, with some rain. Autumn is good for the hills and the large OLMA fair in October. Winter is cold, grey and often snowy, but the old town is atmospheric at Christmas. The city is quiet in early spring.

Vælg en måned

Typisk vejr i januar

Dårligt

2° (føles som -2°) · ekstremer -11°–8°
-4° om natten
14 regnvejrsdage
2 solskinsdage
3 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 1 · lavt

Typisk vejr i februar

Dårligt

4° (føles som 0°) · ekstremer -13°–11°
-3° om natten
12 regnvejrsdage
5 solskinsdage
4 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 1 · lavt

Typisk vejr i marts

Dårligt

8° (føles som 5°) · ekstremer -6°–16°
0° om natten
15 regnvejrsdage
10 solskinsdage
6 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 3 · moderat

Typisk vejr i april

Dårligt

13° (føles som 10°) · ekstremer -2°–20°
4° om natten
14 regnvejrsdage
10 solskinsdage
7 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 4 · moderat

Typisk vejr i maj

Udmærket

17° (føles som 15°) · ekstremer 3°–24°
8° om natten
19 regnvejrsdage
8 solskinsdage
7 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 5 · moderat

Typisk vejr i juni

Godt

21° (føles som 20°) · ekstremer 7°–27°
12° om natten
18 regnvejrsdage
10 solskinsdage
8 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 6 · højt

Typisk vejr i juli

Godt

22° · ekstremer 9°–28°
14° om natten
19 regnvejrsdage
11 solskinsdage
8 solskinstimer om dagen
Behagelig luftfugtighed
Stille vind
UV-indeks 6 · højt

Typisk vejr i august

Godt

22° · ekstremer 9°–28°
14° om natten
17 regnvejrsdage
12 solskinsdage
8 solskinstimer om dagen
Behagelig luftfugtighed
Stille vind
UV-indeks 6 · højt

Typisk vejr i september

Godt

18° (føles som 17°) · ekstremer 4°–24°
10° om natten
14 regnvejrsdage
10 solskinsdage
6 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 4 · moderat

Typisk vejr i oktober

Udmærket

14° (føles som 12°) · ekstremer 0°–21°
6° om natten
13 regnvejrsdage
6 solskinsdage
4 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 2 · lavt

Typisk vejr i november

Dårligt

8° (føles som 4°) · ekstremer -6°–15°
1° om natten
14 regnvejrsdage
2 solskinsdage
3 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 1 · lavt

Typisk vejr i december

Dårligt

3° (føles som -1°) · ekstremer -11°–10°
-3° om natten
15 regnvejrsdage
1 solskinsdag
2 solskinstimer om dagen
Tør luft
Stille vind
UV-indeks 1 · lavt

Klimadata: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Topseværdigheder

Abbey of Saint GallThe Abbey of Saint Gall is a dissolved abbey in a Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

Abbey LibraryThe abbey library of Saint Gall is a significant medieval monastic library located in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Abbey Cathedral of St. GallThe Stiftskirche St. Gallus und Otmar is a Roman Catholic church in the city of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Wildpark Peter und Paul

Stiftsbezirk is the abbey district with the cathedral, the library and old monastery buildings. It is the main reason to visit.
Abbey Library is a Baroque hall with carved wooden floors and old manuscripts. It holds a famous early plan of an ideal monastery.
Stiftskirche is the Baroque cathedral with two towers and a richly decorated inside.
St. Laurenzen is the old city church beside the abbey.
Textilmuseum shows the history of St. Gallen embroidery and textiles.
Karlstor is a medieval city gate on the east side of the old town.
Broderbrunnen is an embroidery-themed fountain in the old town.

Fremhævede lister

Louis the German / Public domain

St. Gallen Essentials

St. Gallen is defined by its UNESCO World Heritage Abbey District, which houses a Baroque cathedral and one of the world’s oldest monastic libraries. The city’s medieval history is preserved through landmarks like the Karlstor, the only remaining gate of the original city walls, and the neo-Gothic St. Laurenzen church. On the surrounding hills, the Wildpark Peter und Paul provides a natural habitat for Alpine wildlife, while the Broderbrunnen stands as a monument to the city's 19th-century infrastructure.

7 steder

PaterMcFly / CC BY-SA 3.0

Museums & Art Centers

St. Gallen’s cultural offerings range from the UNESCO World Heritage Abbey Library, housing a vast collection of medieval manuscripts, to specialized institutions like the Naturmuseum. The city’s history and global connections are explored at the Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum, while contemporary art is represented at the Point Jaune Museum and Kesselhaus Josephsohn, the latter dedicated to Hans Josephsohn's sculptures. Unique local heritage is also preserved at the Bierflaschenmuseum, located within Switzerland's oldest brewery.

6 steder

Castles and Ruins

Explore the medieval fortifications and defensive architecture of the St. Gallen region. This collection includes Schlössli Haggen, a preserved late medieval manor, and several 'Burgstellen' or archaeological sites of former strongholds such as Rappenstein and Falkenstein. These sites, ranging from private estates like Burg Waldegg to accessible ruins overlooking the Sitter and Goldach rivers, illustrate the historical distribution of power and the strategic landscape of eastern Switzerland during the Middle Ages.

5 steder

Gmelfi / Public domain

Historic Churches of St. Gallen

St. Gallen's religious landscape is centered on the UNESCO-listed Abbey Cathedral, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. This collection spans centuries of spiritual history, featuring the Neo-Gothic St. Laurenzen, the city's primary Reformed church, and the hilltop Capuchin monastery of Notkersegg. From historic pilgrimage sites like Heiligkreuz to 20th-century parish churches in the Winkeln and Straubenzell districts, these sites showcase the evolution of ecclesiastical design and the region's diverse denominational heritage.

7 steder

Parks and Nature

St. Gallen’s landscape is defined by the Drei Weieren, a series of artificial ponds created in the 17th century for the city's water supply and textile bleaching. Today, these sites feature Art Nouveau bathhouses and panoramic views stretching to Lake Constance. The selection also includes the historic Spisegg wooden bridge from 1779, large urban meadows like Kreuzbleiche—historically used for the linen industry—and specialized fitness tracks like the Finnenbahn.

10 steder

Oplevelser

Walk through the old town and look at the painted oriel windows.
See embroidery at Textilmuseum.
Visit Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen for modern art.
Walk up to the three ponds on the hill, where you can swim in summer.
Visit Wildpark Peter und Paul to see native animals such as ibex.
Take a train to Appenzell for cheese and hills.

Ture og aktiviteter

Sankt Gallen — Kort

Dagsture

Appenzell is a small town in the hills with painted houses. It is about 30 minutes away by train.
Säntis is the highest peak of the Alpstein range. A cable car goes from Schwägalp.
Rorschach lies on Lake Constance and is about 20 minutes away by train. Boats run to Germany and Austria.
Lake Constance towns such as Konstanz in Germany and Bregenz in Austria are about 1 hour away by train.

Ankomst

By air: Zurich Airport is the main gateway. Trains reach St. Gallen in about 1 hour. St. Gallen-Altenrhein has a small airport with a few flights.
By train: direct trains run from Zurich, Basel and Bern. Check times on SBB.
The station is on the western edge of the old town, a 5-minute walk from the abbey.

Transport

The old town is small and mostly car-free. You can walk everywhere in the centre.
City buses cover the rest of the city. Buy tickets at machines or in an app before you ride.

Kørsel

A car is not needed in the city. The old town is mostly pedestrian.
Parking garages are on the edge of the old town.
A car can help for Appenzell and the hills, but trains cover the main places.

Mad og drikke

Try St. Galler Bratwurst, a veal sausage that is eaten without mustard. Serve it with a Bürli bread roll. Appenzeller cheese is a strong local cheese. Biberli is a spiced cake from the area.

The OLMA fair each October is a large agricultural show with food stalls.

Morgenmad

BirchermüesliA raw-oat, fruit, and yogurt breakfast invented by a Zurich doctor around 1900, now standard on breakfast buffets.

Frokost

RöstiA fried, shredded-potato cake, originally a Bernese farmer's breakfast, now a national side dish.

Aftensmad

Cheese Fondue FondueMelted Gruyère and Vacherin cheese in a shared pot, eaten by dipping bread cubes on long forks.

RacletteCheese melted tableside or under a grill and scraped over boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions.

Zürcher GeschnetzeltesSliced veal and mushrooms in a creamy white-wine sauce, traditionally served with rösti.

ÄlplermagronenAlpine herder's macaroni gratin with potatoes, cheese, and cream, often topped with fried onions and served with apple sauce.

Snacks og streetfood

CervelatSwitzerland's best-known sausage, usually grilled and often called the country's unofficial national dish.

Søde sager og desserter

Swiss Chocolate Schweizer SchokoladeSwitzerland pioneered milk chocolate in the 19th century; look for small-batch chocolatiers alongside the big national brands.

Basler LäckerliA dense, spiced honey-and-candied-fruit biscuit from Basel, traditional around Christmas.

Drikkevarer

Swiss Wine Vin SuisseMostly consumed domestically rather than exported; Valais and Vaud, along Lake Geneva, produce the best-known Chasselas whites.

Sikkerhed og sundhed

St. Gallen is very safe.
Weather can change quickly in the hills. Check the forecast before trips.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Streets in the old town can be slippery in winter.

Historie

St. Gallen grew around a monastery, founded in 719 and named after the Irish monk Gallus. The abbey became one of the leading centres of learning in Europe in the Middle Ages.

The city was a trade centre, and its linen and later its embroidery were sold across Europe. The Stiftsbezirk survived as a place of learning and worship and was listed by UNESCO in 1983.