Preachers monastery, Dominican monastery in Kreis 1, Switzerland
The Preachers Monastery is a former Dominican complex in Zurich's old town with Gothic church structures and Baroque additions. The buildings now serve primarily as part of the Zentralbibliothek and face the Münsterhof, a central plaza in the medieval city.
The monastery was founded in 1234 by Dominican friars outside the medieval city walls and became an important religious center. When the Reformation arrived in 1524, its monastic life ended and the buildings were repurposed for different uses.
The monastery served as a center of learning and theological thought since its founding in Zürich. Today this legacy continues in the spaces now part of the Zentralbibliothek, which houses extensive book and music collections.
The complex is freely accessible and located right on the Münsterhof in the heart of the old town. The library spaces have regular hours and are easily reached on foot from the main train station.
A church bell cast in 1451 still hangs in its original location, making it the oldest continuously positioned bell in Zurich. This bell survived the Reformation, wars, and renovations and still rings for special occasions today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
