Église Saint-Germain, Gothic church in Genève-Cité, Switzerland.
Église Saint-Germain is a Gothic stone church completed in the 15th century, with a square bell tower attached to its side. Inside, modern stained glass lights the nave, and a fragment of a 4th-century altar table is preserved. The sacristy adjoins the choir on the north side.
A primitive Christian basilica stood here at the turn of the 4th and 5th centuries, replaced by a Romanesque church in the 12th century and rebuilt after a fire in 1334. The present Gothic church was completed in the 15th century, with the mason-architect François Cirgat mentioned in connection with works around its middle. In 1535 Reformation preaching began here with Guillaume Farel; from 1537 to 1554 the building served as a butcher's shop, and it was returned to worship in the 18th century.
Since 1973, the church has hosted indoor chamber music concerts each summer, a series well attended by Genevans. The building has served the Old Catholic Church since 1873, and after the 1907 separation of church and state it became the property of Geneva's Old Catholic congregation.
The building is located in the old city center and is easy to reach on foot with clear landmarks around it. Visiting is straightforward during regular opening hours, and the location works well for combining with nearby shops and cultural venues.
A sundial from 1908 sits on the sacristy wall and features an unusual image of death riding a donkey beneath the sun. This uncommon artistic choice represents the passage of time in a memorable way that many visitors overlook.
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