Buonas, Kapelle St. German, Chapel from 1631 in Risch, Switzerland
St. German Chapel is a small religious structure built in 1631 with stone walls, wooden beams, and a pitched roof in the style of seventeenth-century Swiss construction. The interior centers on an elaborately designed altar with side altar installations that add depth to the sacred space.
The chapel began in 1631 under the direction of priest German Wetzstein who oversaw its construction. A local patron then commissioned significant interior modifications and altar additions over the following decades, shaping the building that survives today.
The main altar painting shows Lake Zug, not Lake Zurich, with religious figures above the shoreline; the chapel stands in Buonas above that lake. The village belongs to Risch in the canton of Zug, and the dedication to St. German recalls the missionary Germanus of Granfelden, venerated in the region.
The chapel sits along St. Germanstrasse in Buonas and can be located by exploring the surrounding area on foot. Published resources by local researchers offer detailed insights into its architectural features and historical background for those seeking more information.
The altar painting includes a kneeling figure depicting the chapel's patron with folded hands and prayer beads. Including a living donor's portrait in such a prominent location within the sacred composition was an uncommon honor in that period.
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