Maccabees Chapel, Gothic chapel in Old Town, Geneva, Switzerland

The Maccabees Chapel is a chapel in Geneva's Old Town, built in 1397 as the burial chapel of Cardinal Jean de Brogny. Its ceiling carries painted angels in blue and pink, and stained glass windows light the stone walls and the organ set above the cardinal's stone burial chamber.

The chapel was built in 1397 as a burial chapel for Cardinal Jean de Brogny. During the Reformation it was repurposed for storing salt and gunpowder before eventually returning to its religious use.

The chapel is named after the Maccabees, the Jewish family whose revolt against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV is told in the biblical books of Maccabees. Cardinal Jean de Brogny, who founded the chapel in 1397, came from Annecy in Savoy and chose this patronage for his burial place. Visitors can see the name borne by the foundation itself, a Jewish subject attached to a Christian chapel in Geneva's Old Town.

The chapel stands in the Old Town, a short walk from the cathedral; access is on foot through narrow streets. It is a consecrated chapel, so visitors should keep their voices low and avoid touring during services. The stone interior stays cool even in summer, so a jacket helps in any season.

A Walcker organ sits directly above the cardinal's tomb, resonating with each note played in the enclosed space. The pulpit displays carved figures of Medieval Royal Houses, rendered with unusual detail for ecclesiastical decoration.