Holy Cross Minster, Gothic church in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany.

Holy Cross Minster is a Gothic church built of grey and tan stone blocks, with a steep red-tiled roof and tall pointed-arch windows set between stone piers topped with slender pinnacles. Its hall choir has an ambulatory, and the nave is covered by a ribbed vault with star patterns. The two Romanesque flanking towers of the predecessor church collapsed in 1497 and were never rebuilt; a small green-roofed clock tower stands on the roof.

Construction began around 1320 with the nave completed by 1341, establishing this as the first large hall church in southern Germany. The Parler family, working here, later shaped Gothic architecture across Central Europe and made this building site a turning point in architectural history.

The building takes its name from the Holy Cross and today serves two congregations as a meeting place, reflecting how the space welcomes different communities. The stonemasons' workshop that operates here connects craft and faith in the daily life of the place.

The building is open to visitors at regular times for prayer and viewing, allowing you to explore the spatial layout at your own pace. The open architecture provides clear sightlines through the hall, so you can take in the entire structure from the entrance.

The stonemasons' workshop at the minster was added to the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in 2020, a rare recognition for working craft operations. The workshop continues traditional techniques today that have been practiced at this location for centuries.