Cities and regions／Switzerland
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St. Gallen

St. Gallen brings together an abbey precinct and an international textile heritage. The Abbey Library, cathedral, old town and Textile Museum offer different perspectives on monastic learning and urban life.

Square and cathedral in the Abbey District of St. Gallen
Photo by albinfo Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0
The place

What makes it special

  • The Abbey Library and cathedral, with distinct histories and roles.
  • Medieval manuscripts and the Carolingian plan of St. Gallen.
  • The Textile Museum’s embroidery, fabrics, clothing and pattern books.
Baroque interior of the Abbey Library of St. Gallen
Photo by albinfo Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0
Historic embroidery from the Textile Museum St. Gallen collection
Photo by PaterMcFly Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Travel atlas

Articles in St. Gallen

Guides to this place

1 article

St. Gallen

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Square and cathedral in the Abbey District of St. Gallen

St Gallen: bringing together a monastic library and a textile city

A day in St Gallen can connect medieval manuscripts, Baroque architecture and a textile industry that still offers clues to understanding the city.

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Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 05/10/2026