St. Gallen Cathedral: A Baroque Masterpiece

St. Gallen Cathedral, or Kathedrale St. Gallus und Otmar, is a Roman Catholic church in the city of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Part of the Abbey of St. Gall, it has been the cathedral of the Diocese of St. Gallen since 1847. The cathedral stands where the Irish monk Gall built his hermitage in 612. The current cathedral, constructed between 1755 and 1767, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Designed by Peter Thumb, it features a twin-tower façade painted in a pastel pink hue. The interior is adorned with stucco work, frescoes, and gold leaf detailing. The ceilings, painted by Josef Wannenmacher, depict a Benedictine heaven. The cathedral houses nine bells in its two towers, with the south tower containing the seven smaller bells and the north tower holding the two bourdon bells. The south altar features a bell brought back by Saint Gall himself from Ireland, one of the three oldest surviving bells in Europe. The crypt, dating back to the 9th century, is believed to house the tomb of Saint Gallus, with a relic of his skull preserved in a reliquary. Together with the Abbey Library and Abbey Archives, the cathedral forms the core of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can explore the cathedral with an audio guide or take part in themed tours.