St. Gallen grew around a hermit's cell and became one of the great centres of learning in medieval Europe. Later it dressed the world in lace and embroidery. Today its compact old town, with painted oriel windows and a baroque abbey, sits in a green valley between Lake Constance and the Appenzell hills. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about St. Gallen
- Founded by a wandering monk: in 612 the Irish-born monk Gallus settled as a hermit by the Steinach stream. The city, and the whole canton, still carry his name.
- A World Heritage abbey: an abbey was founded on the site of his cell in 719 and became one of the most important monasteries in Europe. The Abbey of St Gall has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
- A library in felt slippers: the Abbey Library holds more than 170,000 volumes, including precious medieval manuscripts. Visitors slip felt overshoes over their shoes to protect the wooden floor of its baroque hall.
- A pharmacy for the soul: above the library's entrance a Greek inscription reads ΨΥΧΗΣ ΙΑΤΡΕΙΟΝ, usually translated as 'healing place for the soul'.
- A mummy among the books: the library also keeps an Egyptian mummy more than 2,500 years old, which arrived in St. Gallen in the early 19th century.
- A monastery on parchment: the Plan of St Gall, drawn in the early 9th century, shows an ideal Benedictine monastery and is one of the oldest surviving architectural drawings in Europe.
- Embroidery for the world: around 1910 more than half of the world's embroidery came from St. Gallen, and embroidery was Switzerland's largest export. Paris fashion houses still use St. Gallen fabrics today.
- A red living room: in 2005 the artist Pipilotti Rist and the architect Carlos Martinez covered part of the city centre in red granulate, with matching benches and sofas. The Stadtlounge is an open-air room anyone can sit in.
- A fair every October: the OLMA, a large agricultural and consumer fair, has been held in St. Gallen since 1943. Its star is the OLMA bratwurst, which local tradition says you eat without mustard.
- An old brewery: Schützengarten, founded in St. Gallen in 1779, is regarded as the oldest brewery in Switzerland still in operation.
The legend of Gallus and the bear
Legend says that Gallus, a companion of the Irish missionary Columbanus, was walking through the forest when he tripped and fell into a thorn bush by the Steinach waterfall. He took it as a sign from God that this was where he should stay. That night, as he sat by his fire, a bear came out of the woods. Instead of running away, Gallus ordered it to fetch a log for the fire, and the bear obeyed. Gallus rewarded it with a piece of bread and sent it back into the mountains. The bear with its log is still the symbol of St. Gallen and appears on the city's coat of arms.
The Abbey District, explained
The Abbey District is the old monastic enclosure at the heart of the city. Its twin-towered cathedral was built in the late baroque style in the 18th century, with a richly painted interior in green, white and gold. The abbey itself was dissolved in 1805, and the cathedral has been the seat of the Bishop of St. Gallen since 1847. Around the large lawn stand the former abbey buildings, the library and the archive, where the Plan of St Gall is kept.
What to eat in St. Gallen
- St. Galler Bratwurst: a pale veal sausage, grilled and served with a crusty bürli bread roll. It is a protected geographical indication in Switzerland.
- Biber: a soft gingerbread-like honey cake filled with almond paste, a speciality of eastern Switzerland.
- Chäsknöpfli: small cheese dumplings baked with mountain cheese and topped with fried onions.
- Appenzeller cheese: the spicy, herb-rubbed cheese from the hills just south of the city, perfect with local bread.
- Local beer: try a beer from one of the city's breweries in a traditional beer garden or tavern.
Good to know before you go
- Photography is not allowed in the baroque hall of the Abbey Library, so take your time to look instead. The felt overshoes are provided at the entrance.
- Take the short Mühlegg funicular up to the Drei Weieren ponds above the old town for views over the roofs and, in summer, a swim.
- The Appenzell villages, the Säntis mountain and the shores of Lake Constance are all within easy reach by train or car for a day trip.
- During the OLMA in October the city is very busy, so book accommodation early if your visit falls in fair season.
Explore St. Gallen with World City Trail
Our St. Gallen scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 26 minutes of walking, through the old town's main sights.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian or Spanish.
Play the St. Gallen scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.