Baldegger Schwestern

Baldegg Convent (Kloster Baldegg) sits in Baldegg, part of the municipality of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne, in the Seetal region of Switzerland. It is the mother house of the Baldegg Sisters (Baldegger Schwestern) and a notable example of modern religious architecture.

What is Kloster Baldegg?

The convent is the home of a teaching congregation founded in 1830 by Josef Leonz Blum, chaplain of Hochdorf, and Joseph Widmer, both students of the theologian Johann Michael Sailer. The teaching sisters of Ribeauvillé served as the model. Blum co-owned the late-medieval Baldegg castle and used a support association to acquire the buildings for the first community. It is regarded as the first Swiss congregation of teaching sisters. Nursing joined its work in 1866, and missions in Africa and Asia began in 1921.

What is there to see?

The highlight is the modern mother house designed by Marcel Breuer, the Hungarian-born architect who taught at Harvard and also designed furniture. The sisters first held a competition but turned down the winning entry. On the advice of Lucerne's cantonal building director, they then approached Breuer. The building was finished in the early 1970s, built by local firms.

The brief asked for a place that was beautiful, practical, modest, free of luxury and ecological. The result is an exposed-concrete building with a flat roof, set on a green meadow with plenty of open space. For the sisters it meant single rooms for the first time.

The institute church is a plain hall seating about 500, lit through roof windows. Breuer also designed interior details such as candle holders shaped like rockets. Fittings and structure remain largely in their original state.

How do I get there?

The complex lies in the Seetal near Lake Baldegg (Baldeggersee). Baldegg Kloster railway station serves the site, so the train is the easy option. You can also drive from Hochdorf.

Who is it for?

Fans of twentieth-century and brutalist architecture, anyone interested in religious orders, and walkers exploring the lake shore. Combine a visit with a stroll around Baldeggersee.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the convent in Baldegg? Marcel Breuer designed the present mother house, after the sisters rejected a competition winner.

When was the congregation founded? In 1830, by Josef Leonz Blum and Joseph Widmer.

How many sisters live there? There were 1,060 in the 1960s and about 140 today.

Is there a railway station at Baldegg? Yes, Baldegg Kloster station is next to the convent.