Kirche und Klosteranlage der Zisterzienserinnenabtei Frauenthal

Frauenthal Abbey church and monastery complex (Kloster Frauenthal) stands near Cham in the canton of Zug, in the Lorze valley north of Hagendorn. It is a working Cistercian convent, regarded as the oldest of its order in Switzerland still occupying its original site.

Where is Frauenthal?

The buildings sit on an island formed by the Lorze river, in a quiet valley in canton Zug (about 47.213 N, 8.424 E). From Zug or Zurich it makes an easy countryside outing, and it pairs well with a walk along the river.

How did the convent begin?

Sources give different dates. The Historical Lexicon of Switzerland (HLS) places the founding between 1240 and 1244, when women from a Beguine community at Hausen am Albis settled on the Lorze island. The island itself was given by noble founders, and the gift is dated to 1231, which explains why tourism pages quote that year. In 1245 the community joined the Cistercian Order. Kappel Abbey provided spiritual oversight from the mid-13th century, and in the 15th century Cîteaux took over.

What happened over the centuries?

Secular protection came first from the founders and, from the 14th century, from the Habsburgs. In 1386 the convent signed a citizenship pact with the town of Zug, renewed in 1674. Its income came from land around the island, scattered estates between the Lorze, Albis and Reuss, vineyards on Lake Zurich and lordship rights over Frauenthal-Islikon. During the Reformation, in 1528, the nuns left and handed the convent to the Zug council; it was restored in 1552.

What will you see?

The complex includes a church with 13th-century roots and a Rococo interior, plus two enclosed cloister courtyards. The buildings were heavily remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries and underwent a thorough restoration in the 1990s. An abbess leads the community today, which counted nine sisters in 2025, living by the Benedictine rule in the Cistercian tradition. A foundation set up in 2021 aims to preserve the entire complex for the long term.

When to go and how to behave

Frauenthal is a living religious house, so keep quiet and respect the sisters' privacy. Check the convent's own website for the hours when the church can be entered. The Lorze valley looks best in spring and autumn, when walking around the area is comfortable.

Frequently asked questions

Do nuns still live at Frauenthal? Yes. The convent has remained active, and a Cistercian community lives there today.

How old is the monastery? The island was donated around 1231, the convent settled in 1240–1244, and it joined the Cistercian Order in 1245.

What is architecturally notable? A church with 13th-century origins and a Rococo interior, together with two enclosed courtyards.

Where exactly is it? On an island in the Lorze river, north of Hagendorn, in the municipality of Cham, canton Zug.