Kirche des ehemaligen Kapuzinerklosters

The church of the former Capuchin monastery in Bremgarten (Kapuzinerkirche) is an early 17th-century place of worship in the small town of Bremgarten, canton of Aargau, Switzerland. It stands on Luzernerstrasse, on the south bank of the Reuss, and is regarded as one of the best-preserved Capuchin churches in the country. It is protected at both federal and cantonal level.

How did a Capuchin church end up in Bremgarten?

In 1617 the town council wrote to the general chapter of the Capuchin order asking for a monastery. The request was approved quickly, and in 1618 the administrator of the town hospital donated a building plot by the Reuss. The church was built in 1620-21 by the master builder Martin Viktor. The friars moved into the convent on 14 December 1622.

The Capuchins worked mainly as pastoral clergy for Bremgarten and the surrounding Freie Ämter. In 1673 a woollen workshop with a fulling mill was added, producing cloth for the order's entire Swiss province.

What can you see?

The church has the plain, unadorned look typical of an order that took poverty as its ideal. Inside, the pulpit dates from 1621 and the high altar from 1784. The convent buildings you see today went up in 1760-61, designed by the Bremgarten builder Franz Anton Schwarz on the site of the earlier complex.

What happened after 1841?

The Aargau Grand Council dissolved the monastery in 1841. Since 1889 the heavily renovated convent buildings have housed St. Josefsheim, a special school and home for children with intellectual disabilities. A training school for home educators has been attached since 1974. The church is a separate listed building, while the former convent remains in use as a care facility and is not a visitor attraction.

How to plan a visit

Combine the church with a walk through Bremgarten. The medieval old town sits inside a loop of the Reuss, and the church is a short stroll from it. Check opening hours with the parish or the town before you go, as the interior is not always accessible.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the Bremgarten near Bern? No. The church is in Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau, on the Reuss, not in Bremgarten bei Bern.

When was the church built? In 1620-21. The friars occupied the convent in December 1622, and the present convent buildings date from 1760-61.

Is the monastery still active? No. The Capuchins left after the 1841 dissolution decision. Since 1889 the buildings have served as a children's home and school, St. Josefsheim.

Is the church a listed monument? Yes, it is protected at federal and cantonal level.