Curative education school Schulzentrum Maria Opferung

Maria Opferung Convent in Zug is a listed Capuchin nuns' complex standing above the old town of Zug, Switzerland. The Schulzentrum Maria Opferung, a special-education school, operates at this site today, but for a visitor the draw is the building itself and four centuries of history.

What is Maria Opferung?

It is a former convent of Capuchin sisters. According to a note in the Zurlauben archive, the community was founded in 1591 under Verena Huwiler. A reform followed in 1611, with a visitor appointed from Muri Abbey. The convent building dates to 1608, and its oldest parts to around 1580.

The Canton of Zug points out that the convent has shaped education in the city for centuries. The Institute Maria Opferung ran schooling here, and its legacy lives on in museum holdings: Museum Burg Zug catalogued the movable contents of the former convent and institute. Of more than 22,000 registered objects, about 2,350 units entered the museum collection, which together tell a story of religious, cultural and educational life in Zug.

What will you see?

The building is under heritage protection. It grew and was remodelled over four centuries, and removal of old plaster revealed different building phases: rubble-stone masonry with stone frames, and half-timbered sections with wooden frames. Sources date the windows and shutters to 1743-44.

In 2018-2019 the facades on all four main sides were renovated because the plaster had stopped bonding to the wall. The new plaster follows the layers found on the building from 1900-1910. Restorers also treated the shutters, window frames, plinth, doors and roof soffit. Hegglin Cozza Architekten of Zug planned the work, and Anke Köth led it for the cantonal heritage office. The project won a silver medal at the Swiss Prize for Plaster and Paint.

The cantonal government contributed CHF 650,000 from the lottery fund toward the restoration, with the aim of opening the convent to the people of Zug in the future.

How do you get there?

The complex sits on the slope above the old town, at about 47.163 N, 8.521 E. From central Zug you can walk up from the Altstadt side, and the building fits neatly into a stroll through the historic quarter.

When should you visit?

You view the site from outside, so choose daylight and fair weather, when the facades and the texture of the restored plaster show best. The school grounds are not a ticketed attraction, so respect the work of the institution.

Frequently asked questions

Do sisters still live at Maria Opferung?

The sources we rely on describe it as a former Capuchin convent and institute. Today the Schulzentrum Maria Opferung special-education school operates in the area.

What century is the building from?

The convent dates to 1608 and its earliest parts to around 1580.

Is the convent a listed monument?

Yes. The building is heritage-protected, and its facades were restored in 2018-2019.

Where can I see objects from the convent?

Part of the institute's holdings went to Museum Burg Zug, which catalogued the movable contents of the former convent.