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About this place
Fahr Monastery (convent building) in Kloster Fahr is the home of a Benedictine women's community on the Limmat river, roughly 10 km northwest of Zurich. Zurich territory surrounds it, yet it belongs politically to the municipality of Würenlos in the canton of Aargau.
How did Fahr begin?
The foundation dates to 1130, when Baron Lütold II of Regensberg donated his estate on the Limmat to Einsiedeln Abbey, on the condition that a Benedictine nunnery be built. The place name comes from a ferry that once crossed the river nearby. Fahr remains a priory under the abbot of Einsiedeln. The community was dissolved in 1841 during the Aargau monastery dispute and re-established in 1843.
Why is Fahr in two cantons?
From 1803 the roughly 1.5-hectare site was an Aargau exclave inside Zurich territory. Only in 2008 was it formally merged into Würenlos. The monastery church stands in Unterengstringen in the canton of Zurich, so visitors effectively cross a cantonal border on the grounds.
What is there to see?
- Monastery church – first mentioned in 1487, rebuilt in Baroque style in 1743–1748, with frescoes by the Torricelli brothers.
- St. Anne's Chapel – of Romanesque origin, with frescoes from around 1300.
- Baroque cloister garden laid out in a cross shape, regarded as one of the best-preserved in Switzerland.
- Convent buildings – part of a complex of about 20 structures where the sisters live, listed as a cultural property of national significance.
Who lives here?
As of 2019 about 20 Benedictine nuns live at Fahr, following the Rule of St. Benedict and combining prayer with work: farming, viticulture and making liturgical vestments. An agricultural school operated here from 1944 to 2013. The writer Silja Walter lived at the convent until her death in 2011. The community describes Fahr and Einsiedeln as the last remaining double monasteries in the world.
When should you visit?
Come during the day and respect the sisters' routine: the convent is a working religious house, and the residential parts are generally not open to the public. Check opening details at kloster-fahr.ch before you go. The riverside surroundings suit a walk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fahr in Zurich or Aargau? Politically it is part of Aargau (Würenlos), although it lies among Zurich land.
Can I enter the convent building? It is the enclosed residence of the nuns. Visitors can usually access the church and garden; current rules are on the monastery website.
Where does the name Fahr come from? From the ferry that crossed the Limmat beside today's monastery.
How old is the monastery? It was founded in 1130, so it is nearly 900 years old.
Who governs it? It is a priory under the abbot of Einsiedeln.
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