Fahr Monastery, Monastery Church

Fahr Monastery Church in Würenlos is the Baroque church of a Benedictine nunnery on the Limmat river. The convent sits in a small exclave of the canton of Aargau that is entirely surrounded by the canton of Zurich, and since 2008 it has been assigned by agreement to the municipality of Würenlos.

Who founded Fahr, and when?

In 1130 the nobleman Lütold II of Regensberg handed his estate at Fahr to Einsiedeln Abbey, with the condition that a women's Benedictine house be established there. Fahr remains a priory under the abbot of Einsiedeln. Excavations have uncovered traces of the first church from the founding years.

How did the church take its present shape?

• Early 15th century: the church was enlarged, and most of the nave and choir walls date from this phase.
• Mid-17th century: a vaulted nuns' choir was added.
• From 1689: the tower was rebuilt.
• 1703: Brother Johann Moosbrugger turned the old east choir into a sacristy and confessional chapel.
• 1743–1748: under Provost Joseph von Roll and Prioress Victoria Rusconi, the church was remodelled in Baroque style.

What is there to see?

The Baroque works added two side apses. The marble altars, pulpit and chancel screen came from the workshop of A. and G. M. Rossi of Arzo. F. A. Rebsamen painted the frescoes in the gallery, while the brothers Giuseppe and Giovanni Antonio Torricelli decorated the walls, the vault and the inner faces of the cemetery enclosure. The interior was repainted in 1895–1897 by Fritz Kunz and Leonhard Thoma, who followed the original scheme, and Hans A. Fischer restored the cemetery paintings in the 1960s.

Can you visit?

The cloister interior is closed to visitors. From outside you can take in the whole complex, including the provost's courtyard with its walled, symmetrical garden and the traditional monastic gardens. The convent runs a shop and a restaurant, and the sisters farm the surrounding land. Check kloster-fahr.ch for current opening hours and offers.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Fahr Convent? Lütold II of Regensberg, who gave the land to Einsiedeln Abbey in 1130 on condition that a Benedictine nunnery be set up.

Which canton is Fahr in? Aargau, although the site is an exclave ringed by the canton of Zurich. It belongs administratively to Würenlos.

When was the Baroque decoration created? Between 1743 and 1748, when the marble altars and frescoes were made.

Do nuns still live there? Yes. A Benedictine community continues here as a priory of Einsiedeln; in 2007 it had 28 sisters.