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About this place
Grimmenstein Monastery is a community of Capuchin sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in the Appenzell hills of north-eastern Switzerland, close to Oberegg. Its status is unusual: the site lies in the municipality of Walzenhausen in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, yet the buildings and grounds form a small exclave of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden.
What is Grimmenstein Monastery?
It is a working convent for women. The sisters follow the Franciscan Third Order, and the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland classes the house as a Capuchin nunnery. The monastery church is dedicated to St. Ottilia. Since 1953 it has also served as the parish church for Catholics in Walzenhausen, so local worshippers share it with the sisters.
How did the monastery begin?
The story starts in 1378, when a community of beguines formed at the Äschach homestead. In 1424 the group moved close to the ruined Grimmenstein castle, where a convent for so-called forest sisters was built. The move was prompted by Kuno von Stoffeln, abbot of St. Gallen.
In 1604 the Pfanneregg reform, begun by a Capuchin friar, reached the house under Mother Verena Tecker. After Appenzell split in 1597, Innerrhoden took charge of the convent's secular affairs. In 1870 the Federal Council assigned the monastery grounds to that canton, which explains the exclave today.
In 1892 the sisters founded a daughter convent, St. Francis, in Nevada, USA. Numbers have shifted over time: 14 members in 1794, 45 in 1940, 21 in 1994 and 15 in 2001.
What can you see here?
The complex reflects 18th-century architecture, with St. Ottilia's church at its centre. The ruins of Grimmenstein castle, which gave the convent its name, stand nearby. The sisters are known for herbal products sold in the convent shop. The surroundings suit a countryside walk, and several circular hiking routes around the monastery are described online.
How should you visit?
Treat the place as a living religious house rather than a museum. Keep quiet, respect the residents' privacy, and check the monastery or parish for current service times and shop hours. The site pairs well with a day exploring Oberegg and Walzenhausen.
Frequently asked questions
Which canton is Grimmenstein Monastery in? Physically it stands in Walzenhausen, canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Administratively the monastery grounds belong to Appenzell Innerrhoden as an exclave.
Do sisters still live there? Yes. It is an active community of Capuchin sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis.
Can I enter the church? St. Ottilia's has been the Catholic parish church of Walzenhausen since 1953. Check service times before you go.
Where does the name Grimmenstein come from? From the nearby ruins of Grimmenstein castle. The community moved close to it in 1424.
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