Judas Thaddäus Eglisau

St. Judas Thaddäus Catholic Church in Eglisau is a plain concrete church on the north-western edge of the town of Eglisau, in the canton of Zurich. It went up at the turn of the 1950s and is listed in the cantonal heritage inventory because it documents how a Catholic community took root in a historically Protestant corner of Switzerland. Architecture fans will enjoy it as a building caught between rural tradition and modernism.

Where is the church and how do you get there?

The address is Eigenackerstrasse 35, in the Eigen district. The site sits on a terrace above the Steighalde slope, with the busy Schaffhauserstrasse to the west and Eigenackerstrasse to the east, followed by a residential neighbourhood. The main entrance faces south and opens onto a small forecourt framed by a hedge and a box tree. A car park lies behind the chancel. The parish centre, built in 2007 (Salomon-Landolt-Weg 1, 3), stands next door.

Why was a Catholic church built in Eglisau?

Catholics began settling in the Zürcher Unterland in the second half of the 19th century, once freedom of settlement and industrialisation set in. The region's first pastoral station opened in Bülach in 1882. Building the Eglisau power plant during the First World War raised the Catholic share of the population noticeably. In 1942 the town heard its first Mass since the Reformation, and the building plot was bought the same year. After the Second World War, the thriving Stamm company drew still more Catholic workers.

Construction began in 1949 and the church was blessed on 2 April 1950. Eglisau became an independent parish in December 1967.

What does the exterior look like?

The architects were Ferdinand Pfammatter (1916–2003) and Walter Rieger (1915–1990), a duo who strongly shaped modern church building in the canton of Zurich, including churches in Zurich-Enge and Dübendorf. Eglisau is an early work of theirs.

• A simple concrete body under a steep, slightly kinked gabled roof.
• A small roof turret with a deeply drawn-down spire.
• A narrower, trapezoidal chancel at the north end.
• A timber porch on slender posts at the south entrance.
• Windows with exposed concrete frames.

The longitudinal nave and gabled roof are traditional and help the church blend into its village setting, while the strict functionality and concrete window frames point toward modernism.

What is inside?

The chancel wall is profiled, and a parabolic arch draws the eye to a chancel raised by one step. The chancel floor is stone, the nave floor clinker brick, with wood beneath the pews. The organ gallery sits above the south entrance, and a stepped timber ceiling spans the room. The inner window sashes still hold their original panes of yellow, rough-textured glass.

The liturgical furnishings were designed by F. Dedelley and are modest and unified: a round altar sign with a cross on the wall, a block altar, and a font and holy-water stoup carved from the same grey stone. A statue of Mary and one of the patron saint flank the chancel arch. The chancel was remodelled in 1967 in line with the Second Vatican Council, and the interior was renovated in 1979.

When should you visit?

This is a working parish church, so the easiest way in is to attend a service or ask the parish about access. The exterior and setting can be seen year-round. Combine the visit with a walk through Eglisau's old town on the Rhine.

Frequently asked questions

When was St. Judas Thaddäus in Eglisau built? Work started in 1949, and the church was blessed on 2 April 1950.

Who designed it? The architects Ferdinand Pfammatter and Walter Rieger.

Is the church a protected monument? Yes. It is in the inventory of protected objects of supra-municipal importance, rated regional.

Is it the same as the church in Rafz? No. The Eglisau parish also serves Rafz and nearby villages, but the Maria Magdalena church in Rafz is a separate building.