Muri Abbey

Muri Abbey (Kloster Muri) is a former Benedictine monastery in the town of Muri, canton of Aargau, central Switzerland. Its Baroque church with a huge octagonal dome ranks among the country's key religious monuments, and the wider complex has been under long-term restoration for decades.

What is Kloster Muri and where does it come from?

The abbey dates to 1027, when Ita of Lorraine and her husband, Count Radbot of the Habsburg family, founded it. The first monks, sent from Einsiedeln, arrived a few years later. For centuries it served as the Habsburgs' family monastery. In 1841 the Aargau cantonal government dissolved the community. The monks went first to Sarnen, then in 1845 to Gries near Bolzano, where Muri-Gries still stands. Benedictines returned to Muri in the 20th century and live in the former monastery hospice.

What can you see here?

The church of St Martin. Its roots reach back to the 11th century. It combines a Romanesque crypt, a Gothic choir and a mostly Baroque body. Three towers and the octagon, the largest domed central-plan building in Switzerland, define the silhouette. Five organs make the church a favourite with organ enthusiasts, and concerts are frequent.

The cloister. It adjoins the church and holds a cycle of Renaissance donor stained-glass panels, regarded as a high point of glass painting in Switzerland.

The Loreto Chapel. Since 1971 it has housed the burial vault of Habsburg descendants. Behind the altar lie the hearts of the last Austrian imperial couple, Charles I and Zita.

Museum Kloster Muri. Opened in 2014, it displays items such as monstrances and chalices, and the cloister is entered through the museum.

How do you get there, and when should you visit?

Muri lies in southern Aargau, roughly half an hour from Zurich by road. The church stands on Marktstrasse, and visitors reach the cloister through the museum. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays, with shorter hours in winter. Check murikultur.ch for current hours and prices. Plan around two hours for the church, cloister and museum together.

Frequently asked questions

Is Muri the same as Muri-Gries in South Tyrol?

Not quite. Muri-Gries is the monastery in Bolzano where the monks relocated after the 1841 dissolution. The two share a history, but the buildings you visit are in Aargau.

Who founded the monastery?

Ita of Lorraine and Count Radbot of Habsburg, in 1027, which explains the strong Habsburg connection.

What is the highlight of the cloister?

The Renaissance donor stained glass, counted among the finest in Switzerland.

Do monks still live in Muri?

Yes. Benedictines came back to the former monastery hospice in the 20th century, while the rest of the complex serves parish and museum purposes.