Monastery Neu St. Johann

Neu St. Johann Monastery in Nesslau is a former Benedictine abbey in the Thur valley, in the Toggenburg region of the canton of St. Gallen. The 17th-century complex stands in the village of Neu St. Johann, part of the municipality of Nesslau. The monks are long gone, but the buildings are still in daily use.

How did Neu St. Johann come to be?

The original abbey of St. John the Baptist was founded in the Thur valley, probably in the second quarter of the 12th century. Its first firm record dates from 1152, when Pope Eugene III confirmed the community's property and its right to choose its own abbot and advocate. The house answered to the Bishop of Constance, and from 1555 it was a priory of the Abbey of St. Gallen.

After two fires, the second in 1626, the community relocated to the area near Sidwald. The new monastery went up between 1626 and 1629, with Jodokus Metzler and Pietro Andreota named as its designers. The name Neu St. Johann, "New St. John", separates it from the earlier site.

What happened after the monks?

Monastic life faded out, and two priests stayed on as parish pastors. In 1806 the abbey church became the parish church, and the last monk serving as pastor died in 1808. Parts of the complex later served as barracks and factory space. The church was heavily remodelled in historicist style in 1869, with further renovations in 1939 and 1998. Parish materials describe it as the last Benedictine monastery on Swiss soil.

Can you visit it today?

Since 1902 the buildings have housed Heim Johanneum, a care home for people with intellectual disabilities, and it still operates. That means the complex is a working site rather than a museum. Visitors can most easily see the church and the exterior of the monastery buildings.

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

Neu St. Johann lies in upper Toggenburg at roughly 47.229° N, 9.193° E, on the Thur between Wattwil and the Churfirsten and Säntis mountains. The village has its own railway station on the Toggenburg line, so you can come by train from St. Gallen without a car. Late spring and early autumn suit walks along the valley. In winter the area draws skiers to nearby resorts, so the monastery fits well into a day trip around the region.

Frequently asked questions

Do Benedictines still live at Neu St. Johann? No. Benedictine life ended after the 17th-century move and the last monk serving as pastor died in 1808.

Is this the same place as St. John's Convent in Müstair? No. Müstair is in Graubünden and is a much older Benedictine convent, founded around 775. Neu St. Johann is in the canton of St. Gallen.

What is in the buildings now? The church is a parish church, and part of the complex houses the Heim Johanneum care home, open since 1902.

Why was the monastery moved? Fires in the 17th century led the community to rebuild at a new site, completed in 1626–1629.