Mount Zion/Uetliburg

Mount Zion Abbey (Kloster Berg Sion) in Uetliburg stands in the municipality of Gommiswald, canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. It is a women's Premonstratensian convent with a late Baroque church, set on a hillside above the Linth plain. It remains a working religious community rather than a museum, and travel sources describe it as the only Premonstratensian monastery in Switzerland still run as such.

What is Berg Sion and how did it begin?

The priest Josef Helg founded the convent in 1761 beside a pilgrim route that ran from the Lake Constance region over the Ricken pass to Einsiedeln. The name echoes Mount Zion in Jerusalem. A Loreto chapel went up between 1763 and 1765. Monastic life began in 1766, when three sisters of the Third Order arrived from the Premonstratensian house at Schussenried in Germany. The community grew quickly and counted 52 sisters by 1778, most of them from around Lake Constance.

After the French invasion of 1798 and the creation of the canton of St. Gallen in 1803, the convent fell into hardship. Billeted foreign troops and strict demands from the new authorities weighed on it.

What can you see here?

• The convent complex and church, built in late Baroque style with touches of Rococo.
• The Loreto chapel, one of the oldest parts of the site, dating from the 1760s.
• Views across the Linth plain towards the Obersee, the upper part of Lake Zurich.
• The chapel of Saints Felix and Regula, which you pass on the walk from the bus stop.

Uetliburg lies on an old pilgrimage path, so a walk here has a contemplative feel. Because the convent is active, keep voices low and check ahead when the church is open.

How do you get to the abbey?

A PostBus service runs from Uetliburg to the Berg-Sion-Strasse stop, and the abbey is a short walk from there. You can also hike up from Uetliburg or Gommiswald, as the area is popular with walkers. By car, drive to Gommiswald and continue towards Uetliburg.

When is the best time to visit?

Choose a clear day, since the views over the valley and lake are the main draw. Spring, summer and early autumn suit walking best. In poor weather the panorama disappears and paths can turn muddy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mount Zion Abbey still active? Yes. A community of Premonstratensian sisters lives here, so the usual conduct for a working convent applies.

When was it founded? In 1761. Monastic life started in 1766.

Can you reach it by public transport? Yes. PostBus runs from Uetliburg to Berg-Sion-Strasse, followed by a short walk.

What else is nearby? The chapel of Saints Felix and Regula beside the road, plus views over the Linth plain and Obersee.