Münster Schaffhausen

Münster Schaffhausen, also called Münster zu Allerheiligen, is a Romanesque basilica in the old town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland. It once belonged to the Benedictine All Saints Abbey and today serves the Reformed church. For visitors it combines medieval architecture, a quiet cloister and one of the best-known bells in the German-speaking world.

How did the minster come about?

Count Eberhard von Nellenburg and his wife Ita founded the abbey in the eleventh century. The conventional founding date is 1049, when Pope Leo IX consecrated the Resurrection altar here. The church itself was consecrated in 1064. In 1080 Eberhard's son Burkhard gave up his proprietary rights in favour of the abbey, and Abbot William of Hirsau carried out a monastic reform. The building was altered several times over the centuries, so what you see is a sturdy Romanesque core with later changes.

Schaffhausen turned to the Reformation in 1524 and the minster became the city's main Reformed church. The abbey was dissolved in 1529.

What is there to see?

• The Romanesque nave. The interior is bright and plain, with heavy piers and no Baroque decoration. Entry to the church is free.
• The cloister. The cloister next to the church is open to visitors during the day and offers a calm break from the old town.
• The herb garden. The garden beside the abbey buildings has been cultivated since the Middle Ages and is free to enter.
• The Schillerglocke. Cast in 1486, this bell weighs about 4.5 tonnes and carries the Latin inscription "vivos voco, mortuos plango, fulgura frango" (I call the living, I mourn the dead, I break the lightning). It inspired Friedrich Schiller's 1799 poem "Das Lied von der Glocke". The original now stands in the cloister, while the great bell in the tower, cast in 1898, copies its tone, weight and inscription.

Is there a museum next door?

Yes. The former abbey buildings house the Museum zu Allerheiligen, one of the largest museums in the region, with archaeological, historical and art collections. The museum charges admission, and opening hours and prices change, so check its website before you go. The church, cloister and garden need no ticket.

How should you plan the visit?

The minster stands in the old town, a walk of roughly fifteen minutes from the railway station. The church, cloister and garden take about an hour. With the museum, set aside half a day. The Rhine Falls lie just outside the city, so the two sights combine well into a single day trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is entry to Münster Schaffhausen free? Yes. The church, cloister and herb garden are open to the public during the day. Only the Museum zu Allerheiligen charges admission.

When was the minster built? The abbey was founded around 1049 and the basilica was consecrated in 1064. It is Romanesque, with later alterations.

What is the Schillerglocke? A bell cast in 1486, weighing about 4.5 tonnes, with a Latin inscription that inspired Schiller's poem "The Song of the Bell". You can see the original in the cloister.

Is it still a Catholic church? No. It has been Reformed since 1524, and the Benedictine abbey was dissolved in 1529.