Pirminius Pfungen

St. Pirminius Church (Kirche St. Pirminius) in Pfungen is the Roman Catholic parish church of Pfungen, a municipality in the canton of Zürich. It belongs to the Winterthur deanery in the Diocese of Chur. Its patron, Pirmin, was an early medieval missionary and monastery founder whom local tradition links with the village's beginnings.

Why is the church named after Pirmin?

The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland records a tradition that Pirmin stayed in the Töss valley and that a nobleman called Uatilo then gave land and people at Pfungen to Reichenau Abbey. The settlement first appears in records as Funginga around 993–994. A spring on the Chomberg hill also bears the saint's name, although no monastery was founded in Pfungen itself. For visitors, this explains why a saint from far-off Reichenau gives his name to a village church near Winterthur.

What will you see inside?

The church interior is a protected monument. In 2015 it was redesigned by the Zürich practice Fässler + Partner AG, with Frédéric Dedelley responsible for the liturgical furnishings. The new pieces are made of oak and brass, and the altar top is a slab of grey sandstone. The project followed a competition and was refined in close consultation with everyone involved, a case of modern design placed carefully inside a listed building.

How do you get to Pfungen?

Pfungen lies north-east of Zürich, close to Winterthur, beside the river Töss. The church stands at roughly 47.517 N, 8.642 E. Travel by train from Zürich to Winterthur and continue on regional services to Pfungen. Quiet walking paths lead through the surrounding countryside along the river.

When should you visit?

This is a working parish church, so plan your visit outside service times. Opening hours and Mass schedules are published by the Catholic parish of Pfungen. Daylight shows the oak, brass and stone of the new furnishings at their best.

What else can you combine with the visit?

The church fits well into a day trip around Winterthur: a walk along the Töss, a climb up the Chomberg to the spring of St. Pirmin, and time in Winterthur itself, one of the canton's larger cities.

Frequently asked questions

Which denomination does the church belong to? It is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Diocese of Chur, Winterthur deanery.

Is the interior listed? Yes. The interior is protected, and the 2015 renovation respected that status.

Who designed the new furnishings? Fässler + Partner AG of Zürich, working with Frédéric Dedelley.

Did Pirmin found a monastery in Pfungen? No. Tradition connects him with the area and a donation to Reichenau, but no monastery was founded in Pfungen.