Ref. Kirche Töss

Reformierte Kirche Töss is a neo-Gothic Swiss Reformed church in the Töss district of Winterthur, canton of Zürich. Completed in 1855 on Stationsstrasse, it stands close to the site of a Dominican convent that shaped the district for centuries. Its tall, slender tower is a landmark of the neighbourhood.

What is this church and why was it built?

Töss grew up around a Dominican convent founded in 1233 by Count Hartmann IV of Kyburg. The nuns held property in around 130 places across the canton of Zürich, plus houses in Winterthur and the city of Zürich. Before the Reformation, Töss belonged to the parish of Oberwinterthur. When the convent was dissolved in 1525, the village formed its own parish together with Dättnau and the Rossberg and Bläsihof farms.

The former convent church then served Protestant worship. In 1833 the Rieter company set up a machine factory in that building, and the congregation needed a new church. It was built in 1855 to a design by Johann Caspar Wolff.

What will you see?

The church is a fine example of Protestant Historicist architecture. Its facades are massive and symmetrical, in a formal neo-Gothic style, and the tall narrow tower anchors the building in the local skyline.

The heritage inventory also protects the interior furnishings: the chancel arch, gallery, pulpit, baptismal font and organ. The layout follows Reformed tradition, centred on the preaching of the word rather than on an ornate altar.

How do you get to the church in Töss?

Töss lies on the south-western edge of Winterthur, a short ride from the centre. Take a train or city bus from Winterthur main station; the church is on Stationsstrasse near Winterthur Töss station. Coordinates: 47.4907 N, 8.7084 E.

When should you visit?

The church is in use by the Evangelical Reformed parish of Töss, so the best times are during services or parish events. Winterthur's annual heritage day (Tag des Denkmals) has featured the building history of this church. Combine your visit with a walk through the district, where traces of the convent and of Winterthur's industrial past remain visible.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church in Töss built? In 1855, replacing the former Dominican convent church. The architect was Johann Caspar Wolff.

What style is it? Neo-Gothic, with symmetrical facades and a tall, narrow tower. It belongs to the Protestant architecture of the Historicist period.

What happened to the old convent church? After the convent's dissolution in 1525 it was used for Reformed worship. From 1833 it housed the Rieter machine factory.

Which parish runs the church? The Evangelical Reformed parish of Töss, formed after the convent was dissolved in 1525.