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About this place
The Reformed Church with Rectory in Stäfa is a heritage ensemble on a hill above the village of Stäfa, on the northern shore of Lake Zurich in the canton of Zurich. The church and the rectory in front of it are protected monuments, and the hill, known locally as Chirchbül, marks the village skyline.
What will you see in Stäfa?
The building has several historical layers. A Romanesque church stood here in the 12th century. Around 1280 a Gothic choir was added at the base of the tower; it still stands and now serves as a prayer room. The present nave is a hall-type church under a hipped roof, reworked in 1788. Inside, a flat barrel vault carries Neoclassical stucco cartouches, and a gallery rests on four Corinthian columns. The stained glass is mostly ornamental, and the Kuhn organ dates from 1959.
The upper part of the tower was rebuilt in the 1830s. The belfry with tall paired openings and the slender Neo-Renaissance spire are credited to the architect Ferdinand Stadler, 1838.
What about the rectory next door?
The rectory in front of the church dates from 1563-64: a two-storey rendered building with a gabled roof. It is one of the oldest surviving parts of the complex. Together, church and rectory form a courtyard on the hilltop, beside the cemetery and school buildings.
How do you get there?
Stäfa lies on the S7 and S15 lines of the Zurich S-Bahn on the right bank of the lake, about half an hour from Zurich. From the station, walk uphill through the village to the church hill. Coordinates: 47.239 N, 8.731 E.
When should you visit?
Come during the day, ideally on a clear afternoon, when the lake is visible from around the hill. Check the local parish for interior opening hours, since the church serves an active Reformed congregation and is often closed outside services and events.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Stäfa church a listed monument? Yes, the ensemble is among the protected heritage objects of the canton of Zurich.
How old is the church? Its origins are Romanesque, the Gothic tower choir dates from about 1280, and the current nave from the late 18th century.
Who designed the belfry and spire? Ferdinand Stadler, in 1838, in Neo-Renaissance form.
Can visitors enter the rectory? The rectory is a parish building, so it is viewed from outside.
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