Saint Christophorus catholic church

St. Christophorus Church (Kirche St. Christophorus) in Niederhasli is a Catholic church in the municipality of Niederhasli, canton of Zurich, not far from Zurich Airport. It went up in 1925 and has kept most of its original character. For anyone interested in Swiss church architecture, it shows how a Catholic congregation built a home in a region with a long Reformed tradition.

Why is this church notable?

The Zurich cantonal heritage inventory describes it as the oldest post-Reformation Catholic church built from scratch in the Dielsdorf district. For centuries the area was Reformed, so Catholics had no church of their own here until the early twentieth century. The church was first dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows; the Christophorus name, after the patron saint of travellers, came later.

Who designed it?

The architect was Joseph Steiner, who built a good number of churches across the Diocese of Chur.

What can you see inside?

• The high altar, made by the Vogl workshop in Tyrol.
• Fourteen Stations of the Cross by Philipp Noflaner, dated 1926, a year after the church was completed.
• A Späth organ installed in 1977, used for services and concerts.

Because the furnishings were added soon after construction and later changes were modest, the interior feels coherent.

How do you get there?

Niederhasli lies north of Zurich; the church stands at roughly 47.480 N, 8.486 E. From the city you can combine an S-Bahn train with a local bus, or drive. The village borders Oberglatt, Niederglatt and Neerach.

What else is worth knowing about the village?

Christian history in Niederhasli is older than the present church. According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, the chapel of St. Bartholomew separated from Bülach in 1188 and is recorded as a parish church in 1275. That earlier church was destroyed in 1443 during the Old Zurich War. It is a pre-Reformation story rather than that of the 1925 building, but it shows how long worship has been rooted here. A Reformed church also stands in the village, so you can compare both traditions on one short walk.

Within the church structure, the building belongs to the Diocese of Chur and the Winterthur deanery. The Katholische Kirchenstiftung Niederhasli has organised pastoral care for Niederhasli, Oberglatt, Niederglatt and Neerach.

Frequently asked questions

Is the church a listed monument? It appears in the Zurich canton heritage inventory, and its interior is largely preserved in its original form.

When was St. Christophorus in Niederhasli built? In 1925. The Stations of the Cross followed in 1926.

Who designed it? Joseph Steiner, an architect of many churches in the Diocese of Chur.

Can I hear the organ? The 1977 Späth organ is part of the furnishings. Check the parish for service and concert dates before you visit.