Spitzkirche Magdalena

Spitzkirche Magdalena in Rheinau is a small chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalene, set on the Musikinsel in the Swiss canton of Zürich, in a bend of the Rhine right beside the famous abbey. Its nickname, "Spitzkirche" (pointed church), comes from its position: the building stands on a tip of land that juts into the river.

What is the Spitzkirche?

It is a late Gothic chapel from the end of the 16th century. Accounts date its construction to 1587–1588, under Abbot Theobald Werlin von Greiffenberg, when Rheinau was still a working Benedictine monastery. The Swiss federal ISOS inventory lists it among the town's notable sites, next to the Baroque abbey church of 1705–1711.

The chapel has a single nave ending in a rounded choir, with late Gothic tracery in its windows. A small roof turret with an open bell house, added in a 1903 renovation, rises above the roof.

How has the chapel changed over time?

In 1761 a late Baroque grotto, modelled on one at Zwiefalten Abbey, was added to the choir. It was taken out during a renovation in 1931. After the abbey was dissolved in 1862, the chapel served Reformed patients of the cantonal psychiatric hospital, which occupied the former monastery buildings from 1867.

Major restoration followed in 1991–1992, and the interior paintings were restored in 2016. Since 2001 a foundation, Stiftung St. Magdalena zu Rheinau, has looked after the chapel's ecumenical use.

What will you see?

The setting is the main draw. From the promontory you look across a broad sweep of the Rhine, with riverside meadows and the rooftops of the town behind you. It is a favourite subject for photographers, especially around sunrise and sunset. The interior is usually open for events, since the chapel now hosts weddings and concerts.

How do you fit it into a visit?

The chapel pairs naturally with a walk around Rheinau. The abbey and the island are close together, so one outing covers both the late Gothic chapel and the large Baroque abbey church. The coordinates are roughly 47.6427 N, 8.6115 E. Do not confuse it with the German village of Rheinau: this chapel is on the Swiss bank of the Rhine.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Spitzkirche the abbey church of Rheinau? No. The abbey church is a separate Baroque building from the early 18th century. The Spitzkirche is a much older and smaller Magdalene chapel on the island.

When was it built? In 1587–1588, under Abbot Theobald Werlin von Greiffenberg.

Are events held inside? Yes. The chapel is used for weddings and concerts, and the St. Magdalena foundation, set up in 2001, oversees its ecumenical use.

What does "Spitzkirche" mean? Literally "pointed church". It refers to the sharp spit of land, reaching into the Rhine, on which the chapel stands.

What happened to the Baroque grotto? It was added by the choir in 1761 and removed during the 1931 renovation.