St. Gallenberg Monastery

St. Gallenberg Monastery in Oberbüren (canton of St. Gallen) is a former Benedictine convent, also called Kloster Glattburg. It sits where the Glatt flows into the Thur, in a green river valley in eastern Switzerland. The complex pairs a converted castle with a late 18th-century Baroque church.

What is the history of the monastery?

In the Middle Ages the Glattburg castle was a fief of the Abbey of St. Gallen. It passed to the Reding von Biberegg family in 1621, and in 1649 the abbey bought it back and had it renovated. The monastic story began in 1754 at Libingen, where the priest Joseph Helg founded Switzerland's first community of Perpetual Adoration. The sisters adopted the Rule of St. Benedict in 1761. In 1781 they moved to Glattburg, where the castle was converted into a convent and a church and guesthouse were added. Prioress Maria Gertrud Wieler led the move. Construction ran from August 1780 to August 1784. The community was raised to the rank of abbey in 1984.

The sisters also ran a school of household and manual skills for girls until 1968. During the evacuation of 1798–1799, the chronicler Wiborada Zislin helped keep the convent from being occupied by French troops.

What can you see here?

The main highlight is the church interior, described as a unified late-Baroque work of art. It was built by Simon and Georg Schratt, painted by Franz Anton Weiss and carved by Johannes Wirthensohn. The national cultural property inventory (entry KGS 08208) also lists the Immaculata chapel, built around 1780–81 to a design by Simon Schratt, with a dome fresco attributed to Weiss.

The site lies away from the main roads among fields and wooded hills, making it a quiet stop on a day out around Wil and St. Gallen.

Is the monastery still inhabited?

Not permanently. Press reports say the five Benedictine sisters are moving for a three-year trial period to St. Lazarus convent in Seedorf, canton of Uri. The reasons given are staffing, upkeep and renovation costs the community can no longer carry. The future of the buildings is open, so check current access rules with the Diocese of St. Gallen or the Oberbüren municipality before visiting.

How do you get to Oberbüren?

Oberbüren lies on the rail line between Wil and Uzwil, with services toward St. Gallen. From the village you can walk or cycle along the Thur to the monastery. By car, take the A1 motorway to the Wil or Uzwil exit. The site's coordinates are 47.4610 N, 9.1565 E.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the sisters' community? The priest Joseph Helg, in 1754 at Libingen. The sisters moved to Glattburg in 1781.

When were the present monastery and church built? Construction ran from August 1780 to August 1784, with living quarters ready from November 1781.

What makes the church special? Its coherent late-Baroque interior by the Schratts, Franz Anton Weiss and Johannes Wirthensohn.

Can I visit the monastery? Access rules are changing as the sisters leave. Ask the Oberbüren municipality or the Diocese of St. Gallen before you travel.