Save this place and discover nearby attractions with NextOnTrip
In the app you can add it to your favorites, see what else is worth visiting nearby on the map, and earn a badge for your visit.
The app is available for iPhone and Android.
About this place
St. Josef Catholic Church (Kirche St. Josef) in Zurich is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Industriequartier, part of Kreis 5 close to the city centre. It went up between 1912 and 1914 and still serves the St. Josef parish, which belongs to the Stadt Zürich deanery of the Diocese of Chur.
Where is St. Josef church in Zurich?
The address is Röntgenstrasse 80, 8005 Zürich, in Kreis 5. The district was laid out as an industrial quarter from around 1850 and kept its working-class character for decades. The church stands at roughly 47.387 N, 8.528 E. Beside it is a parish house dating from 1904, older than the church itself.
What does the building look like?
Three features stand out: a heavy, curving roof, an undulating façade and a tower topped with an onion dome. The parish says these forms follow models from central Switzerland (Innerschweiz). Among the former tenements and factory buildings around it, the baroque-flavoured silhouette is easy to spot.
What is the church's history?
Zurich's first Catholic church in the area, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, dates from 1874. As workers poured into the Industriequartier, another centre was needed. The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland lists St. Josef among the Catholic churches of the former municipality of Aussersihl and gives 1914. The parish marked its centenary with anniversary magazines in 2014 and 2019. The organ, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018, dates from about 1968.
What should you know before visiting?
This is a working church, so plan around services. Masses take place on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, with additional Sunday Masses for the Croatian mission. The rosary is prayed on Friday evenings, and confession is offered on Saturday afternoons. Children aged 3 to 8 have their own Sunday programme, "Feiern für die Kleinen". A 360° virtual tour of the interior is available on the parish website.
Frequently asked questions
When was St. Josef church in Zurich built? Construction ran from 1912 to 1914.
Where exactly is it? At Röntgenstrasse 80 in Kreis 5, in the Industriequartier.
Can visitors go inside? Yes, it is an active parish church. Services are the most dependable time to enter; schedules are listed at stjosef-zuerich.ch.
Are Masses held in other languages? Yes, a Mass for the Croatian mission is held on Sundays.
Nearby places
Earn badges for the places you visit
Download NextOnTrip, discover new places and check off your trails.