St. Matthias parish church with ossuary

St. Matthias parish church with ossuary sits in the heart of Steinhausen, a small municipality in the canton of Zug, a short distance from Lake Zug. The ensemble is a heritage site of regional significance (category B in the Swiss KGS inventory, no. 7312) and pairs the church with a 17th-century charnel house beside it.

What is the story behind it?

A church at Steinhausen is first documented in 1173, when it belonged to the monastery of St. Blasien. By 1260 it was a daughter church of St. Martin in Baar, and in 1403 the Kappel monastery took over the patronage. In 1805 the parishioners bought the right to appoint their priest from the city of Zug.

The building you see today comes from two phases. The choir and tower date from 1699–1701, when the old church was replaced and the tower received its onion dome. The nave was torn down in 1913 and rebuilt to plans by Dagobert Keiser and Richard Bracher.

What is there to see at the ossuary?

The ossuary was built in 1611, the year Steinhausen became an independent parish with its own burial rights. For centuries it held the community's bones, remaining in use into the early 20th century. In 2011, for the parish's 400th anniversary, artist Benno Karl Zehnder (born 1941) renovated and redesigned the interior.

Two wall paintings carry a message of hope beyond death: on the west wall bones seem to transform and rise toward heaven, while behind the altar on the east wall the view opens onto a bright space. The room serves as a liturgical space during Holy Week. The ossuaries of Baar and Oberägeri are considered the most important in the canton, but Steinhausen's contemporary treatment makes it a worthwhile stop of its own.

How do you get there?

The church is at Zugerstrasse 6a/6b and the ossuary at Dorfplatz 1, 6312 Steinhausen. The Zurich–Zug railway runs through the municipality with S-Bahn line S5, and local buses are operated by Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe. It is a short hop from Zug.

When should you visit?

Visit during opening hours or services, which the parish publishes. Holy Week is a particularly meaningful time, when the ossuary is used for liturgy.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Steinhausen ossuary built? In 1611, when the parish became independent.

Who designed the current nave? Dagobert Keiser and Richard Bracher, in 1913. The choir and tower date from around 1700.

Who redesigned the ossuary? Benno Karl Zehnder, in 2011.

Can I arrive by train? Yes, S5 on the Zurich–Zug line stops in Steinhausen.