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About this place
Temple de Saint-Jean is a Protestant church in Geneva's Petit-Saconnex district, at 24 rue de Saint-Jean. Built between 1931 and 1933, it is one of the few places of worship raised in Geneva during the 1930s, which makes it a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in interwar architecture away from the main tourist centre.
What is the Temple de Saint-Jean?
In French-speaking Switzerland a Protestant church is called a "temple". This one was the first sanctuary the Église protestante de Genève built after the separation of church and state in 1907. The architects Jean-Louis Cayla and Henri Gampert designed it together.
The building sits back from the road behind a garden. That setting leaves open space around it, so its proportions read clearly from the street.
What does the exterior look like?
The facade is defined by a tall rectangular portico with three arched openings. A gilded Christ monogram in Greek letters (IHΣ), ringed by flames, decorates it. Three granite steps lead to the entrance, and a campanile rises on the south-east side.
The style is stripped-back and monumental. There is little ornament; the effect comes from massing and plain form.
What is inside?
The interior is a sober nave with a choir closed by a round arch. A large cross in gilded glass paste hangs above the choir. The pulpit stands to one side, with a gallery facing it.
Eric Hermès designed the stained-glass windows, and master glassmaker Charles Wasem made them. Hermès also created the seven reliefs on the gallery, one of which shows an eagle, the attribute of Saint John the Evangelist, the church's namesake.
Why is it worth visiting?
On 7 October 2024 the temple was entered in the cantonal inventory of buildings worthy of protection. The canton cited its clean plasticity and monumental volume. It is a rare Geneva example of 1930s religious architecture.
The surroundings have their own past. The Saint-Jean–Charmilles area once held a monastery, destroyed during the Reformation in 1535. The district only built up with the arrival of the railway in the late nineteenth century.
What is changing at the site?
The Église protestante de Genève plans to restore and refit the building. Work was due to start in 2025, subject to funding, and part of the original furniture is to be kept. The renewed temple is meant to host the "Église des enfants", an intergenerational space for children's spiritual life and their families. Check the Église protestante de Genève website before you go, as access to the interior can differ during renovation.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Temple de Saint-Jean built?
Between 1931 and 1933, to designs by Jean-Louis Cayla and Henri Gampert.
Where exactly is it?
In Geneva's Petit-Saconnex district, at 24 rue de Saint-Jean, set back behind a garden.
Is the building protected?
Yes. Since 7 October 2024 it has been listed in the cantonal inventory of buildings worthy of protection.
Who made the stained glass and reliefs?
Eric Hermès designed the windows and Charles Wasem executed them. The seven gallery reliefs are also by Hermès.
Is it a medieval church?
No. It is a twentieth-century temple, the first built by Geneva's Protestant church after the 1907 separation of church and state.
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