The Abbey Library of St. Gall (Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen) is one of the world’s prettiest and oldest public lending libraries. It holds about 170,000 literary and liturgical works, many written by monks throughout the medieval period. Visit the Abbey Library of St. Gall to peruse its enormous collection, marvel at its luxuriant baroque rococo interior and admire ceiling frescoes.
The library’s origins date back to the 8th century, when it was part of the main church at the UNESCO-protected Abbey of St. Gall. It moved to its present location in the mid-1700s to accommodate its growing collection. Notice the polished wooden bookcases, which are decorated with cherubs, columns, capitals and stucco work. Admire the curving balconies and look up to examine exquisite frescoes, which portray the earliest church councils.
Get a glimpse of the library’s extensive anthology of manuscripts in the Reading Room. Scholars use these to study monastic life at the abbey from the Middle Ages until the early 19th century. Major artifacts include the abbey’s 8th-century property deed and an architectural plan of the original abbey. There are works by poets such as Ratpert and Tuotilo too.
Also stored here are incunabula from the 1400s onward, which range from theology titles to Latin classics and editions of the Bible written in German. Don’t miss the 2,700-year-old mummified body of an Egyptian called Shepenese.
The library and abbey complex stand in the heart of St. Gallen’s city center, less than a 10-minute walk from St. Gallen train station. While here, visit the magnificent St. Gall Cathedral and stroll around the abbey gardens. The Textile Museum and St. Gallen Art Museum are both short walks away.
The Abbey Library of St. Gall is open daily and has an admission fee. Pay for an audio guide for information about the library and other areas of the abbey. Visit the library’s official website for more details.
