Hotels near Fraumunster

Fraumunster stands opposite Grossmunster on the west bank of the Limmat, its slender blue-tipped spire a counterpoint to Grossmunster's twin towers. Founded in 853 as a convent for aristocratic women by King Louis the German, it was the seat of enormous political power in medieval Zurich (the abbess minted coins and appointed magistrates) until the Reformation abolished it in 1524.

The reason to visit today is the five stained-glass windows in the choir designed by Marc Chagall in 1970, when the artist was 83 years old. Each window is dedicated to a biblical figure - Elijah, Jacob, Moses, Zion and Christ - and the light through them at mid-morning is what most visitors talk about for years afterward. The north transept holds a further window by Augusto Giacometti (1945). Entry costs CHF 6 and includes an audio guide covering the windows in detail.

Pro Tip: Photography inside is not permitted, so put the phone away and just sit for 20 minutes. Visit between 11:00 and 12:00 when eastern light comes strongest through the Chagall windows. The Zunfthaus zur Waag next door does the best traditional lunch on Munsterhof square.