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1100 Years of City History in the Fraumünster Crypt

Name: 1100 Years of City History in the Fraumünster Crypt
Start: 2024-02-06T00:00:00+01:00
End: 2031-01-01T23:59:00+01:00
Location: Verschiedene Standorte, 8000 Zürich, Switzerland

Verschiedene Standorte, 8000 Zürich, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland
Tue, February 6, 2024 - January 1, 2031 (12:00 am - 11:59 pm)

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Description

The remains of the Fraumünster Crypt were rediscovered during restoration work in the summer of 1900. At that time, city master builder Gustav Gull had parts of the Fraumünster Abbey, which was dissolved in 1524 during the Reformation, demolished. In their place, he built the town hall and the new cloister. The newly discovered space beneath the Fraumünster choir had no use in church life at the time. It was repurposed as a material storage. Since 2016, the crypt has been accessible to the public after expert renovation. Archaeological Finds The wall remains are the last witnesses of the predecessor buildings of today's Fraumünster. They probably date from the 9th century, the founding period of the abbey. The extent of the crypt from the same period can be guessed from the ruins. In the 11th century, the crypt was heavily rebuilt. Relics were stored there. The Exhibition The exhibition in the Crypt Museum offers insight into the development of the monastery, the Reformation, and the history of today's Fraumünster. Drawings and animations document the construction phases of the monastery. Another focus is on the Reformation period. Facsimiles of letters from Heinrich Bullinger, e.g., to Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, are on display, as well as an Ulrich Bible published by Fraumünster pastor Johann Caspar Ulrich in 1755. The highlight is the head of a Marian statue, missing its nose. It was recovered in 2013 during excavations on the neighboring Börsenstrasse. It is a testament to the iconoclasm after the Reformation. The third part of the exhibition shows the development from the abbey to the current parish church, including portraits of all parish priests since 1524.

Highlights

Insight into the development of the monastery
Facsimiles of historical letters
Access to the crypt since 2016

General Information

The exhibition at the Crypt Museum in Zurich provides a comprehensive overview of the history of Fraumünster and the Reformation. Visitors can discover archaeological finds and significant documents from the abbey's era.