Church of St. Peter (Kirche St. Peter) description and photos - Switzerland: Zurich (Topic)

Church of St. Peter (Kirche St. Peter) description and photos - Switzerland: Zurich. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Kirche St. Peter.

Photo and description

St. Peter's Church is a famous architectural monument and the first Protestant church in the city of Zurich after the Reformation. It attracts tourists not only by the fact that it is the oldest temple in the city, but also by the huge clock installed on the tower in 1538 with the largest dial in Europe: 9m in diameter; the minute hand is almost 4 m long.

The tower was also of great importance for the city earlier thanks to the fire watchmen, whose task was to observe the clock from the tower room and regulate its work, since other city clocks were oriented towards this. The tower was built in the 16th century, but the bells were hoisted on it only at the end of the 19th century. The bells played the role of a fire signal.

The church was built in 1230 instead of two other temples, standing here in the 8th and 10th centuries. Initially, the architecture of the building was predominantly late Romanesque. In the 15th century, elements of the Gothic style were added, and baroque galleries appeared even later. In the 18th century, the church became the first Protestant church in Zurich. At the church, in front of the stairs at the entrance to the temple, there is a wonderful park with many trees.

Rudolf Brun, the first burgomaster of Zurich, was buried in this church. Leo Yud, a friend of Zwingli who helped him translate the Bible, is also buried here. The famous writer and philosopher Johann Kaspar Lavater lectured here.

Today St. Peter's Church is the church of a small community of the same name in the old part of the city.

We also recommend reading Nikolskaya chapel description and photos - Russia - Siberia: Olkhon Island

Topic: Church of St. Peter (Kirche St. Peter) description and photos - Switzerland: Zurich.