Abbey Library of Saint Gall

We walked in around one hour before closing and therefore we could only visit the library. You would need to put on cotton-made shoeson top of your own shoes to prevent damages to the wooden floor. The library itself is indeed stunning. Although I could not read any of the books but the decor, the drawings, and all of the details are just delightful to see. A dead mummy is placed inside the library. From what I could tell it is still preserved in good conditions; but if you are scared you could always skip that corner of the library.

If you're here in St Gallen, this place is an absolute must-visit. For 18 CHF, you get access to the library, the vaulted cellar and an exhibition space. Having said that, the library is still the star attraction. Before entering the library, you will need to put on slippers over your shoes. There doesn't seem to be any time limit to stay in the library, so you can always wait till the library empties out to catch great photos of the library. In particular, I loved the look of the book cases, but I was a little weirded out by the display of a mummy in the corner, which we cannot photograph.

The Abbey Library in St. Gallen is absolutely stunning - stepping inside feels like entering a fairytale. The baroque architecture, ancient books, and beautiful woodwork are breathtaking. The atmosphere is peaceful and inspiring, and the views of the historic Abbey district outside make it even more magical. A must-visit gem for book lovers, history fans, or anyone who loves beauty!

I imagine every visitor's dream is to be alone in this library for a few hours, randomly picking books from unlocked shelves. It's a small room that takes you back in time offering filmesque experience that can partially be spoiled with too many visitors inside. Maybe a suggestion for the library to either limit time of visit or the number of visitors per group for better experience.

Mere words cannot describe this library, the museum, and the adjacent church. It is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. You’re looking at books that are 500 years old, as a geographer I loved the globe from 1530, documents from Charlemagne, and much more. Danke für alles !

Very beautiful library room. Surely worth a visit when you‘re already in St. Gallen. I was there on a weekday with very few visitors in the afternoon so I had no queues and at one point the rooms were almost empty. You have to wear slippers on your shoes, which they provide, but it is well worth preserving such a beautiful room. If you have a Raiffeisen Card, you get the entry to three locations for free, which is nice.

One of the most beautiful libraries I have visited so far. Library in Porto is also beautiful but this library in St Gallen has far less visitors so you are really able to appreciate the details of it's beauty.

CHF 18 for the visit of the library, the cloister and the exhibition. This is the most beautiful (small) library that I’ve ever seen. There’s an ancient mummy inside. No spoiler: it’s impressive. There’s also a replica of a globe from the 1500’s. Incredible. The exhibition is worth the visit also.

It's a beautiful abbey library! I initially wasn't all that interested in visiting it since I've already seen similar ones in Melk & Dublin. However, I must say that the history of St. Gallus is very well-presented here. The exhibition in the vaulted cellar is very informative with digital screens in many different languages. I didn't know that Gallus (Gall) was a student at Bangor Abbey in Northern Ireland. He would eventually leave Ireland to follow Columbanus to become a missionary. This is where the story gets murky. They would end up in Merovingian France, and eventually flee to Bregenz after Columbanus is banished from that country for his beliefs. Gallus retreated to a more secluded life in the Steinach Valley either due to illness, or he just didn't want to continue on to Italy. There's also a bear in this story. Just read about the legend of Gallus and the bear. Visiting the library was a good experience. There are these padded shoes that you must slip into before walking on the wooden floors. Everyone kind of slides through the different parts of the library. It's an extensive collection of about 170,000 books and transcripts. The docent was gracious in giving us a brief tour. He told us we could take pictures, but not of the mummified body of Shep-en-Isis. That's a no-no. Good to know. Another interesting thing to see is the exhibition in the Abbey Archive. It houses the oldest monastery blueprint dating back to 820-830 AD in a controlled environment with a presentation that can be adjusted to the language of your choosing. The map is shown for less than a minute to limit its exposure to light. It's all included in the admission price. Just check it all out if you happen to be near St. Gallen. It's worth a stop.

This is amazing! The most breathtaking place I've seen in forever! Absolutely stunning. Remember that scene from The Beauty and the Beast where he takes her to his library and opens the door? Well that's how I felt when the old double door were opened in front me! I forgot how to breath! The library of course not the same size as the Beast's one, but it's large probably 70 - 90 meters long. Old manuscripts, handwritten scrolls, medicine books. All the knowledge written to be passed along to the next generations. Yes, you can not take photos, so just enjoy remembering it.

WOW!! I have seen pictures of this place ever since moving to Switzerland and it was on my list of must see places before ever moving away. When I entered the building that houses the library, there is nothing special. You purchase your ticket for 12 CHF which includes a visit to the library and Lapidarium located downstairs. You are instructed to first place all your belongings in a locker (no extra charge) before continuing with your visit. You will also need to put slippers on over your shoes as you enter into the library room. As you come to the entrance of the library you see a magnificent wooden door, but you can't quite peer around the corner to see what is inside. As I entered, my breath was taken away, this definitely is one of the top 10 best indoor places I have been too, and I can see why it is part of the UNESCO world heritage list since 1983, and reviewed as one of the finest library buildings in the world. This was the library of the former Benedictine monastery of St. Gall. The library was built in late baroque style at the same time as the cathedral 1758-1767. The library possesses 170,000 works, 2,100 manuscripts of which no less than 400 date from before the year 1000. The room itself is two floors, contains beautiful wood furnishings, and has amazing ceiling frescoes. There is so much to take in and look at all at the same time. There are also books on display to see. I was told the display rotates throughout the year. I could have shuffled around that room in my slippers for ages. After seeing the library, the Lapidarium was a let down. The Lapidarium can be found in the vaulted cellar of the library, it is home to architectural sculptures from the former church on site, and also an exhibit on the cultural history of the abbey. I would definitely go to the Lapidarium first and then end your experience in the library. TIP: On the web page http://www.cesg.unifr.ch you can access a virtual library of several hundred digitally photographed medieval St. Gall manuscripts free of charge.