Grossmünster: The Unsurpassed View of Zurich
Tuesday, December 17, 2013 Switzerland 0 Comments

Grossmünster: The Unsurpassed View of Zurich

For all it’s worth, I see Zurich as one of the loveliest cities in Europe. Its long rich history and luscious culture are manifested in every must see architecture, must try food, and must experience demeanor I can find in this city. Everything seems to surpass one another in serenity and splendor. One of the most unsurpassed things I ever found in this city though is the view from the iconic Romanesque-style Protestant church, the Grossmünster.

Apart of Fraumünster and St. Peterskirche, the Grossmünster is one of the three major churches to see in Zurich. It’s difficult not to see this religious landmark, as it is the only monastery church that has two striking clerical towers standing tall and proud. It’s located just close to the banks of the Limmat River. The best way to reach this historical building is by foot, around lunch time to mid-afternoons, so as to see the light shine forth in this church. Though the roads are like climbing peaks and valleys, it’s not too painstaking, as the postcard like view of the neighborhood makes the walk more enjoyable.

The façade of the "Great Minster" church took me back to a place I thought would only exist in photoshopped pictures. The Facade of the monastery building is as clean and as precise as the details that come with it. There’s a Heinrich Bullinger statue in the southern most exterior wall, which is reminiscent of a statue from a classic movie. Once inside, I got rapt by the stained glass windows, which was created by the world renowned Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti in 1932. It’s the best prelude highlight of this attraction.

The highlight started as I trotted through the cramped wooden stairs of the towers of Grossmünster. It’s a good 178 steps that felt like entering a secret society. Not for the claustrophobic, but guaranteed worth the try. It’s a glorious ending above. The panorama of Zurich from this above ground view just commands so much nostalgia, euphoria, awe, and admiration. To come into contact with a view as spectacular as this: seeing wisp of white clouds entangled with faint white colors of the Swiss mountains, looking at renaissance-inspired city architecture coming into life as people go on with their daily lives from down below, and feeling the cold air of Zurich brush through the surprised look on your face – yes, truly an unsurpassed view.

Spending at least a full half day here is a must do. The overall imprints it’ll leave you will make you look at churches and aerial views of cities into a whole new light. It’s a place for history buffs, photo-perfection groupies, and travel-awe chasers, and Grossmünster is famous for all the right reasons, and it’s a great place to add to one’s to go list when traveling to Zurich.

Address: Grossmünsterplatz, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland

Official Website: www.grossmuenster.ch/‎