In the summer of 2022 I made a trip to Switzerland, and one of the cities I visited was St Gallen. The city is home to the Abbey of St. Gall, a monastery founded in the 8th century. Its library is recognized as one of the richest medieval libraries in the world. As a book lover being close to a stunning library, I had to check it out! Instead of sharing a bunch of information that you can read anyway on Wikipedia, I will shortly share my experience of visiting the library.
The Abbey of St. Gall
The Abbey and the surrounding old town are the main tourist attractions of St. Gallen. If you ever find yourself nearby, I think it is worth paying a visit. You can take a walk through the old town and admire the architecture. Once at the Abbey, you’ll have the option to buy a ticket for 18 CHF (at my time of visit) which you can use to visit the library, the vaulted cellar and the exhibition space. This might seem a bit expensive, but it is a UNSECO World Heritage Site, and it is Switzerland, so it’s kind of expected. Plus, you do get enough content, so all things considered, I would say it is worth it. In the photo below you can see how the Abbey complex looks like.
The thing that will immediately catch your attention when you enter the complex is, of course, the cathedral. To the north of it, you can access the library – the main attraction for book lovers!
The Library – Negatives
Before you can enter the library, you will have to put on some slippers which are waiting for you at the entrance. Basically, they are oversized slippers that you put on over the shoes you are already wearing, so don’t worry about having to take off your shoes.
Also, an important note is that it’s prohibited to take pictures inside the library, which is kind of disappointing. The rare photos you see online are probably some official photos taken by professionals in specific conditions. This means they can be a bit misleading, and that was the case for me.
I think this should really be pointed out: lower your expectations on the visual front before visiting the library. In the photos you can see on the internet, the library seems much larger and brighter, with all these beautiful colors. In reality, all the curtains were closed and it was very dark. I understand they want to keep the conditions ideal for all the old books, but still, I found the difference between online and live quite dramatic.
The space was also much smaller than what I expected (everything is in one room). This is again due to the photos online where they used some nice angles. Considering the space is not that large, that it’s quite dark, and the air is a bit stale, the whole space does feel somewhat stuffy. It is, however, a very old library, so I guess we shouldn’t complain on that.
Another disappointment is that you can’t visit the library’s top floor. That was a real bummer for me because I was looking forward to seeing the view from the upper floor. Again, I am sure they have good reasons for that. What comes to mind is that it’s easier to keep track of all the people, so that someone wouldn’t try to do something stupid like destroy the books. The other reason could be that if they don’t let anyone go upstairs, then nobody can fall down – and they don’t have to worry about it. Those are just guesses, of course. Still, it would be cool if we had the option to see the complete library.
Now, with all that said, you might think the library is pretty disappointing in general. Well, despite all those drawbacks I mentioned, I still had a fun time overall.
The Library – Positives
When you enter the library, you do get that awe feeling. All those old books, the wood, and the ornaments do give you a feeling as if you were in a fantasy novel. You can go around the library as long as you like to check out the shelved books (you can’t touch them, of course).
In the middle section of the library, there are wooden and glass showcases where you can observe the exhibited books, so you see how they actually look inside. The library is home to Abrogans – the oldest preserved book in the German language. Pretty cool!
It’s so amazing to stand between books that were handwritten hundreds of years ago. When you imagine how many hours were spent to complete just one of those manuscripts, let alone all of them…talk about some diligent work!
One thing I did not expect to see there was a mummy! In one section there is a sarcophagus with the 2700 years old Egyptian mummy Shepenese. I don’t know if that is a standard part of the library or just a temporary thing, but it was very cool to see a real Egyptian mummy in an old library. The St. Gallen Globe can also be found near the entrance, though only a replica. The original is stored in the National Museum in Zürich. Still, it complements the books well and gives the library an additional charm.
I found myself in several instances just standing there for a moment and enjoying the atmosphere of the library. It really was a special feeling, you know you will leave soon, and you want to capture all the remaining moments as much as you can.
Conclusion
Although I stated several negative aspects regarding the visit to the library, most of it comes down to the online photos not being entirely representative of the real thing. This is a shame, because this exaggeration is not needed, and the library is really amazing. Just don’t expect the space to be enormous, it will be dark, and the top floor and cameras are off limits.
Even with all that, it is a place worth visiting if you are a fan of books, architecture, or history in general. If you ever find yourself near the city of St. Gallen, the Abbey Library is for sure something you should consider visiting.
What are some libraries on your visiting list?
Dominik, it was a pleasure visiting this place with you!
I can only say: likewise! 🙂