We made a quick stopover to St. Gallen and a side trip to Konstanz, Germany!
After having some hot coco at one of the most epic restaurants in the world, we went to St. Gallen, a UNESCO Heritage Site. This means, I’ve crossed out 3 sites out of my list!
We got in our rented van and drove for about 3o minutes to the city of St. Gallen, Switzerland. We walked around the beautiful streets of the center of Eastern Switzerland till we got to the abbey district.
[Tweet “St. Gallen, Switzerland used to be the hermitage of St. Gall. “]
The main attraction is the Abbey of St. Gall which has a library that holds books dating back to the 9th century! The Abbey Library is also called “Seelenapotheke” (healing place of the soul). We didn’t see the library but the cathedral itself is beautiful beyond words.
Abbey of St Gall
The Convent of St Gall, a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery, was, from the 8th century to its secularization in 1805, one of the most important in Europe. Its library is one of the richest and oldest in the world and contains precious manuscripts such as the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment. From 1755 to 1768, the conventual area was rebuilt in Baroque style. The cathedral and the library are the main features of this remarkable architectural complex, reflecting 12 centuries of continuous activity. – UNESCO.ORG
“The Abbey of St. Gall represents 1200 years of history of monastic architecture and an outstanding ensemble of a large Benedictine convent.”
After saying a quick prayer and taking photos, we stepped outside to take more photos! Another distinct feature of the old city is its 16th to 18th-century burgher houses with splendid and often brightly painted bay windows. A few hours is not enough to take it all in. The city has more to offer and I wish we had more time to see them all.
Side Trip to Konstanz, Germany
It was getting dark so we had to rush. It takes about an hour from St. Gallen to Konstanz, Germany.
What I liked about this whole trip is that everything is scenic!
We reached the border!
We found parking opposite the nearest mall – Lago Konstanz. We just went around for a bit, had dinner and then headed out again.
Across the street, we heard loud festive music and saw people in costume. Apparently, Oktoberfest has started! We weren’t able to get inside because we had kids with us.
What else to do but take photos, right? We didn’t stay long because it was getting late anyways and we have an early flight the next day.
But of course, we needed to cross out another thing on my list. Be at two countries at the same time. 🙂
This was taken at the border of Germany and Switzerland. We are just so amused at the house behind me. Part of the house is in Switzerland and part of the garage is in Germany! I wonder how that works.
Have you been in 2 countries at the same time? Share your stories in the comments below!
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