Step Into a Literary Paradise: The Abbey Library of Saint Gall – Switzerland’s Oldest Treasure

#summervacay ### 📜 **Why Visit?** - **UNESCO World Heritage Site**: One of the richest medieval libraries in the world. - **Baroque Beauty**: A stunning 18th-century hall with intricate woodwork and frescoed ceilings. - **Ancient Manuscripts**: Houses **160,000+ texts**, including **1,000-year-old illuminated manuscripts**. ### 📍 **Location & Access** - **Address**: Klosterhof 6D, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland. - **Inside the Abbey of Saint Gall** (a working monastery). ### ⏰ **Opening Hours & Tickets** - **Monday–Sunday**: 10:00–17:00 (shorter hours in winter). - **Admission**: ~CHF 18 (includes access to the **Cathedral & Exhibition**). - **Free audioguide** (English available). ### 🌟 **Must-See Highlights** 1. **The Main Hall** – A masterpiece of Baroque architecture with **cherrywood galleries** and celestial ceiling paintings. 2. **The 9th-Century Blueprint** – The **St. Gallen Monastery Plan**, the only surviving architectural drawing from the early Middle Ages. 3. **Egyptian Mummy** – Yes, really! A 2,300-year-old mummy named **Schepenese**. 4. **The Secret Book Vault** – Rare manuscripts (some only visible via digital display). ### 🧐 **Visitor Tips** ✔ **Silence is golden** – This is still a sacred space. ✔ **Slippers provided** – Protect the historic wooden floors. ✔ **Photography allowed** (no flash). ✔ **Combine with** the **St. Gallen Cathedral** next door (free entry). ### 🚆 **How to Get There** - **From Zurich**: ~1h by train (direct to St. Gallen). - **From the St. Gallen train station**: 10-min walk through the charming Old Town. ### ☕ **Nearby Treats** - **Schoggiland** – A chocolate shop with local goodies. - **BierVision Monstein** – A microbrewery in a medieval cellar. **Want a sneak peek of the library’s rarest book?** Ask me! 😊