St. Gallen is both a canton and a city in the eastern part of Switzerland. In 610, an Irish monk called Gallus chose this spot for his hermitage. Later on, in 747, a Benedictine abbey was founded. With the addition of a library in the 9th century, it became a center of learning. The famous cathedral and abbey library are a must to visit. The whole abbey precinct was declared a World Cultural Heritage in 1983.

St. Gallen was an important producer of linen which was exported throughout Europe. St. Gallen’s embroidery is known around the world. The town spreads over the nearby hills, which are scattered with huge blocks of buildings such as the Sankt Gallen Graduate School of Economics, Business and Public Administration (HSG), decorated by many artists from the 1960.

St. Gallen features one of the most picturesque old towns in Switzerland: many of the houses and buildings being from the 16th and 18th century, sometimes with painted facades, often adorned with wrought-iron signs and carved and painted wooden oriel windows. Walk along the pleasant alleys and browse through the many small and charming shops.

Getting to St. Gallen
Located in the eastern part of Switzerland, St. Gallen is 90 km (56 miles) from Zurich and 204 km (126.7 miles) from Switzerland’s capital Berne. Munich is just 264 km (164 miles) away.
The train ride from Zurich takes 1 hour, from Berne 2 hours, Munich is 3 hours away and Vienna can be reached in 9.5 hours.

St. Gallen Tourism: Map of St. Gallen