kloster son jon muestair muenstertal fresken aus karolingerzeit
kloster son jon muestair muenstertal fresken aus karolingerzeit

Saint John Abbey Museum in Müstair

2 km away from Tubre in the Val Monastero valley, already on Swiss territory, there’s a famous World Heritage site

When you follow the road from Tubre, the most western municipality of South Tyrol, 2 km further towards west, you are already in Switzerland, more precisely in Müstair. This village is famous for the St. John Benedictine Abbey - "Kloster St. Johann in Müstair" in German, "Monastero di San Giovanni a Müstair" in Italian. The monastery was founded in 775 AD by Charles the Great, King of the Langobards, after he escaped a blizzard. In the middle of the 12th century, St. John became a nunnery. In 1528 the Convent Church, dedicated to John the Baptist, was made the Müstair Parish Church. In this Convent Church, the Swiss scientists Robert Durrer and Joseph Zemp discovered in 1894 gorgeous Carolingian frescoes from the first half of the 9th century, under myriad layers of other paintings. The frescoes conduced educated monks to delve into the message of salvation.

Above the vault, scenes from the life of King David (Old Testament) can be seen, furthermore numerous scenes from the New Testament can be found. The life of Jesus is shown starting at his childhood until his return at the Last Judgment. One scene sequence was brought to the Swiss State Museum in Zürich in 1908/09, the other frescoes were exposed with help of the nuns between 1947 and 1951. The Church of the Holy Cross, a Carolingian jewel, however, was restored in 2018, and is now open to the public again (on certain dates).

In 1969, the Pro St. John Abbey Foundation was founded in Müstair to save the frescoes from ruin. Still today, nuns live in the complex - in the meantime declared a World Heritage site - and offer a spot of ease and reflection in their guest house. Some of the Romanesque pictures from 1200 can be seen in the Convent Museum, located in the Planta Tower, a more than 1,000 years old fortified residential tower. And how to reach the Saint John Abbey in Müstair? Is is located along the state road, a parking space can be found on the opposite side of the road. Also the PostBus Switzerland (Zernes - Malles) stops directly across from the building.

Contact info

Opening times

  • Fri 01 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sat 02 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sun 03 Dec 13:30 - 16:30
  • Mon 04 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Tue 05 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Wed 06 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Thu 07 Dec 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30

Despite careful control we cannot guarantee the correctness of the provided data.

Full timetables
Despite careful control we cannot guarantee the correctness of the provided data.

Autumn 2023 (01/10/2023 - 31/10/2023)

  • Mon 09:00 - 17:00
  • Tue 09:00 - 17:00
  • Wed 09:00 - 17:00
  • Thu 09:00 - 17:00
  • Fri 09:00 - 17:00
  • Sat 09:00 - 17:00
  • Sun 13:30 - 17:00

Late autumn 2023 (01/11/2023 - 03/12/2023)

  • Mon 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Tue 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Wed 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Thu 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Fri 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sat 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sun 13:30 - 16:30

All Saints 2023 (01/11/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

All Souls' Day 2023 (02/11/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

Winter 2023/24 (04/12/2023 - 30/04/2024)

  • Mon 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Tue 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Wed 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Thu 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Fri 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sat 10:00 - 12:00 13:30 - 16:30
  • Sun 13:30 - 16:30

Immaculate Conception 2023 (08/12/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

Christmas' Eve 2023 (24/12/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

Christmas 2023 (25/12/2023) closed

Boxing Day 2023 (26/12/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

New Year's Eve 2023 (31/12/2023) 13:30 - 16:30

New Year 2024 (01/01/2024) 13:30 - 16:30

Epiphany 2024 (06/01/2024) 13:30 - 16:30

Good Friday 2024 (29/03/2024) 13:30 - 16:30

Easter 2024 (31/03/2024) 13:30 - 16:30

Easter Monday 2024 (01/04/2024) 13:30 - 16:30

Labor Day 2024 (01/05/2024) 13:30 - 17:00

Spring 2024 (01/05/2024 - 02/06/2024)

  • Mon 09:00 - 17:00
  • Tue 09:00 - 17:00
  • Wed 09:00 - 17:00
  • Thu 09:00 - 17:00
  • Fri 09:00 - 17:00
  • Sat 09:00 - 17:00
  • Sun 13:30 - 17:00

Ascension Day 2024 (09/05/2024) 13:30 - 17:00

Whit Monday 2024 (20/05/2024) 13:30 - 17:00

Corpus Christi 2024 (30/05/2024) 13:30 - 17:00

Admission

guided tour of the Convent Church from the 8th century (approx. 45 minutes):
CHF 10.00 adults
CHF 8.00 students and apprentices (from 16 years on)
CHF 5.00 children and students (6-16 years)

guided tour of the Convent Museum (approx. 60 minutes):
CHF 12.00 adults
CHF 8.00 students and apprentices (from 16 years on)
CHF 6.00 children and students (6-16 years)
CHF 30.00 family ticket (2 adults with max. 3 children)
CHF 4.00 each additional child of the family

combined tour Convent Church & Convent Museum (approx. 90 minutes):
CHF 12.00 adults
CHF 8.00 students and apprentices (from 16 years on)
CHF 6.00 children and students (6-16 years)
CHF 30.00 family ticket (2 adults with max. 3 children)
CHF 4.00 each additional child of the family

guided tour of the Carolingian Church of the Holy Cross (approx. 60 minutes):
CHF 12.00 adults
CHF 8.00 students and apprentices (from 16 years on)
CHF 6.00 children and students (6-16 years)
CHF 30.00 family ticket (2 adults with max. 3 children)
CHF 4.00 each additional child of the family

free for children under 6 years

admission fees for groups on request

1 CHF = 1.06 Euro

More information

The Saint John Abbey stays open all year round, closed on Sundays and on public holidays in the mornings, the only day of complete closure is December 25. Payments can also be made in Euros.

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