Abbaye d'Einsiedeln et sa Vierge noire

Einsiedeln

The very name of the town – Einsiedeln, "the hermitages" – comes from the circumstances of the foundation, and the abbey's dedication repeats them: Our Lady of the Hermits. It is one of the rare abbeys known as territorial: it depends on no diocese. Since 1130 it has formed a double abbey, men at Einsiedeln and women at Fahr, under a single abbot. The Black Madonna of the Chapel of Grace draws around one million people a year, and the monastery is an important station on the Way of St James.

Getting there : Free admission to the abbey church and the Chapel of Grace

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound