Hofkirche St. Leodegar

What makes it special

Two towers frame the west front, and they are the oldest part of what you see. A fire on Easter Day 1633 burned the church to its walls and spared only the towers, which still show Romanesque work. On the façade, a statue of Saint Michael stands over a defeated devil.

Inside, the high altar is black marble from Unterwalden. The central reliefs of two side altars, the Death of the Virgin altar and the Descent from the Cross, are late Gothic.

Stop under the great organ. Its case dates from 1640 and holds a pipe 10.7 metres tall, the largest of its time, and the instrument behind it now runs to 7,374 pipes.

Hidden inside it is an original rain machine. Built into the organ's echo section, it is a wooden drum turned by organ wind, with metal balls that strike its tin wall. It gives the organ storm concerts their downpour.

Outside, the churchyard is laid out as an arcaded cloister garden, unlike the usual Swiss cemetery. Its vaulted halls hold hundreds of epitaphs and grave slabs. Ask the parish office whether the halls are open during church hours.

Visiting

Seven numbered stations make up the parish's own walk through the interior, from the nave past the side altars, the choir screen and the choir stalls to the high altar. The great organ is the last of them.

A bilingual sign at the entrance points you to the church's wireless network and the parish's smartphone app, which tells the history on your phone as you go. Start in the nave, work forward to the high altar, then turn back for the organ.

Finish outside in the arcaded churchyard. For the classic photograph of the twin towers, stand on the stairs a few steps from the façade.

This is a working parish church, and a well-attended service can fill the nave. Come outside service times, keep your voice low and leave the flash off.

Guided or on your own

The treasury, a room painted in Art Deco style in 1933, opens only on a guided visit. The parish's Erlebnis Hofkirche tour takes it in along with the interior, the climb through the tower into the attic, and the great organ.

It runs on the first Friday of each month in the late afternoon, in German, from the main entrance. Reserve with the parish ahead, as groups are capped at 15. The tour is paid, and an English tour can be arranged by appointment.

Tips

Dress as you would for Mass: cover your shoulders and knees, and take your hat off at the door. Entry costs nothing, but donations towards the upkeep of the church and its music are welcome.

The main approach is a staircase from the lakefront, which is hard going with reduced mobility. The side streets give a gentler way up, though they still climb. Come in the morning for light through the windows, or late in the afternoon when fewer tour groups are inside.