2 km away from Tubre in the Val Monastero valley, already on Swiss territory, there’s a famous World Heritage site
Image gallery: Saint John Abbey Museum in Müstair
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). 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 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 in a more than 1,000 years old fortified tower. In December 2024, "Bun Viadi", the exhibition at the museum, has made space for the new permanent exhibition "Paths from and to Müstair". And how to reach the abbey? Is is located along the state road, a parking space can be found on the opposite side of the road. The PostBus (Zernes - Malles) stops across from the building. Also the bike tour to the Engadine via the Forno Pass leads past it.
Contact info
- State road 12 - 7537 - Müstair
- +41 81 8586 189
- visit-museum@muestair.ch
Opening times
Despite careful control we cannot guarantee the correctness of the provided data.
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)
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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
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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
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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
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free for children under 6 years
admission fees for groups on request
1 CHF = approx. 1.07 Euro
(payments can also be made in Euros)
More information
Special exhibitions till April 6, 2026:
* "IN PERSONA. The nuns of Müstair and their favourite objects" from September 7, 2024
* "PIA WILLI. Art in the Abbey" from December 7, 2024
The Saint John Abbey Museum in Müstair stays open every day all year round, on Sundays and on public holidays only in the afternoon, the only day of complete closure is December 25.
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