In the darkness before dawn on January 21, 861, two robbers named Richard and Peter crept toward a hermit's cell deep in the Finstern Wald—the Dark Forest. They had heard rumors of treasure, but the hermit Meinrad possessed nothing of worldly value. He had given everything away. When they murdered him, only his two pet ravens witnessed the crime. According to legend, those ravens followed the killers to Zürich, circling and attacking them until the townspeople grew suspicious and the murderers were apprehended. Today, those ravens appear on either side of the pulpit in Switzerland's most important pilgrimage church, silent witnesses to a story that began with a martyrdom and grew into a millennium of Marian devotion.
St. Meinrad had come to this forested hollow around 835, seeking the solitude his soul craved. He brought with him a statue of the Virgin Mary, a gift from Abbess Hildegard of Zürich's Fraumünster Abbey. For twenty-six years he lived alone with that image, praying in the wilderness until his death made him a martyr. Hermits continued to gather at the site, and in 934 a nobleman named Eberhard transformed the community into a Benedictine monastery under the patronage of Our Lady of the Hermits. The name "Einsiedeln"—the Hermitage—preserves the memory of its origins.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The defining moment in Einsiedeln's history occurred on the night of September 13-14, 948. Bishop Conrad of Konstanz had traveled to the monastery to consecrate a new chapel built over the site of Meinrad's cell. According to the ancient account, Conrad awoke in the night to find the chapel filled with light. Christ himself stood at the altar, surrounded by angels and the four evangelists, with the Virgin Mary presiding as the heavenly liturgy consecrated the sanctuary. When Conrad attempted to proceed with his planned ceremony at dawn, a voice rang out three times: "Stop, brother! The chapel has been divinely consecrated!"
This Engelweihe—the Angelic Consecration—became the foundation of Einsiedeln's fame. Pope Leo VIII confirmed the miracle by papal bull, and pilgrims began arriving in numbers that have never ceased. During the jubilee year of 1466, some 130,000 pilgrims required the services of 400 confessors. Today approximately 800,000 visitors come annually, making Einsiedeln the largest pilgrimage site in Switzerland.
The monastery's architectural history reflects both catastrophe and renewal. Fire consumed much of the medieval complex in 1577, and the revolutionary French burned the Chapel of Grace in 1798. But Benedictine perseverance rebuilt what was lost. The current Baroque church, designed by the monk-architect Brother Caspar Moosbrugger of the Vorarlberg school, rose between 1704 and 1735. The Bavarian Asam brothers—Cosmas Damian and Egid Quirin—created the stunning interior decoration between 1719 and 1735, their ceiling frescoes and stucco work ranking among the finest examples of South German Baroque.
Pope John Paul II visited on June 15, 1984, celebrating Mass with thousands of pilgrims and consecrating a new high altar. His prayer before the Black Madonna invoked her as "noble daughter of Zion" who walked a "pilgrimage of faith" until she stood beneath the cross of her Son.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Einsiedeln
Klosterkirche
Abbey Church of Our Lady of the Hermits
The Baroque abbey church dominates the town square with its twin towers and sweeping facade. Inside, the Asam brothers' decorative program transforms the space into a vision of heaven descending to earth. Ceiling frescoes in warm ochres and blues depict scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, while white and gold stucco frames every surface. The ravens of St. Meinrad appear on either side of the ornate pulpit, carved in tribute to the birds that brought his murderers to justice. The great organ, one of Switzerland's finest, accompanies the liturgies where Gregorian chant continues the tradition established over a thousand years ago.
Gnadenkapelle
Chapel of Grace
Standing near the entrance of the abbey church, the Chapel of Grace marks the site of St. Meinrad's original hermit cell. The current structure, rebuilt in neoclassical style between 1815 and 1817 after French revolutionary troops destroyed its predecessor, creates a striking contrast with the surrounding Baroque ornamentation. Within this chapel stands the Black Madonna—a late Gothic wooden statue darkened by centuries of candle smoke, dressed in elaborate vestments changed according to the liturgical season. Pilgrims gather here throughout the day, but the most moving moment comes at 4:30 PM when the monks process to the chapel for Vespers and the singing of the Salve Regina, a tradition maintained for over four hundred years.
Stiftsbibliothek
Abbey Library
The monastery library, while not open to general visitors, preserves treasures accumulated over more than a millennium of Benedictine scholarship. The collection includes medieval manuscripts, incunabula, and theological works spanning the full breadth of Catholic intellectual tradition. Scholars may request access through the abbey.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Engelweihe — September 14
The feast of the Angelic Consecration draws the largest crowds of the liturgical year. Pilgrims fill the abbey church and overflow onto the great square for solemn Mass commemorating the miraculous dedication of 948. The monastery and surrounding buildings are illuminated for the occasion, and the monks celebrate with special solemnity the mystery that placed Einsiedeln among the great Marian shrines of Christendom.
Feast of St. Meinrad — January 21
The anniversary of the hermit's martyrdom brings pilgrims to honor the founder whose solitary prayer established this place of grace. Special liturgies recall his life, his gift of hospitality that led to his death, and the legend of the avenging ravens.
Daily Salve Regina — 4:30 PM
Every afternoon, the Benedictine community processes to the Chapel of Grace for Vespers, concluding with the centuries-old tradition of singing the Salve Regina before the Black Madonna. This daily devotion, maintained without interruption for over four hundred years, offers pilgrims the opportunity to join their voices with the monks in honoring Our Lady of the Hermits.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotel Drei Könige ⭐⭐⭐ — A two-minute walk from the abbey, this renovated hotel offers 40 rooms including junior suites designed according to Feng Shui principles. Restaurant, fitness center, sauna, and terrace with views toward the monastery. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Boutique Hotel St. Georg ⭐⭐⭐ — Just 80 meters from the abbey, offering 42 individually furnished rooms with natural materials. Spa area with sauna and steam bath, restaurant serving Italian and international cuisine, regional breakfast included. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Gasthaus Meinradsberg (guesthouse) — A two-minute walk from the abbey, this traditional guesthouse offers comfortable rooms and a restaurant serving French and Mediterranean cuisine. Named for the mountain where St. Meinrad first established his hermitage. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Zurich Airport lies approximately 45 km northwest. Direct train connections to Einsiedeln via Wädenswil (approximately 1.5 hours total).
By Train: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) operates regular service to Einsiedeln via the scenic route from Zürich through Wädenswil on the shores of Lake Zürich. The journey takes approximately 1 hour from Zürich Hauptbahnhof.
By Car: From Zürich, take the A3 south toward Chur, exit at Pfäffikon SZ, and follow signs to Einsiedeln (approximately 45 km, 50 minutes). Parking available in the town.
On Foot: Einsiedeln lies on the Via Jacobi, the Swiss portion of the Way of St. James. Pilgrims walking from Konstanz or Rorschach reach Einsiedeln after approximately 209 km, passing through the Thurgau pre-Alps and Rapperswil on Lake Zürich.
📚 Further Reading
Catholic Encyclopedia: Abbey of Einsiedeln — Authoritative historical entry covering the abbey's founding, the Engelweihe, and its place in Swiss Catholic history.
University of Dayton: Einsiedeln Black Madonna — Scholarly resource on the Black Madonna's history, iconography, and veneration.
🎥 Recommended Videos
Kloster Einsiedeln - Salve Regina — Recording of the monks singing the daily Salve Regina before the Black Madonna in the Chapel of Grace.
🔗 Useful Links
Kloster Einsiedeln — Official abbey website with Mass times, pilgrimage information, and livestreaming of liturgies.
Einsiedeln Tourism — Regional tourism information including accommodations and events.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) — Train schedules and tickets for travel to Einsiedeln.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Flüeli-Ranft (60 km southwest) — The hermitage of St. Nicholas of Flüe, Switzerland's patron saint, who lived in this gorge for twenty years without food. His preserved cell and the chapels of the Ranft remain places of profound spiritual encounter.
Mariastein (95 km northwest) — Switzerland's second most important pilgrimage site, where the Smiling Madonna is venerated in a cave chapel reached by 59 steps carved into the living rock.
Engelberg (50 km southwest) — Benedictine monastery founded in 1120, set in a dramatic alpine valley beneath Mount Titlis. The abbey church houses Switzerland's largest organ.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Hail Mary, Our Lady of Einsiedeln! We greet you as Elizabeth once greeted you: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.' Commend us to your Son, present us before your Son! Mary, Mother of the Church, Our Lady of Einsiedeln, pray for us!" — Pope John Paul II, Prayer at Einsiedeln, 1984
