In 1027, Count Radbot of Habsburg stood with his wife Ita of Lorraine on a hillside in the Aargau, watching Benedictine monks from Einsiedeln take possession of the land he had given them. Neither could have imagined that from this modest foundation would spring the dynasty that would rule the Holy Roman Empire, govern Austria for six centuries, and produce the last Catholic emperor of Europe. The monastery they founded became the spiritual heart of the House of Habsburg—the place where the family's fortune began and where, centuries later, the hearts of their last emperor and empress would find their final rest.
Today pilgrims climb the steps to the Loreto Chapel within the monastery cloister to venerate the hearts of Blessed Karl I and Empress Zita, sealed together in a marble stele behind the altar grille. Karl, the last Habsburg emperor, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2004 for his tireless pursuit of peace during the First World War and his exemplary life as husband and father. His wife Zita survived him by sixty-seven years, her cause for canonization now open. In this chapel where their hearts rest side by side, devotees of the last emperor encounter a Habsburg story that began with generosity and ended with holiness.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Radbot and Ita chose the name Muri for their foundation—a place that would serve as burial site and memorial for their family. Bishop Werner of Strasbourg, Radbot's brother, contributed additional lands. The first monks arrived from Einsiedeln under Prior Reginbold, and in 1055 the community elected its first abbot, Burchard. Radbot died around 1045 and was buried at the abbey he had founded.
For over eight centuries, the monastery flourished. Its library grew famous; its lands expanded; its abbots wielded influence throughout the Swiss Confederation. By the eighteenth century, Muri had become one of the wealthiest monasteries in Switzerland. The Romanesque church of the founders gave way to Baroque magnificence as Caspar Moosbrugger—architect of both Einsiedeln and Disentis—transformed the abbey complex. The Romanesque crypt alone survived, its columns supporting vaults that have sheltered prayer for nearly a millennium.
The French Revolution and its aftermath brought catastrophe. On January 13, 1841, the radical-controlled Canton of Aargau decreed the dissolution of all monasteries within its borders. Augustin Keller, the politician who championed the suppression, decried what he called monastic "parasitism." On January 27, armed cantonal forces expelled the monks from their home of eight centuries.
The community never entirely disbanded. After years of wandering, Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I offered them refuge at Gries near Bolzano in South Tyrol. Pope Gregory XVI confirmed the transfer in 1844. Today Muri-Gries Abbey continues in Italy, though a small Benedictine community returned to Muri in 1960, residing in a hospice built that year.
The Habsburg connection gave Muri a second life as a pilgrimage destination. In 1970, the family reached agreement with the Catholic parish to establish a burial chapel in the Loreto Chapel for Emperor Karl, Empress Zita, and their descendants. The following year, Empress Zita entrusted her husband's heart to Muri. When she died in 1989, her own heart was placed beneath his—"united with the heart of her husband," as the plaque notes, "after 67 years of separation."
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Muri
Klosterkirche
Abbey Church
The Baroque church transformed by Caspar Moosbrugger in the early eighteenth century houses Switzerland's largest nave. Renaissance stained glass windows in the cloister and oil paintings by the Swiss artist Caspar Wolf create a visual feast. The building preserves elements spanning nearly a thousand years, from the Romanesque crypt to Baroque altarpieces. Interactive exhibits throughout the complex help visitors understand the layers of history accumulated here.
Romanische Krypta
Romanesque Crypt
The three-aisled Romanesque hall crypt dates to the original abbey church consecrated around 1064. Columns support vaulted ceilings whose surfaces bear paintings from the early sixteenth century, whitewashed in later centuries and exposed again during 1932-33 restoration. This is the sole surviving element of the Romanesque church that Radbot and Ita knew—a place where Habsburg history began.
Loretokapelle
Loreto Chapel
Within the monastery cloister, this chapel serves as the Habsburg burial place and the goal of pilgrims devoted to Blessed Karl. The emperor's heart, enclosed in a silver urn, rests in a black marble stele behind the altar grille. Beneath it lies the heart of Empress Zita, placed there in December 1989. The chapel also contains the bodies of their sons Rudolf and Felix, along with other family members. A treasury displays relics and devotional objects. For those seeking the intercession of Blessed Karl—known for his commitment to peace and his sanctification of married life—this small chapel represents the heart of his veneration.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Blessed Karl of Austria — October 21
The liturgical memorial of Blessed Karl falls not on the anniversary of his death (April 1, 1922) but on the anniversary of his marriage to Princess Zita in 1911. This unusual choice reflects the Church's recognition that Karl's path to holiness ran through his vocation as husband and father. Special Masses, veneration of relics, and educational programs mark the day at sites of his veneration worldwide. At Muri, pilgrims gather to pray before the hearts of Karl and Zita, united in this place as they were united in life.
April 1 — Anniversary of Karl's Death
On this day in 1922, Emperor Karl died in exile on Madeira, having refused to renounce his responsibilities to his peoples. Throughout her long life, Empress Zita visited Muri every year on this anniversary to pray before her husband's heart. Pilgrims continue the tradition.
🛏️ Where to Stay
CASPAR Swiss Quality Hotel ⭐⭐⭐ — Adjacent to Muri Abbey, this hotel combines three historic buildings: the new Haus Wolf and the historic Ochsen and Adler inns. Fifty rooms, two restaurants, seminar facilities. The Gasthof Adler features regional cuisine with locally-sourced ingredients. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel Ochsen ⭐⭐⭐ — Historic inn dating to 1596, steps from the monastery. Thirteen rooms, free WiFi, parking, restaurant with open kitchen featuring regional ingredients, grilled and smoked dishes. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Train: Swiss Federal Railways operates trains from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to Muri AG (approximately 45 minutes, 5 trains daily). From Lucerne, connections via Rotkreuz take approximately 1 hour.
By Bus: PostAuto operates service from Zürich Wiedikon station to Muri AG station (approximately 54 minutes, twice daily).
By Car: From Zürich, take the A1/A4 toward Lucerne, exit at Muri, and follow signs to the town center (approximately 30 minutes). From Lucerne, approximately 40 minutes via the A14 and cantonal roads.
By Air: Zürich Airport is approximately 45 km distant. Train connections to Muri as described above.
📚 Further Reading
Blessed Karl of Austria — Official website of the Emperor Karl League of Prayer, with resources on his cause for canonization and the significance of his veneration at Muri.
Catholic Encyclopedia: Muri — Historical entry on the abbey's founding and dissolution.
🔗 Useful Links
Museum Kloster Muri — Museum information, opening hours, and guided tour bookings.
Emperor Charles League of Prayer — Resources for devotees of Blessed Karl, including prayer cards and news of his cause.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) — Train schedules and tickets for travel to Muri.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Einsiedeln (40 km southeast) — Switzerland's premier pilgrimage site, home to the Black Madonna. The first monks at Muri came from Einsiedeln, linking these two foundations in Benedictine solidarity.
Mariastein (65 km northwest) — Switzerland's second most important pilgrimage site, where the Smiling Madonna is venerated in a cave chapel.
Flüeli-Ranft (50 km south) — Hermitage of St. Nicholas of Flüe, patron saint of Switzerland, whose counsel preserved Swiss unity at the Diet of Stans in 1481.
Engelberg (55 km south) — Benedictine monastery founded in 1120 by Count Conrad of Sellenburen. The first abbot was a monk from Muri, linking these foundations.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"From the very beginning of my reign, I sought to lead my peoples out of the horrors of war, for which I bear no responsibility. I never wished to extend imperial rule by war; I renounce every participation in the affairs of the state. But I do not renounce my rights, for I am responsible before God for my peoples." — Blessed Karl of Austria, Eckartsau Manifesto, 1918
