Hotel Vadian

Lost and found

by ExoticGal

I put it under General Tips, not Must-See activities, 'cos not everyone wants to go here during their holiday. But if you do, no sweats! It's a pleasant place. I forgot my backpack on the St. Gallen bus, so my host Philipp took me there to get it back.
Don't forget stuff and just go here for fun, ya know! "cuz you have to pay 10 francs

St.Laurenzenkirche

by Cristian_Uluru

Walking along the Markplatz towards the Abbey of St. Gall, you will find on your right the Laurenzenkirche. Originally this church belonged to the abbatial complex. During the 16th century it became the principal center of the Reform in Sankt Gallen. The actual Neo-Gothic aspect was made in the restructuring effected to halves the 19th century. The interior of the church has got three naves with geometric sketches to the walls.

heidiland

by hanspeter_W.

Heidi would be thrilled if she could see her homeland now, in all its magical, natural summer beauty. Stretching beneath the mighty chain of the Churfirsten are Lake Walen and other smaller, sparkling mountain lakes.
In the thermal baths in Bad Ragaz, walkers soothe their legs; at Kerenzerberg, families enjoy toboggan and scooter rides; and up on high, mountain bikers tackle scenic trails. Here in the Heidiland holiday region, you will find Johanna Spyri's heroine celebrated everywhere: along Heidi's Trail on the Pizol, at the Heidi musical on the lake stage in Walenstadt, even on goat treks (think of Peter the Goatherd, her friend). But to come closest to her story, follow the Heidi Trail near Maienfeld, where you will encounter another local treasure: the vineyards of the Bündner Herrschaft.

Another unscheduled stop, another festival!

by Dabs

By the time we arrived in St. Gallen to find yet another festival, the 3rd one on our week long trip, I was beginning to think that all the Swiss do is party!

We stopped here on our way back from driving through the entirety of Liechtenstein on our way back to Zug Baar near Lucerne, we wanted to take a different way back than we had come and at least catch a glimpse of Lake Constance.

If I ever get back to Switzerland, I think I'd like to stop here again to see the Abbey Library that was closed by the time we arrived and do a more thorough walking tour through the Old City. I'm sure there are quite a few interesting stories behind all those bay windows!

Sankt Gallen

by aliante1981

SO WHAT SANKT GALLEN ACTUALLY IS, OR AN OFFICIAL VIEW

Sankt-Gallen - French Saint-Gall, town, capital of Sankt Gallen canton, northeastern Switzerland, in the Steinach Valley, just south of Lake Constance (Bodensee). In 612 the Celtic missionarySt. Gall founded a hermitage on the site. Disciples joined him, and c. 720 the foundation became a Benedictine abbey under Abbot Otmar. Until the 11th century, the abbey school was the most important educational institution north of the Alps, and in itsscriptorium were laid the foundations of the world-famed library. The town that developed around the abbey was ruled by the abbots, princes of the Holy Roman Empire after 1206. The abbey and the town allied with the Swiss Confederation in 1453and 1454, respectively. Clerical rule ended with the introduction of the Reformation in 1524, and the town became the capital of the new canton formed in 1803, when the abbey was disendowed. The town's outlying parishes were incorporated in 1918, whena communal constitution was adopted. Sankt Gallen has been a Roman Catholic episcopal see since 1846.

The most notable landmarks are the abbey church and the former monastic buildings. The church (1755?72), one of the finest Baroque structures in Switzerland, is now the Roman Catholic cathedral. The library (1758?67), with its unique Rococo hall, contains about 2,000 manuscripts, as well as numerous incunabula and books dating from the Carolingian and Ottonian empires. There is a commercial university, schools of textiles, embroidery, and fashion, several museums, a theatre, and a concert hall.

Sankt Gallen had a long association with linen and cotton textiles and early in the 20th century was a leading embroidery centre. The latter industry still flourishes but has been balanced by metalworking and the manufacture of clothing and glass. Well-known local events include the biennial Children's Summer Festival, the biennial International Horse Show, and the Swiss National Fair for agriculture and dairying. The population is German-speaking and about evenly divided between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Pop. (1991 est.) city, 73,367; metropolitan area, 127,578. This description comes from Britannica 2003