Church of St. Leodegar
Church of St. Leodegar
4.5
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Around 735/736, southern German nobles founded a small monastery at the site of today's Hof area, which was dedicated to St Mauritius. Around 1135, the autonomous monastery was attached to the Provostship of Murbach (Alsace) and St Leger was named patron of the church. In 1291, the Abbey of Murbach was forced to sell the Provost's Church and its belongings to the Habsburgs. In 1332, Lucerne joined the Helvetic Confederation. By 1433, the City of Lucerne had regained its rights from the Habsburgs, including those affecting the mo- nastery. In 1455/56, the Benedictine monastery was converted into a convent of Canon Regulars. Since then, the Canon Regulars have devoted themselves to the Liturgy of the Hours every day in the mornings and evenings. On Easter Sunday 1633, the church was burned to its foundations. The Jesuit Brother Ja- kob Kurrer from Ingolstadt was charged with the reconstruction of the church. Its consecration took place after the installation of the art works in 1644.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
561 reviews
Excellent
261
Very good
238
Average
61
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Kamal P
Byron Bay, Australia8,866 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
A historic church rebuilt in 1633 according to the information we received was in absolute prime shape well preserved and in use. Church of St. Leodegar was very attractive with its twin towers having cone shaped rooves. Their position on either side of the main entrance gave the façade a majestic appearance. The church complex stood on higher ground with access through two sets of broad stairways. After the first flight of steps the church looked great. The vicinity of the church had cafes and souvenir shops. Hofkirche could be easily recognised from far with its twin towers standing tall in the skyline.
Written May 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RjessMMM
Vancouver, WA561 contributions
Dec 2021
Peaceful wonderful church near the lake as we wandered Old Town heading to the Lion Monument. It was completely empty though it could have been related to the snowy weather. Pleasant time on our Lucerne journey. Enjoy.
Written December 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helmut S
Bangkok, Thailand2,027 contributions
Oct 2019
The Roman Catholic church "Hofkirche" was completed in 1639 but the consecration took place after the installation of the art works in 1644. The tall twin spires of the church are an excellent orientation landmark in the skyline of Lucerne. The nave is the most significant late-Renaissance construction in Switzerland with a length of 60m and 20m height. There are several altars with Virgin Mary. The area of the high altar and the wooden choir stalls usually are closed for the public. The church is open all day, definitely a must when visiting Lucerne. No entrance fee but donations for the upkeep are welcome.
Written November 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zirconium11
Singapore, Singapore634 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
Walked to this church from the nearby old town. Attracted by the two steeples that are iconic in Lucerne, we quickly entered the church.
To the left of the entrance was a columbarium which makes it a poignant experience...walking past the brothers and sisters that have passed on.
Inside the church is a must-see with beautiful sculptures and decorations of the Renaissance designs from centuries ago.
To the left of the entrance was a columbarium which makes it a poignant experience...walking past the brothers and sisters that have passed on.
Inside the church is a must-see with beautiful sculptures and decorations of the Renaissance designs from centuries ago.
Written December 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mzzyap
Philippines3,418 contributions
Sep 2017 • Family
Hofkirche St. Leodegar's interior is filled with elaborate gilt statuary and altars. Founded in the mid-8th century, Hofkirche was part of the monastery which founded Lucerne. Destroyed by fire in 1633, few original pieces remain in this 17th century building. Notable are the ornate wooden pews reserved long ago for the wealthier parishioners. Personal experience: when I was going into the church, the door opened and I said "thank you" to the courteous person who held it for me. When I looked, there was no one there --- that spooked me! We laughed when we realized upon inspection that the church's main entrance has a sensor that automatically opens and closes the wooden door:)
Written September 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2TravelHonies
Toronto, Canada949 contributions
Aug 2015 • Solo
After I have done window shopping, I spotted this magnificent twin tower church not far from the shopping area. Within a few minutes walk, I arrived to this Hofkirche.
Immediately I noticed the remnants of previous Gothic structure mixed with later reconstruction. This is the site of a 8th century monastery, which went through centuries of different ownership. It was burned down and reconstructed in the 17th century.
The interior was also seen with mixture of styles due to decorations from different people. The High Altar at the very end of the chancel is one of the few classical Roman Baroque tradition that has been created north of the Alps.
The grand organ was magnificent too.
I was pleased I took this visit!
Immediately I noticed the remnants of previous Gothic structure mixed with later reconstruction. This is the site of a 8th century monastery, which went through centuries of different ownership. It was burned down and reconstructed in the 17th century.
The interior was also seen with mixture of styles due to decorations from different people. The High Altar at the very end of the chancel is one of the few classical Roman Baroque tradition that has been created north of the Alps.
The grand organ was magnificent too.
I was pleased I took this visit!
Written September 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saintba
Buenos Aires, Argentina7,325 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
This is a beautiful church to visit near the Lake. Not as glamorous as other churches in Europe but very beautiful nonetheless. You can visit it free and then walk over to the Lion of Lucerne Monument which is only a few blocks away.
Written July 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diana R
Birch Run, MI2,888 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
We visited this cathedral on a recent trip to Europe. It’s quite beautiful, like many of the old churches we saw on our trip. Worth a stop to see.
Written May 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff K
Pittsburgh, PA2,353 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
The church is impressive and also has some gardens and graves outside. It’s not quite as nice as the Jesuit Church but its very pretty, nonetheless. It’s also conveniently located - near the Panorama and the Lion.
Written September 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Otacilio M
Rio de Janeiro, RJ41 contributions
Oct 2019
A little further from the Old Town, but equally easily accessible (we walked from train station to there with Family), is the Hofkirche or Church of Saint Leodegar, a Roman Catholic church of late Renaissance architecture. In the twelfth century, the abbey was under the jurisdiction of Murbach Abbey, whose patron saint was Saint Leodegar. In 1291 the abbey was sold to the Habsburgs. the Monastery experienced its heyday during the Reformation period, because Lucerne was a prominent city for the Swiss Catholic cantons. The papal nuncio, residing in Lucerne, used the Church as his cathedral during this time. For those who like architecture-The west-facing façade of the church was built between 1633 and 1639 following the fire that destroyed the church on the site. The portal is preceded by a nartex that is accessed through a large arc; on the cornerstone there is a painted bas-relief depicting saints Leodegar de Autun (left) and Maurizio d'Agauno (right). Below the statue of St. Michael the Archangel. Then there is a clock on the eardrum. The façade is flanked by two Gothic belfries with a square base with sides of nine meters and 63 meters high. This is one of the most visited churches in Lucerne, with an impressive building outside and very rich inside, full of sacred works of art and a beautiful organ. Next to the Church entrance there is a pretty garden surrounded by árcades with surprising small cemetery where the noble families of old were buried.
Written December 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
My husband and I will be in Luzern June 25 - July 10. We would like to hear the organ in the Hofkirche. Will there be any concerts during that time?
Thank you.
Connie Kimball
Written March 10, 2019
Hi everyone - does anyone know how much it costs to go inside? Thank you!
Written March 3, 2019
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