St. Peter Church

St. Peter is easy to spot from almost anywhere in the Old Town: look for the tower with the enormous clock faces. Each dial measures 8.7 metres across, and Zürich Tourism describes it as the largest church clock face in Europe. The church sits on a small hill just south of the Lindenhof, on a quiet square called St.-Peter-Hofstatt, and it is considered the oldest parish church in Zurich. Before the Reformation it was the town's only parish church; foundation walls from the 9th century are still visible under the choir.

The tower has its own history. A three-storey tower stood here by the early 13th century, and in 1450 it was raised to 64 metres. A fire watch was posted at the top from 1340 until 1911, looking out for flames over the wooden roofs of the medieval town. The upper part of the spire is clad in larch shingles. Five bells from 1880 hang inside; the largest weighs more than six tonnes without its clapper.

Several figures from Zurich's past are linked to the church. Rudolf Brun, the city's first mayor, acquired St. Peter in 1345, and his grave and monument are by the tower wall. Leo Jud, a friend of Zwingli and the first Reformed pastor here from 1523 to 1542, worked on the first Zurich Bible translation. The writer and theologian Johann Kaspar Lavater was pastor from 1778 to 1801, and his gravestone is set into the church wall. The church also hosts regular church music concerts.

Entry is free. Zürich Tourism lists daily opening hours, shorter at weekends; services and events can affect access, so check the church's website before you go. A visit takes 15 to 20 minutes, and it is pleasant to continue to the Lindenhof for the view, two minutes' walk away. The small square in front of the church is one of the calmer corners of the city centre.

The church is a few minutes' walk from Paradeplatz and the Rennweg tram stop, and about ten minutes from the main station. The Fraumünster, the Münsterhof and the Limmat riverbank are all just below.