How to Swear in St. Gallen Swiss German
Learning a few local words is a fun way to better understand the culture – and that includes the occasional swear word. Unlike English, most St. Gallen Swiss German swear…
Goliathgasse
The Goliathgasse is one of the oldest streets in St.Gallen’s Old Town and once served as an important connection between the marketplace and the roads leading out of the city.…
What is it for?
Most people rushing through St. Gallen Trainstation have no idea there’s actually a small official area where flyer distribution is allowed without permission. And yes — it comes with rules.…
Cherry blossom | Kirschblüten
Cherry blossom season is famous in Japan, but you don’t have to travel that far to experience it. In St. Gallen, the city quietly transforms each spring as delicate white…
Family Garden Areas in St.Gallen
The city of St.Gallen is home to 17 family garden areas. They are located in various green spots across the city and differ in size and character. These gardens offer…
Römpler, Römpel Legend & Römpel Fire
Since the 1950s, the people of «Römpel» have been driving the evil spirit out of the town with a lot of noise every year on 30 December. This custom is…
St. Galler Design Weihnachtsmarkt | Christmas market
Wann/When:Samstag, 29. November 2025, 10.00 – 17.00 UhrSonntag, 30. November 2025, 12.00 – 17.00 Uhr Wo/Where:Baumann AG Der Küchenmacher, St.Leonhardstrasse 78, 9000 St.Gallen Besuche den St. Galler Designweihnachtsmarkt – junge Designer:innen, kleine…
St.Gallen in the Past: City Gates
As mentioned in the blog article A City of Gates and Walls, the city of St. Gallen was once surrounded by a massive wall and several gates. Here I’d like…
St.Gallen in the Past: The old paper mill | 1604
The old paper mill (Alte Papiermühle) at Kräzernstrasse 79 in St. Gallen is a monument to industrial history – and closely linked to St. Gallen Abbey Library Built in 1604…
H.R.Fricker – Rückgrat-Ortekataster
Since 1996, small brass plaques by H.R. Fricker have shaped the public space of St.Gallen. They bear inscriptions such as “Place of Idea”, “Place of Vision”, “Place of Irony”, or…
The UEFA Women’s EURO in Switzerland
In February 2019, I started writing my blog about the City of Saint Gallen (This is my Saint Gallen). In English, for locals, newcomers and tourists who want to experience…
St.Gallen in the Past: A City of Gates and Walls
Walking through the open squares and streets of St.Gallen today, it’s hard to imagine that the city was once completely enclosed by massive walls — with access strictly controlled through…
Fountain of Luck | Glücksbrunnen
On Kanzleigasse, near the Textile Museum, there is an old drawing fountain with a special legend surrounding it: anyone who throws a coin down and hits the bottom of the…
Arthur Bernhard Vogt | First «Stolperstein»
On September 28, 2023, the first Stolperstein in St. Gallen was laid to commemorate the tragic fate of Arthur Bernhard Vogt. This memorial stone is placed in front of his…
Henri Gisbert Geene | Sculptor
Henri Gisbert Geene (1865-1950) left his mark on the city of St. Gallen like almost no other. He lived in St.Gallen from around 1897 (?) to 1920 (?) and was…
St. Galler Brakteate
A bracteate is a thin coin that was minted on one side only. (Latin bractea = thin metal plate). The coin image that is depicted on the obverse is visible…
Johann Baptist Isenring | Daguerreotypist
Johann (1796 – 1860) heard about the daguerreotype in 1839 and ordered a camera in Paris. He was the first Swiss daguerreotypist and for me personally the most exciting artist…
111 Oriels
Do you know what the city of St.Gallen is famous for? Not only for their beautiful fabrics, the Open Air, the famous «Bratwurst», the beautiful Abbey Library or the Unesco…
Hongler Candles – Switzerland’s oldest candle manufacturer
The name Hongler first appeared in the accounts of the Berneck parish in 1703. What began back then continues to this day: Hongler Kerzen is Switzerland’s oldest candle manufacturer and…
Campus Galli (Messkirch DE)
Campus Galli is a Carolingian monastic community in Messkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The construction project includes plans to build a medieval monastery according to the early ninth-century Plan of Saint Gall using techniques from that era. On Campus Galli you…