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…
«Pelikanerker» 1708
»» Schmiedgasse 15 The «Pelikanerker» (Pelican) is towered over by a golden pelican who thrusts his chest to water his babies with his blood. It is made of oak- and…
«Kamelerker» 1673
»» Spisergasse 22 In St.Gallen are over 111 bay windows – 32 are in the city center. The most famous one is the «Kamelerker» (Camel Oriel). The lower part of…
«Greiferker» 1675
»» Gallusstrasse 22 Today I like to explain you my favorite oriel! It’s the «Greiferker» on the Gallusstrasse 22. It was built in 1675 by Jacob Christoph Stauder (1641 –…
«Kugelerker» 1690
»» Kugelgasse 8 In 1690, the reformed citizen Jakob Schlappritzi ordered the installation of the famous «Kugelerker» at his house (Kugelgasse 8). Three of the twelve Hercules (Heracles) exercises are…
«Schwanenerker» 1690
»» Kugelgasse 10 Take your loved one by the hand and stroll together to this oriel because this one shows a very special love story! The «Schwanenerker» (Swan) tells a…
«Zum Bären» 1708
»» Spisergasse 13 This oriel is made of stone! You can see two bears holding a golden crown as well as exotic fruits. The builder of this Oriel, Daniel Kunkler…
«Sternenerker» 1699
»» Spisergasse 19 The house dates back to 1564. Some components are older, like the construction of a roof structure from the year 1420. The «Sternenerker» (Star-oriel) is much younger…
«Zur Gerechtigkeit» 1629
»» Spisergasse 3 As the name suggests its’s about justice. You can see Justitia, next to a crane and libra with the sword as a reference for the Judgment. The…
«Engelerker» 1676
»» Marktgasse 17 This colorful wooden Oriel looks quite similar to this one: «Zum Granatapfel». On the underside of the oriel you can see an angel with a shell-like Element…
«Zum Granatapfel» 1676
»» Marktgasse 15 The colorful wooden Oriel «Zum Granatapfel» (Pomegranate) is about life and transience. It’s decorated with bizarre grimaces, a lot of fruits, bearded women and broken pomegranates. The…
«Zur Harmonie» 1707
»» Spisergasse 16 Unfortunately I don’t know anything about this one… If someone knows more about this oriel please write me!
«Zum grossen Hector» 1625
»» Spisergasse 22 I don’t know… If someone knows more about this oriel please write me!
«Allbier zum blauen Himmel» 1717
»» Spisergasse 24 I don’t know a lot about this one… it was built 1717 and is made of wood. If someone knows more about this oriel please write me!
«Industry & Craft» 1900
»» Multergasse 4 On the left you can see Merkur/Hermes wearing his winged helmet – the god of trade, heralds and merchants. And on the right site it’s a carpenter…
«Zitronenbaum» ~1680
» Schmiedgasse 1 I don’t know a lot about this one… it is made of wood and the name is «to the Lemon Tree» because the house was called like…
«Zum Engel» 1707
»» Spisergasse 5 There is a snake (Schlange) wrapped around a shell. I found out that this is the shell of Hygeia. It’s an old hungary symbol and can be…
«Zum Disteli» 1700
»» Spisergasse 4 This oriel was built in 1700. As you also can read on the oriel it was renovated by Mr. Vogel in 1947 and 1976. «Zum Disteli» means…
«Haus zum Mohrenkopf» 1702
»» Spisergasse 20 Probably the house belonged in the year 1625 the widow of Dr. med. Rotmund. The Oriel was built in 1702. On a sort of Corinthian column, a…
«Wergerker» 1641
»» Turmgasse 1 For many centuries, this late Gothic oriel had a central meaning for the city’s linen trade. Since 1667, once a year, the so called «Werckhmarcktsordnung», has been read from…
«Zum liegenden Hirsch» 1717
»» Spisergasse 41 Unfortunately, I haven’t found a lot Information about this oriel. Except that it is made of stone and was built in 1717. You can see a deer…
«Zum Schwan» 1910
»» Spisergasse 10/Kugelgasse 10 I know as much about this oriel like John Snow – Nothing. If someone knows more about this oriel please write me!
«Zum Vögeli» 1625
»» Spisergasse 25 On one site you can see the initials of the stonemason: «MF» and also the year «1625». This signs can’t be found in any other building. Because…
«Zum Felsen» 1709
»» Webergasse 19 I don’t found any Information about this Oriel… I can only guess… i think the two men are Like on the «Kugelerker» two turks. They have long…
«Zum Rebstock» 1783
»» Multergasse 6 This oriel is called «Zum Rebstock» (vine stock). As you can see there is a big grapevine. The vine stock is a symbol of life. «Ex Vite Vita», life comes…
«Zum Tiger» 1711
»» Historical and Ethnological Museum | Museumsstr. 50 This oriel is made with wood and it was originally built at the house by Marktgasse 21. Since the building was demolished…
«Am Freieck» 1904
»» Spisergasse 14 This oriel (bay window) was created in 1904 and the relief was made by Henri Gisbert Geene a professional sculptor (1865 – 1950). On the left side…
«Unknown» 1884
» Unterer Graben 5 This one was made by the Architect Eduard Engler in 1884. I don’t know a lot about it and I’m still no sure… is it a…
«Zur Nachtigall» ~1700
»» Spisergasse 9 A nightingale is depicted on the underside of the farrier. There are two gargoyle in the shape of a nightingale. If someone knows more about this oriel…