Vaulted Cellar

Permanent exhibition in the Vaulted Cellar of the Abbey Library

By means of original manuscripts and objects, the exhibition Gallus and his Abbey takes us through 1400 years of cultural history, from the original hermit’s cell built by Gallus through to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Abbey District. The exhibition presents the abbey’s contribution to the cultural development of Europe in writing, language, music, architecture, art and spirituality.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is certainly the Evangelium Longum. The magnificent binding of this book was created around 895 by the St Gall monk and artist Tuotilo. A multivision display follows the route that Gallus took from Ireland to Lake Constance, and afterwards to the Steinach Valley. The impressive capitals and imposts from the Gozbert Basilica, which was consecrated in 837, are a good example of early medieval building culture at the time of the famous St Gall Abbey Plan.

The later development of the princely abbey and its relations with the nearby city of St Gallen are presented in a separate section. Precious items from the church treasury and the collection of curiosities, as well as the Baroque model of the monastic church, bring the heyday of the Baroque period to life.