Timeline

The Abbey of St Gall began its existence in 612 as a personal cell for the saint and was dissolved in 1805. Its chequered history lasting well over a thousand years demonstrates an extraordinary continuity in the face of change, which persisted even after dissolution.

The Abbey Archives and Abbey Library have their own stories to tell, and today these too are at the core of the World Heritage site. Preserved in the Abbey Library are major artefacts reflecting the history of Western civilization since Late Antiquity , including the famous Plan of St Gall. The Abbey Archives with their early medieval records are another unique treasure.