The cathedral of St. Nicholas is perhaps the symbol of the city and the canton. The works were started in the 13th century over the ruins of an ancient Roman building, as well as many other churches in the European territory.
The style that characterizes it is the Gothic one and this can be noticed from its imposing, but slender form that makes it resemble to a gigantic tower. This search for elevation towards God is also given by the choice of the building: a rocky spur that raises it 50 meters. It looks like a modern representation of the Tower of Babel with its 76m in all. Its immense dimensions are the result of more than 200 years of work, in fact it was finished in 1490.
One enters the cathedral from the Portal of the Apostles, which is crowned by several statues of prophets, angels and apostles. Tourists are averagely impressed by the exterior, but the interior is no less impressive.
The stained glass windows, created by Polish painter Jozef Mehoffer between 1896 and 1936, are one of the most important examples of Art Nouveau religious stained glass in Europe. The ensemble was completed in the 1970s with the works of the French painter Alfred Manessier.
The organs have classical and romantic characteristics. The ensemble is the work of local manufacturer Aloys Mooser, 1824-34. His instruments acquired international fame, attracting famous musicians such as Franz Liszt and Anton Bruckner.
Also worth seeing are the baptismal font by Gylian Aetterli, the igneous stalls by Antoine de Peney, the pulpit by Hans Felder and the stained glass windows by Jozaf Mehoffer.
