The silver feretory in the Fridolin Minster
Long before you reach Bad Säckingen you see the shimmering tower of the minster. The impressive 17th and 18th century renovated baroque church stands as a reminder of how powerful the order once was that led to the birth of the town here.
It was Fridolin, a follower of Hilarius of Poitier, who founded a monastery here on an island in the Rhine in the 6th or 7th century. This was the first step in the christianisation of the Alemannen. The saint's remains are kept in a gleaming silver feretory, weighing over three hundred kilos, that stands on the right hand side of the minster choir. This was commissioned from the Augsburger silversmith Gottlieb Emmanuel Oernster by the last Abbot of the order.
The anniversary of St. Fridolin's death is celebrated on the 6th March with a festive mass and a procession. A delegation from Glarus in Switzerland also take part. They cross the Rhine via the wooden bridge to join the procession, in remembrance of the saint who appeared to their ancestors in 1388 and helped them win the battle of Naefels.
Legend
Fridolin Minster
Münsterplatz, 79713 Bad Säckingen
opening times :unrestricted, admission free, guided tours by prior registration
access :car, train, bicycle
Tourismuszentrum
Waldshuter Straße 20
79713 Bad Säckingen
pho +49 (0) 77 61/56 83-0
Mon.-Fri.: 10h-18h
Sat.: 10h-12h
www.bad-saeckingen.de
Trips:
longest covered wooden bridge in Europe
Trumpeter’s Palace
Gallus Tower
Legend