St. Gallen, Switzerland

St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in northeastern Switzerland, home to around 76,000 residents near Lake Constance. Originating from a hermitage founded in 612 AD by Irish monk Gallus, the town grew into an influential Benedictine monastic center. The Abbey of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a Baroque cathedral with twin 68-meter towers and an Abbey Library holding 170,000 manuscripts and rare books. Historic townhouses in the pedestrian old quarter display 111 carved wooden bay windows commissioned by prosperous textile merchants. Visitors walk through medieval streets, hillside parks, and alpine trails looking toward the Säntis mountain.