Wasserkirche and Helmhaus
Address:
Limmatquai 31
8001 Zurich, Switzerland
Phone:
044 251 61 77
NileGuide Expert tip:
Wasserkirche's crypt is home to the stone on which Felix and Regula were supposedly beheaded.
Description:
Wasserkirche, the appropriately named Water Church, used to be on a small island in the Limmat River until the construction of Limmatquai in the 19th century. According to city legend, patron saints Felix and Regula were beheaded here, and thus, the first iteration of Wasserkirche was built in the 10th century. The Helmhaus portion of the building was added a few centuries later. Once the Reformation took place in Zurich, Wasserkirche and Helmhaus were taken over by the city and given municipal purposes. In 1634, the buildings housed Zurich's first public library. Helmhaus now functions as a free-entrance museum featuring contemporary art exhibits. Since 1940, Wasserkirche has retaken its role as a house of worship.
Map:
