Einsiedeln lies approx. 900 metres above sea level in a high pre-Alpine valley in the heart of Switzerland. The glacial landscape with its moors is surrounded by forested hills. The picturesque Lake Sihl, nestling harmoniously in the terrain, and the magnificent mountain scenery provided by the Wägital, Glarner and Central-Swiss Alps, provide a final touch to the picture-book setting.

Einsiedeln is one of Europe’s most significant Roman Catholic pilgrimage sites. Its Benedictine abbey is the largest in Switzerland. The magnificent Baroque building and the Lady Chapel, home to the famous Black Madonna, attracts pilgrims from far and wide. Einsiedeln is also an important place on the St. James’ Way pilgrimage route. Particularly worth visiting is the Abbey library, which houses books spanning more than 1,000 years. The Abbey has also bred its own horses since the Middle Ages.

Einsiedeln is the birthplace of Theophrast Bombast von Hohenheim, better known as Parcelsus. The famous physician and alchemist was born not far from the Devil’s Bridge, in the parish of Egg/Einsiedeln, in 1493.

The skiing and hiking paradise of Hoch-Ybrig, as well as the Mythen region, are just a few kilometres away and are popular excursion destinations for young and old alike.