Museum Of The Swiss Capuchin Monks

The oldest Capuchin monastery in Switzerland survives today by marketing itself as an ideal place to hold courses and seminars but even that is not enough to meet the costs of upkeep. Lay supporters have stepped in to initiate a fundraising drive.

A feeling of deep calm enters a visitor’s soul arriving at the monastery of Bigorio, nestled on the slopes of the mountain of the same name near Lugano in southern Switzerland. The Capuchins have maintained this tiny discrete oasis since 1535, not long after the foundation of their order.

For centuries Bigorio was a flourishing centre of monastic life, and it was enlarged and renovated several times. The present three-storey structure goes back to 1767. But the days of prosperity and expansion are no more than a distant memory for this historic religious house.