Monastery Piazza and Abbey courtyard Kloster

Einsiedeln, Switzerland

Landscape Architects: Beglinger + Bryan Landschaftsarchitektur

Year: 2008
Architektur: Morger + Dettli Architekten, Basel

The way of arriving at the monastery Einsiedeln has always been important. The two scenic paths, connection-axis to the site and anchor in the landscape, are the starting position of the draft. They end in two parks, flanking the new monastery piazza. The shape of the square is formed by mirroring the line of the convent wall by the central axis of the monastery. These two equal sides are the base of the structure, which lead the visitor on different paths to the main entrance. The piazza connects the main facade of the monastery with the arcades and the Mary fountain. The isosceles triangle stands for the completion and for the number 3, which in Christianity is believed as real unity (beginning-middle-end, top-middle-bottom). Through the clear zoning of the total open space in front of the monastery, the piazza and the two parks will be linked to a new urban level. This transformation of the entire system increases the attractiveness and benefits the local people and the streams of pilgrims.