Visiting Appenzell, Switzerland: Top Sights on Foot

Appenzell is a village and town in northeastern Switzerland, in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, set at the foot of the Alpstein massif. Its historic churches, rare stone castle, hilltop ruins, museums and mountain backdrop make it a rewarding place to explore on foot. Neywo has a free audio guide for Appenzell, with 11 narrated places in 11 languages.

What to see in Appenzell

The most interesting things to do in Appenzell are concentrated around the village and its surrounding hills. These are the places to include in an Appenzell self-guided walking tour.

Capuchin Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Capuchin Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a quiet monastic presence in the heart of Appenzell. Its restrained setting offers a contrast to the village’s more prominent landmarks.

Kreuzkapelle

Kreuzkapelle, also known as Heiligkreuzkapelle, is a church in central Appenzell. Its local name and compact scale reflect the number of religious buildings woven into the village’s historic landscape.

Appenzell

Appenzell is the capital of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland’s smallest canton. Although officially classified as a village, it is considered a town by the Federal Statistical Office. It stands at 780 metres above sea level, with the Alpstein massif rising behind it.

Appenzell has an unusual political structure: it has no municipal government of its own. Instead, the village is divided between the districts of Appenzell and Schwende-Rüte, each governed by its respective district.

Protestant Church Appenzell

The Protestant Church Appenzell, or Reformierte Kirche, was built between 1908 and 1909. It forms a single architectural ensemble with the Protestant parsonage beside it. In a predominantly Catholic canton, the church has a distinctive place in the village.

Parish Church of St. Mauritius

The Parish Church of St. Mauritius is the Roman Catholic parish church and is dedicated to Saint Maurice, the patron saint of Appenzell Innerrhoden. A church was first built on this site around 1068 or 1069, and the building has since been expanded and rebuilt several times.

The present nave is neoclassical and dates from 1824–1825. The choir and tower survive from the late Gothic church that stood here previously. Inside, the Neo-Rococo decoration was created between 1890 and 1892 and survived a renovation in 2018 and 2019. The high altar dates from 1622, while much of the other furniture comes from the mid to late 19th century.

Museum Appenzell in the Buherre Hanisefs house

Museum Appenzell is housed in the Buherre Hanisefs house, in the heart of Appenzell. The building itself forms part of the museum setting, making it a useful stop for understanding the village’s local heritage.

Appenzell Castle

Appenzell Castle, or Schloss Appenzell, is one of the village’s architectural rarities. It is a stone building from the 16th century, a period when most structures in Appenzell were built of wood. Its construction helped it survive the centuries, when many other buildings were lost to time and fire.

Capuchin Convent of Mary of the Angels

The Capuchin Convent of Mary of the Angels is a quiet church set within the Appenzell landscape. It adds another layer to the village’s religious history and can be visited as part of a walk through the area.

Kunsthalle Ziegelhütte

Kunsthalle Ziegelhütte is Appenzell’s contemporary art museum and cultural centre, housed in a former brickworks. The name Ziegelhütte means “brickworks”, and the old industrial building now provides space for rotating exhibitions of contemporary art.

The programme also includes music: twelve concerts and three matinées take place each year, featuring classical music and modern variations, often performed by emerging musicians. The former building sections contain a small library and an open reading space that are freely accessible to children and adults.

Clanx Castle Ruin

The ruins of Clanx Castle stand on a hilltop north of Appenzell. Also known locally as Ruine Clanx or Burg zu Appenzell, the medieval fortress once watched over the valley. Only fragments of the walls remain, but the position offers views across the Appenzell basin and explains the site’s defensive importance.

Chapel of Mary of the Sun, Lehn

The Chapel of Mary of the Sun, known locally as Lehnkapelle or Maria zur Sonne, is a chapel in the Appenzell area. Its setting makes it a natural extension to a walk beyond the village centre, particularly when combined with the route to Clanx Castle Ruin.

Plan your Appenzell audio guide walk

For a free walking tour of Appenzell, Neywo offers two self-guided walks. The first covers Appenzell’s old town and includes churches, a stone castle and the former brickworks turned gallery. It is 1.85 km long, takes 71 minutes and has 9 narrated stops.

The second route heads above the valley to Clanx Castle Ruin and the Chapel of Mary of the Sun, Lehn. It covers 3.44 km, takes 69 minutes and includes 4 narrated stops. Together, the two walks cover the 11 narrated places in the Appenzell audio guide.

Download Neywo and explore Appenzell at your own pace. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, with no group and no schedule. It is a simple way to discover Appenzell’s churches, castles, museum and contemporary art centre while walking independently. For more destinations in the country, see the guide to Switzerland.