This magnificent 12-century Gothic cathedral is the main feature of any postcards of Lausanne, and rightfully so! Fact: It is literally the highest point of the city, and also the largest cathedral in the whole of Switzerland. The cathedral was built in stages over 1170-1275 and was consecrated and dedicated to Our Lady by Pope Gregory X, Rudolph of Habsburg and the bishop of Lausanne at the time.

Every hour, the bells breaks out into a glorious cacophony for about 15 minutes: You can hear them chiming from anywhere in the city!

Like many other cathedrals in Europe, the Lausanne Cathedral was stripped away of many saint statues and decorations during the Reformation period. Still, even in simplicity, the cathedral stands beautiful today. Once inside, you will discover beautiful rose windows, four spires and a grand organ with 7000 pipes that make it the only one of its kind in the world.

For an extra 5 CHF, you can climb up the 500-year old staircase to the top of the bell-tower for a breathtaking view of the whole of Lausanne. Otherwise, the courtyard outside the cathedral is equally great for sunset-watching!