Gstaad Chapel (Gstaad, Switzerland)
Gstaad Chapel
The small chapel on Gstaad is not on an elevated point, but is on the side of the path. The Saanen landscape chronicle records the year 1402 for the construction of a chapel on Gstaad. When the Reformation was introduced in 1556, all saints and altars were removed. In the middle of the 17th century the room was extended to the north and at the beginning of the 18th century a gallery, pulpit and font were built in.
Because Gstaad suffered from a lack of classrooms at the end of the 19th century, the small church found a new use as a classroom. In 1923 the chapel had served its purpose as a classroom, as a new schoolhouse could be built in the Rütti. Contrary to many voices in favor of demolishing the church, it was restored and returned to the parish for use.
Since 1926, the St. Niklaus Chapel has had its current form with the rebuilt choir, sacristy and tower in its older and slimmer form.
The organ was installed in 1957 and extensively renovated in 2017, so that it sounds beautiful again today through the church service room.
Originally, two bells rang out on the Gstaad for worship and prayer. Both were cast in 1404. The smaller bell was melted down in 1807 when the large bell was re-cast in Saanen. The larger one, however, has been hanging in the tower of the chapel without interruption since 1404.