Saint-François Church is a Gothic Franciscan church built around 1270 in the centre of Lausanne. Inside, you’ll discover an unusual four-sided choir and the Organopole, a set of four organs in different styles gathered under one roof.
Religious buildings
Main highlights
- The Organopole brings together four organs in different styles, covering the full range of repertoires.
- A four-sided choir, the result of the medieval city wall being moved up against the church.
- A medieval church, one of only two in Lausanne, alongside the Cathedral.
Overview
The church and Franciscan friary were built around 1270 on the southern edge of the town, during Lausanne’s urban expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries. As in other growing European cities, the Franciscans were called in to provide religious services. The bell tower dates from the early 15th century and echoes the design of the cathedral’s.
Now a Reformed church, Saint-François is, together with the Cathedral, one of only two surviving examples of medieval religious architecture in Lausanne. Despite successive additions, it retains the simplicity characteristic of the Franciscan order.
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What to see and do
The choir is the first thing to catch your eye. To build the church, the city wall was moved and now meets the axis of the choir. As a result, the choir has four sides with an angle in the centre, rather than a flat end wall.
The church is home to the Organopole, which brings together four organs : the great Kuhn organ, a Venetian organ, a Spanish organ and a chest organ. The great organ is the most recorded organ in French-speaking Switzerland. Its central section dates from 1777, making it the last surviving example in Lausanne of the first generation of organs built after the Reformation. It was extensively overhauled in 1990, when a new gallery was added.
The church is also a concert venue, hosting everything from classical and sacred music to jazz and contemporary works, all enhanced by the acoustics of the Gothic nave.
Practical information
Getting there : the church stands in the middle of Place Saint-François. TL buses stop at Saint-François, and the m1 and m2 metro lines and the LEB serve the nearby Lausanne-Flon station.
Parking : Rotillon and Lausanne-Palace car parks are nearby.
Visiting : admission is free, whether you explore on your own or during services.
Concerts : the programme is published by the parish and the Organopole.
Visitor tips
To hear the organs, attend a concert or a guided presentation of the instruments : each one has its own tonal colours reflecting its origins.
Take time to stroll around the square as well. The surrounding buildings showcase early 20th-century commercial and banking architecture.
Nearby attractions
- Lausanne Cathedral has overlooked the old town for more than 750 years.
- The Fountain of Justice on Place de la Palud is a Renaissance monument in the heart of Place de la Palud.
- The MHL Lausanne History Museum, housed in the former Bishop’s Palace, traces the city’s development over the centuries.
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