Altes Bad Pfäfers

About the museum

According to tradition, hunters from the Pfäfers monastery discovered the warm spring in the narrow Taminaschlucht (Tamina Gorge) in 1240. The first guesthouses clung to the rock walls above the river and could only be reached by ladders and cable winches. The Benedictine abbey of Pfäfers, founded around 740, administered the baths until its dissolution in 1838; as early as 1410, half of its income came from bathing. In the 16th century bathing boomed, and the physician Paracelsus, who was the first bath physician here in 1535, described the healing power of the water.

The present bathhouse was built between 1704 and 1716 above the gorge, and the chapel was consecrated in 1719. After the monastery was dissolved, the complex passed to the canton of St. Gallen. In 1839/40, a road was built through the gorge and the spring water was piped to Bad Ragaz, where the spa business later moved. The last bathing season in the Old Bath was in 1969.

Between 1983 and 1995, the building was comprehensively restored. Today, the house is considered the oldest preserved Baroque bath in Switzerland. It houses the Badgeschichte-Museum (bath history museum), a monastery museum, the Paracelsus memorial and a media library; a rock tunnel leads to the spring, whose water is 36.5 degrees.

Highlights

• Oldest preserved Baroque bath in Switzerland
• Badgeschichte-Museum (bath history) and Kloster-Museum (monastery museum) in the historic bathhouse
• Paracelsus memorial and media library
• Audio walk through the bathhouse to the year 1833
• Spring gorge with a 36.5-degree thermal spring
• Free admission to the museum and bathhouse

Permanent exhibitions

• Badgeschichte-Museum – The history of the bath, from the discovery of the spring to the last bathing season in 1969, and the changes in the lives of its guests.
• Kloster-Museum – The Benedictine abbey of Pfäfers, from its beginnings around 740 to its dissolution in 1838, and its role as a cultural center of the Sarganserland.
• Paracelsus-Gedenkstätte – A tribute to the physician Paracelsus, who worked as the first bath physician in Pfäfers in 1535 and described the healing power of the thermal water.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Stiftung Altes Bad Pfäfers

Admission & discounts

Admission to the Old Bath Pfäfers and the museum is free, but a voluntary donation is welcome. Access to the spring in the spring gorge is paid (tickets in the house's online shop); for individual tours, CHF 4 per person is charged for this. The fare for the gorge bus is extra (see arrival).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Many historic areas can only be reached by stairs. According to the website, the restaurant, self-service bistro, garden terrace, chapel, restroom, Taminaschlucht and the virtual tour are wheelchair accessible; the access road is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Dogs are welcome on the first floor and in the restaurant, but not in the museum or in the gorge.

Kids & families

• Stroller-friendly

The Taminaschlucht can be visited with a stroller; the key for the turnstile is available at the bistro.

Getting there & parking

A driving ban for cars, bicycles and e-scooters applies along the entire route. On foot, it takes about an hour from Bad Ragaz station along a car-free road beside the Tamina, about 20 minutes from Valens, and about 50 minutes from Pfäfers via the Schwattenfall. Gorge bus one way/return: adults CHF 6/11, children CHF 4/6, groups of 10 or more CHF 5/8; GA and Halbtax passes are not valid, payment by Twint. Groups of 10 or more must reserve at least two working days in advance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant

Restaurant with a lunch menu and wines from its own cellar, plus a self-service bistro; picnic areas below the house.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Old kitchen for apéros and receptions, dining hall for private events, seminars and conferences in the restaurant area; concerts with dinner. The house does not publish capacity figures.

Plan your visit