invme Place
Everywhere
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

Historic sites ·Lugano
4.61.2K
#2Historic sites in LuganoTravelers' Choice
  • Visit: 2h 10m
Make a plan here
Directions Website Call Bookmark

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

Is this your place? Get the badge for your website

About

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, is Lugano’s Roman Catholic cathedral and the seat of its diocese. It stands above the city and Lake Lugano in the Lugano Centro quarter.

More photos 1

1 / 1
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo — The cathedral’s side elevation and tall clock tower among trees

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo — The cathedral’s side elevation and tall clock tower among trees

What's on here

Festa di S. Carlo Borromeo Festa di S. Carlo Borromeo Wednesday, 20:00

Why go

  • The richly sculpted Renaissance façade, completed in 1517.
  • Romanesque columns and arches alongside a Gothic choir, side aisles and vaults.
  • The north-side bell tower, with a Romanesque base and two Baroque upper floors crowned by an octagonal lantern and cupola.
  • The domed Cappella della Madonna delle Grazie, with late-Baroque paintings and figures.
  • Mascioni’s 1910 organ, with 27 stops and about 2,300 pipes.

Don't miss

  • Saints Portal and rose windowFive medallions depict saints and the Virgin with Child; cherubs decorate the rose window above.Central façade
  • Wooden choirCarved stalls feature plant motifs and chapter coats of arms.Polygonal apse
  • Baptismal fontThe octagonal font is inscribed 1430.South nave
  • Marble high altarDesigned by Andrea Biffi and built in the late 17th century.Choir entrance
  • Figurative stained glassA large figurative stained-glass window stands behind the high altar.Behind the high altar

Know before you go

  • Opening hours: Daily, 08:30–18:30.

Tips for your visit

  • Concerts, conferences and guided visits are held in the cathedral.

Interesting facts7

1/7

  1. The façade combines white stone from Saltrio and Viggiù with Carrara marble.

    Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia

  2. Four false columns divide the façade into three sectors.

    Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia
  3. 17 figures

    The entablature frieze depicts 17 figures, including biblical characters and Sibyls.

    Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia

  4. The façade was inspired by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo’s Certosa di Pavia.

    Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia

  5. Figures of putti, birds and lion protomes decorate the portal frames.

    Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia
  6. 1909

    The tower holds nine bells: five historic bells from the 16th to 18th centuries and four cast in 1909.

    Kathedrale San Lorenzo (Lugano) - Wikipedia

  7. The central lunette depicts the Deposition of Christ; the side roundels show the four Evangelists.

    Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (Lugano) - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Archaeological work uncovered graves, painted plaster fragments and remains of an early semicircular apse. The church’s position above the lake also made it a landmark for sailors and a warning signal in times of danger.

  1. 5th–7th c.A small oratory stood on the site.
  2. 818The church was first mentioned in writing as a parish church with a baptismal font.
  3. 1078The church became a collegiate church.
  4. 11th–12th c.The church was rebuilt in Romanesque style.
  5. 12th–13th c.The church gained three aisles and a raised choir.
Show all
  1. 15th c.The church was enlarged, its entrance moved, and its open roof replaced by groin vaults.
  2. 17th c.The church received Baroque decoration, monumental altars and chapels.
  3. 1888The church became a cathedral when the Diocese of Lugano was established.
  4. 1905–1910Augusto Guidini led a restoration; some Baroque chapels were removed and Ernesto Rusca added frescoes.
  5. 14 October 2017The cathedral reopened for worship after restoration.

How to get there

  • On footThe cathedral stands midway on the slope between the station hill and Lugano’s historic centre, at Via Borghetto 1, 6900 Lugano. The main approach is Via Cattedrale, which connects it with Piazza Cioccaro and Piazza della Riforma.

Sources: Lugano Cathedral - Wikipedia · Cathedral of S. Lorenzo, Lugano - Things to do … · Kathedrale San Lorenzo (Lugano) - Wikipedia · Cathédrale de Lugano - Wikipedia · Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (Lugano) - Wikipedia · Cattedrale di San Lorenzo: description (its own… · checked 30 Sep 2026

Where
Via Borghetto 1, 6900, Lugano

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

Are events held at Cattedrale di San Lorenzo?

The cathedral hosts concerts, conferences and guided visits.

Is Cattedrale di San Lorenzo protected?

It is protected as a Swiss cultural property of national importance.

Has Cattedrale di San Lorenzo always faced the same direction?

The Romanesque church faced the opposite direction; its new western choir was built into the rocky slope.

What happened to the old main portal at Cattedrale di San Lorenzo?

The Romanesque main portal was moved to the sacristy.

How can I contact Cattedrale di San Lorenzo?

Call +41 91 921 49 45.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment Share
Loading comments…