HOFWELTEN - JAHRESABOS

Hof zu Wil
Courtyard Worlds:
The prince abbot's world of experience in the heart of Wil
Imagine: A prince abbot rules over a territory held together by monastic law, judicial power and clever administration. In the "Hof zu Wil" he did just that - for centuries. And it was here in 1647 that the Confederation laid the foundations for Switzerland and its army with the Defensionale of Wil.
The new permanent exhibition Court Worlds brings this extraordinary chapter of history to life - as entertaining and technologically innovative as a prince-abbot's world of experience has ever been, and at the same time deeply educational.

Take a seat at the prince-abbot's table. Listen to his advisors - and the voices of the present. Then decide for yourself.

Hofwelten invites you to experience true edutainment: ethical dilemmas from history come to life, historical and contemporary voices accompany you through each room - and you are invited to vote. At the end, you give your personal opinion on ten big questions - who should decide? What should be preserved? What role does religion play in the state? - and compare your answers with those of all the other visitors. History becomes a dialog.

Your personal Mediaguide
Every visitor receives an intelligent Mediaguide upon entry. With it, you can delve deeper into history, listen to stories of historical protagonists, vote, solve ethical dilemmas - and interact with the exhibition at your own pace and interest.

What you experience in the Hofwelten


Discover your profession
What would your profession have been at the time of the prince abbey? Find out - according to your own strengths and preferences.

Create your coat of arms
Design your own family or friends' coat of arms according to the rules of heraldry - and take it home with you straight away.

Vote & compare
Ethical dilemmas, historical votes, personal opinions on ten big questions - and a comparison with all the other visitors.

Experience the attic
Immerse yourself in one of the largest attics in Europe - and feel for yourself the effects of climate change on our lives.

And then there is Prince-Abbot Ulrich Rösch - one of the most famous and successful of his time, who celebrates his 600th birthday on July 4. A man who, despite celibacy, provided for two sons and did so as skillfully as you would expect of a territorial prince. His story is just one of many that will be told for the first time in the Hofwelten.

For the first time, more than 30 original objects from the time of the Prince-Abbey of St.Gallen will also be presented to the public - including a golden sun pocket watch and other treasures that have not been on display for centuries.

The building itself is an exhibit: no historical wall is covered, every room tells the story. Whether school class, family or history enthusiast - Hofwelten offers depth, amazement and a personal encounter with history for everyone.

The Hofwelten not only bear the UNESCO Memory of the World label of the St.Gallen Abbey Archives. The courtyard worlds in the courtyard of Wil allow visitors to experience and reflect on how good, just and responsible life and living together was yesterday, is today and should be in the future.