St. Gallen, Switzerland

St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in northeastern Switzerland, home to around 76,000 residents near Lake Constance. Originating from a hermitage founded in 612 AD by Irish monk Gallus, the town grew into an influential Benedictine monastic center. The Abbey of Saint Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a Baroque cathedral with twin 68-meter towers and an Abbey Library holding 170,000 manuscripts and rare books. Historic townhouses in the pedestrian old quarter display 111 carved wooden bay windows commissioned by prosperous textile merchants.