Fresco

During the construction of the Gothic transept of Fraumünster, a tripartite alcove was created. In 1272, the remains of the first abbesses, Hildegard und Berta, were buried under this alcove.

Around 1300 a large frescoes were painted about the burial, which is considered a significant historico-cultural testimony because of its artistic quality and its content.

The founding legend of Fraumünster

Two scenes from the founding legend of the Fraumünster abbey in 853 and its decor of relics depicting St. Felix and St. Regula are displayed. The depiction of the Fraumünster featuring two towers cut the image in two.

To the right, a deer with glowing antlers leads the sisters Hildegard and Berta, daughters of king Louis the German, from their father’s castle to the place where Fraumünster was later to be built.

To the left, a procession from the Grossmünster to Fraumünster is illustrated. Seven bishops and a king at the head of the procession carry two coffins with the remains of Felix and Regula. Underneath the left coffin, two people in need imporing help; underneath the right coffin, a founding couple is praying.

Reproduction in watercolour

Archaeologist and prehistorian Ferdinand Keller (1800–1881) discovered the covered up mural in 1847 and carefully exposed it. The Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich (Antiquarian Society of Zürich) commissioned artist Franz Hegi (1774–1850) to paint a reproduction using watercolours. The well conserved original was covered soon thereafter.

The paint was likely reduced to a minimum previously, so that uncovering the fresco again in 1912, it was declared as distroyed. Probes from 2006 confirm the decidedly poor condition of the image.

In its place, the Protestant church enlarged the reproduction from 1847 to match the original and fitted it over the original after the interior renovations in 2006.