Synagogue in Lausanne

The Reformed Church of St. Francis was built in the middle of the 13th century as a convent church. The complex burned down in 1368, but the church was rebuilt. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the church was threatened with destruction for town planning reasons, but it was eventually conserved and is now classified as a Swiss cultural property of national importance.

Lausanne Cathedral, built between 1170 and 1235, is one of the most important Gothic monuments in Switzerland. In the Middle Ages, it became an important place of Marian pilgrimage, attracting up to 70,000 people a year. Pilgrimages ceased when the cathedral became Protestant in 1536 and the silver-gilt statue of the "enthroned Virgin with Child" was melted down. In its present state, the church dates largely from the complete restoration of 1892-1909.

The church of Saint-Vincent was probably built in the 15th century on a former sacred building. The new church was consecrated in 1524 to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winegrowers. Shortly afterwards, when the Bernese arrived (1536), the church became a Protestant temple, which it still is today. The modern stained glass windows are signed by the artist Jean Prahin.