Until 1447, there was no settlement on the site of today’s village centre of Saint Antoni. Later, a settlement grew up on the Schrick around the Chapel of St Anthony. The chapel was built to commemorate the victory won by the people of Fribourg over the people of Bern in 1448. From the mid-16th century, its name came to be used for the place. This sequence links Saint Antoni’s history to a specific location and a change of name that took place over generations.

Church History and Protected Cultural Heritage

Saint Antoni’s present-day church was built in 1893/94. The three choir windows of St Anthony’s Church depict the Passion and Resurrection of Christ in an abstract form. In 1894, Saint Antoni became an independent parish. Together with the chapel’s history, these dates tell the story of the place’s development as an ecclesiastical centre.

The municipal inventory of cultural heritage lists several buildings and other objects as protected cultural assets. The entries are divided into three protection categories:

• Protection category 1: the parish church of Antonius Eremita at Antoniusweg 40, the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel near Bächlisbrunnen 95, the Chapel of St James the Elder near Niedermuhren 120, the farmhouse near Obermonten 45 and the Apollonia Chapel near Winterlingen 119A.
• Protection category 2: the Sacred Heart Chapel near Burgbühl 50A and the Reformed Church at Cheerstrasse 22.
• Protection category 3: the rock chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows near Burgbühlhölzli, the sandstone quarry near Zum Kehr and the Way of the Cross from Sankt Antoni to Obermonten.

Landscape and Trails

The area around Saint Antoni stretches from the hill zone to the pre-Alpine mountain zone and has the corresponding vegetation. Different landscape zones therefore meet within the municipality. The hiking route from Saint Antoni to Tafers is approximately 4 kilometres long and takes around 45 minutes. On Stage 6 of the Alpine Panorama Route between Thun and Fribourg, Saint Antoni and Tafers lie amid idyllic scenery.

The Brecca Valley, a glacial trough, is located in the wider region around Saint Antoni. A hike lasting just under three hours takes you through the valley; an additional loop can extend the route by about 1.5 hours. Conditions and access for these regional hikes may vary seasonally. The Brecca Valley experience also includes the Buvette St-Antoni Brecca and its fondue. Its opening arrangements may vary by season. The hike to Tafers and the longer tour in the Brecca Valley therefore offer different time frames for planning.

Dairy Farming and Village Life

Agriculture also shapes the local character: dairy farming remains an important economic sector in Saint Antoni. The three dairies in Niedermuhren, Saint Antoni and Schweni process many tonnes of milk every day.

Discover more destinations: Bösingen, Oberschrot, Düdingen, Ueberstorf, Tafers, Plasselb, Schwarzsee, Plaffeien.

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