The Kartause Ittingen Foundation

Preserving and bringing to life.

The Kartause Ittingen Foundation is responsible for preserving and developing a heritage site of national importance. It safeguards the historic monastery complex and brings it to life as a cultural and seminar centre rooted in the monastic values of culture, spirituality, education, care, hospitality and self-sufficiency.

Since its establishment almost 50 years ago, the Kartause Ittingen Foundation has combined the protection of its historic heritage with a vibrant, contemporary and largely self-supporting operating model.

Kartause Ittingen looks back on almost 900 years of history. Preserving this historic site requires long-term thinking, professional care and a willingness to assume responsibility across generations.

The Foundation maintains and cares for the historic buildings, gardens and cultural landscape, including the Ittingen Forest and its forest reserve. Kartause Ittingen is a vibrant place where people work, live, learn, meet, enjoy themselves and find peace and quiet.

Its 68 hotel rooms invite guests to experience tranquillity and the rhythm of nature. The Mühle restaurant, with its 150-year-old mill wheel, serves fine food made with produce from the estate. The Foundation’s farm, cheese dairy, butcher’s shop, bakery, fish farm, market garden and winery are all part of the complex. Through its supported employment and residential programmes, Kartause Ittingen creates opportunities for people who require support.

Together with the two cantonal museums – Kunstmuseum Thurgau and Ittinger Museum, which make the historic heart of the complex accessible to the public – and tecum, the Centre for Education and Spirituality, this unique ensemble has an impact far beyond the region.

The particular strength of the Kartause Ittingen Foundation lies in the interplay between its different responsibilities. Heritage conservation, economic activity, social inclusion, culture and spirituality do not exist in isolation, but are closely interwoven.

Historical heritage

This includes both routine maintenance and extensive restoration work requiring specialist expertise and considerable financial resources.

Economic self-reliance

The hotel, restaurant, seminar centre, estate and other activities generate a significant proportion of the funds required to operate and maintain Kartause Ittingen.

The Foundation thus combines its charitable mission with a high degree of economic self-reliance.

Social Inclusion

The Foundation provides employment and residential opportunities for 50 people who require support. Its various activities create an environment in which inclusion is part of everyday life at Kartause Ittingen.

The Foundation’s own businesses make an important contribution to financing Kartause Ittingen. Their proceeds support the operation of the complex and the fulfilment of the Foundation’s purpose: preserving this historic site.

However, preserving a historic complex of this size involves work that goes beyond routine maintenance. Heritage-sensitive restoration, long-term conservation measures and repairs following unforeseen damage cannot be financed solely from operating income.

Extensive work on the historic roofs is still required over the next four years. Despite the Foundation’s own contribution, there is an annual funding gap of around CHF 250,000.

Private donations, grants from charitable foundations and partnerships with businesses supplement the Foundation’s own contribution. They help to fund exceptional projects and preserve Kartause Ittingen for future generations.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees bears overall strategic responsibility for the Kartause Ittingen Foundation. It safeguards the long-term fulfilment of the Foundation’s purpose and oversees its development.

Carlo Parolari, President of the Foundation Board and of the Foundation Board Committee
Monika Knill, Vice President and Members of the Foundation Board Committee
Dr. Mike Gessner, Members of the Foundation Board Committee
Thomas Koller, Members of the Foundation Board Committee
Matthias Aebi · Nora Ahlburg · Christina Aus der Au · Patrick Candrian · Susanne Giger · Ruedi Heim · Peter Hinder · Kristiane Vietze · Markus Zürcher

Management

Operational responsibility lies with the Executive Board. It manages the Foundation’s various operations and tasks and ensures they work together in a coordinated manner.

Mark Ziegler, Procurator · Valentin Bot, Hotel Director · David Hengartner, Head of Social Services and Operations · Corinne Rüegg Widmer, Head of Communications and Marketing · Donat Streuli, Head of Estate Management · Manuela Strim, Head of Finance and Administration

The organisation chart shows the tasks, responsibilities and operational units of the Foundation.

The Kartause Ittingen Foundation is a charitable, non-profit foundation. It is supervised by ATIOZ, the Occupational Pension and Foundation Supervisory Authority for Ticino, Eastern Switzerland and Zurich. Controlla AG in Frauenfeld serves as its statutory auditor.

The Kartause Ittingen Foundation provides transparent information on how it fulfils its mission, carries out its responsibilities and uses its funds.

An insight into the activities, development and finances of the Kartause Ittingen Foundation.

Preserving and developing Kartause Ittingen are long-term responsibilities. Private individuals, charitable foundations and companies can contribute in different ways.

For every form of involvement, we seek an approach that is suited to the task at hand, the purpose of the funding and the interests of those involved.

By making a donation or becoming a Friend of Kartause Ittingen, you can help preserve its historic buildings and gardens.

Charitable foundations can support selected conservation and development projects. We would be happy to present suitable projects, budgets and further documentation to you.

Companies can get involved through financial contributions, specialist knowledge, in-kind contributions or a jointly developed partnership.

The focus is on a clear, shared purpose and a collaboration that suits both partners.

Your contact for funding and partnerships

A more substantial commitment begins with a personal conversation. I would be delighted to learn more about your interests and show you which responsibilities and projects align with your objectives.

Personal contact

Philipp Siedentopf
Head of Partnerships
Telephone: +41 (0)52 748 43 20
Email:philipp.siedentopf@kartause.ch