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Grossmunster Church is one of the most prominent and most-visited attractions in Zurich. It is nearly 1,000 years old and towers over the city. You can’t miss it. It has a large labyrinth outside its steps. I was excited to go inside the church and also to walk the labyrinth. Unfortunately, the church is undergoing an absolutely massive renovation project so scaffolding covers much of it, and a construction site has obscured about 90 percent of the labyrinth. I could see a sm

When I heard that there was a plaza in Zurich literally called Labyrinthplatz, it quickly moved up my list. There was definitely a labyrinth there - actually two labyrinths - with an inner stone-and-gravel pattern surrounded by a garden maze. The whole parcel was in a mild state of disrepair. It was in a part of town a fair distance from the center city so if you head out there, be advised that there’s not much else in that immediate vicinity that will probably merit much att

Normally when I go looking for labyrinths, they are on the ground. This one was unusual - on the wall of a building above the door. I nearly missed it. The stone relief carving was reportedly installed on that building’s facade way back in 1585. It is in the ‘old city’ section of Zurich which has lots of narrow alleys and back streets. This is the first labyrinth in a while that I was not able to walk.

If there is a true holy grail for a labyrinth enthusiast, it is surely one place - Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France. It is where the Chartres style pattern started, a pattern that includes many of the labyrinths in the world. To say it is a special design in a unique building is an understatement. Hopefully the photos help show the experience. The labyrinth is usually covered up with church seating, but on most Fridays, from April to October, it is uncovered and able to

Labyrinthe du Jardin des Plantes is a small, winding sloping path through hedges that ends in a raised gazebo at the center. It is in Paris, not too far from many central attractions. It is a true labyrinth but a fairly small one. It is part of a much larger city park that is a fun daytime dip into nature, in the midst of a beautiful and active urban area. It is in the 5th Arrondissement.

Chateau Chenonceau, in France’s Loire Valley, has an incredible history, dating back to the 16th century. But there’s a dungeon on-site that’s even older, maybe from the 12th century. This house has been pivotal in French royal history (and to Catherine de Medici, among others) and is an architectural marvel as well. It is literally built on top of a river and spans the waterway as well. The inside is a full-on museum worth seeing. The labyrinth-like maze here was much smalle

Set in the Loire Valley in France, Chateau de Villandry offers a labyrinth-like garden experience. There is a hedge maze that is very easy to navigate. There were pass-throughs in nearly every pathway that allowed me to wander back and forth throughout the hornbeam trees that were the walls. At the center was a large viewing platform to look down upon the maze. This chateau is nearly 500 years old and has spectacular gardens and landscaped areas. The house itself is a true hi

The "Labyrinth of Life" teen memorial in Sebastopol was just rebuilt in 2025, more than 30 years after it was first installed. It was built in the 1980s to honor several teens who had passed away. Apparently it fallen apart from neglect so volunteers came together and rebuilt it. They did a terrific job. It as new to me so on a recent visit to the area, I checked it out. The 7-circuit stone structure sits just past the outfield fence of a community baseball field. And it is c

This labyrinth, in a parking lot in Warren, Rhode Island, is a bit faded but is still very much there and walkable. It was painted in October 2024 as a pop=up labyrinth by an organization called Blue Skies Rhode Island. Based on what I could find online, Blue Skies was a nonprofit program that worked to provide people with outlets to relieve stress and anxiety. It worked with therapy and counseling providers. There seemed to be a project to create public, walkable labyrinths

Something was missing in 2025 for me - I missed out on my annual trip to the southern coast of Oregon to be part of Circles in the Sand. So it was a must this year to get back there for my ninth visit to the unique installation that is part art, part spiritual, part whimsical, part sand, and all love. I was able to attend two of the weekend draws, and both days brought incredibly ideal weather, with sunshine and blue sky out in force. For those unfamiliar with Circles in the