Wil is a small-town municipality in Canton St. Gallen, yet also the centre of Eastern Switzerland’s third largest urban sprawl. Thanks to its chequered history it is rich in noteworthy sightseeing attractions.

In 1226, the Counts of Toggenburg presented the town with the St. Gallen Monastery. For over 500 years, until 1798, the St. Gallen prince abbots resided at the town’s highest point in the «Hof zu Wil», which is why the town is also called Abbots Town. The Hof ‘s status as a most valuable cultural asset extends far beyond the town boundaries and the Wil region. Today it is a place of social and cultural encounters and also houses the town museum.

Apart from the «Hof», some of the grandest buildings are the Gerichtshaus (court building) dating from 1607 with a richly appointed court room, the Hauptmannshaus (captain’s house) at Hofplatz, the neoclassical Baronenhaus (baron’s house) from 1795 with facades decorated with illusion paintings, and many beautiful timber-framed buildings in the picturesque lanes and squares. In 1984 Wil was awarded the Swiss Heritage Society’s Wakker-Prize for the careful preservation of the buildings in the old town and its improvement as a living environment.

A market takes place in the old town lanes every Saturday. A spacious pedestrian precinct with attractive shops lies directly adjacent to the old town. Wil is also attractive for its traditional cultural attractions such as the concert hall with theatre and musical productions as well as a lively contemporary culture (Remise and the open-air «Rock am Weier» Festival).

Wil's new landmark, opened in 2006, is at the top of the Hofberg: the Wiler Turm (tower) is a solid timber construction. 189 steps lead via a double spiral stairway to a vantage platform some 34 metres high affording impressive panoramic views of the Bodensee region as far as the Alps.