The church and convent were founded in 853 by King Louis the German. It was inhabited by women from the European high nobility. The abbey enjoyed the favor of kings, and the abbess held the right to mint coins in Zurich until the 13th century. After the Reformation, the Fraumünster came into the possession of the city. Significant architectural features include the Romanesque choir and the high-vaulted transept. The nave was last renovated in 1911. Along with the Grossmünster, the Fraumünster is one of Zurich's landmarks. The convent held great power in Zurich.