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The Internet Travel Guide - Switzerland (FAQ) (part 1/1)
Archive-name: travel/swiss-guide/part1
Url: http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz Posting-Frequency: monthly SWITZERLAND Peter M. Geiser This is a small, but growing guide to Switzerland. The towns that are presented are either well known places, or then small gems that do not receive much attraction by the major travel guides. ************************************************** ******************** SWITZERLAND - Peter M. Geiser's Hotel and Travel Guide Copyright (c) 1996 - 2004, Peter M. Geiser http://www.pmgeiser.ch http://www.pmgeiser.com http://www.mineralwaters.org http://www.dussy.ch ************************************************** ************************ GEOGRAPHY Area 41'293 km2 Capital Bern Borders Austria (165 km), Liechtenstein (41 km), Germany (363 km) France (572 km), Italy (741 km) Highest point Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa), 4634 m Lowest point Lago Maggiore, 193 m Time GMT plus one hours Measures Metric Electricity 220 V, 50 Hz ************************************************** ************************ CLIMATE In Switzerland, climate varies quite a bit, depending on the altitude of the location. In the mountains, it is often chilly, but on a good summer day you can climb mountains in t-shirts. During winter, Switzerland is excellent for skiing. ************************************************** ************************ PEOPLE Population 7.3 mio - Swiss citizens 5.7 mio - other nations 1.6 mio Inhabitants per km2 166 Languages Swiss German (63%), French (19%), Italian (8%), Rhaeto-Romanic (1%), others (9%) ************************************************** ************************ PASSPORT AND VISA A valid passport is required by every traveller. A Visa is required by travellers from all countries except: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Vatican, and all Carribean Island countries apart from the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Travellers from the following countries only need a visa if they intend to stay for longer than three months: Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Israel, South Korea, Poland, Slovak. Rep., Sloveia, South Africa, Central America. ************************************************** ************************ MONEY The currency is the Swiss Franc (CHF), divided into 100 Rappen. Coins are issued in CHF 5, 2, 1, and 1/2 (= 50 Rappen), and in 20, 10 and 5 Rappen. There are also 1 and 2 Rappen pieces, but they are not used anymore. The larger coins are of silver colour (copper-nickel), the 5 Rps piece is a light gold and the 2 and 1 Rappen pieces are copper. Notes are available in denomination of CHF 10 (yellow), 20 (purple), 50 (green), 100 (dark blue to violet), 200 (yellow-brown), 500 (brown) and 1000 (violet-brown). Although already among the bank notes most difficult to counterfeit, the Swiss National Bank decided to issue a new series or bank notes. So far, the CHF 50, 20 and 10 notes have been replaced, and the CHF 200 note has been added, but the others will follow. The new series uses several new techniques to make it virtually impossible to copy them (colour copy is out of question), like displaying the value on silver fields that change the look depending on how you hold the note (similar to holography.) Recently, a jury voted the new CHF 50 note the second most beautiful note in the world. Occasionally, you might encounter the old style of the small notes. Their colours are red (10), blue (20) and green (50), respectively. The exchange rate is about USD 1 = 1.27 CHF (Apr 2004) Travellers cheques denominated in most major currencies are accepted in every bank. Credit cards are widely accepted, but since there is usually quite a high commission for the shops, it is not as liked as hard cash. Many shops accept EC-direct. ************************************************** ************************ POST Postal service is very reliable and easy to use. There is a post office in every village and in town there is one every couple of blocks. Letterboxes can be found everywhere. They are a bright yellow (except some in Basel, which are blue with a white dove on top.) There are two types of mail: A (first class) and B (second.) A is guaranteed to arrive the next day (within the country, that is), while B may take a day or in very rare cases two longer. A costs CHF 1.00, while B is only CHF 0.85. ************************************************** ************************ TELEPHONE The international direct dial code to Switzerland is 41. The phone system in Switzerland is very reliable and stable. Some area codes (to dial you need the prefix 0): Arosa 81 Baden 56 Basel 61 Bellinzona 91 Bern 31 Biel 32 Brig 28 Davos 81 Fribourg 37 Geneva 22 Interlaken 36 Lausanne 21 Locarno 91 Lugano 91 Luzern 41 Neuchatel 38 Olten 62 Rapperswil 55 Schaffhausen 53 Schwyz 43 Sion 27 St.Moritz 82 St.Gallen 71 Vaduz 75 Winterthur 52 Zuerich 1 Zug 42 Some useful numbers: Police 117 Fire 118 Ambulance 144 General inquiries 111 International inquiries 114 ************************************************** ************************ FOOD & DRINK Nearly every cuisine is available in Switzerland. Depending on the restaurant, prices vary from below CHF 10 to more than CHF 100. In the cities it is generally more expensive than elsewhere. More often than not the restaurants that look rather ordinary from the outside are the places to visit and restaurants that look posh are nothing more than a big show. Typical Swiss food includes Fondue, Raclette, and Roesti. There are, of course, many other special dishes, that are often a speciality of one small region. To get information about the local specialities, inquire at traditional restaurants. Fondue Fondue is a kind of "cheese soup". In a deep pan in the middle of the table a special mix of cheese, wine and kirsch (cherry schnaps) is molten. It is eaten by putting small pieces of bread on a long fork and dipping it into the molten cheese. The typical drink for Fondue is white wine, or hot tea. For those with difficulties to digest it is recommended to drink a kirsch or other schnaps after the meal. Raclette Raclette is also molten cheese, but unlike Fondue it is cheese only, without any additions. It is often eaten together with potatoes. Roesti Roesti are mashed potatoes. There are many local variations. There is no really typical Swiss drink. But Switzerland has a long tradition of fine wines. ************************************************** ******************** ************************************************** ******************** ARBON http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Arbon Arbon is located at the Bodensee (Lake Constance), and offers pleasant parks to relax. The name of Arbon stems from the old Roman Arbor Felix, happy tree. There are still many remnants from that time, the walls and foundations of the castle, as well as the ground floor of many town houses. Castle of Arbon The castle was built on the place of the old Roman castle, but apart from the foundations, there are no buildings left from that time. The main tower is from the middle of the 13th century, the upper floors from 1520, and the living quarters from 1515. The castle contains a museum about the local history. Just next to the old castle is the Gallus Chapel, founded in the 7th century. Just to the left of the entrance is a stone with the "Footprint of the Holy Gallus", the founder of St. Gallen. The current building has replaced the old Roman basilica, and has been built from 1786 to 1789. The Town Hall, built in 1768-1769, was originally the private home of the prosperous linnen merchant Alberti, before it was converted in 1941 for the current purpose. ************************************************** ******************** BASEL http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Basel Basel is the second largest city in Switzerland. Located on the border between Switzerland, France and Germany, it is the big rival of Zurich. The main attractions of Basel are the dome (Muenster), the big old church. Enjoy the view over the Rhine from the tower. ************************************************** ******************** BELLINZONA http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Bellinzona The capital of the canton Ticino is located strategically at the junction of several North-South routes: Gotthard, SanBernardino, Nufenen, Lukmanier, Greina, as well as the East-West route SanJori - Centovalli. The main attraction of Bellinzona are the three dominating castles, Castel Grande (or Castel Vecchio or Burg Uri), Castello di Montebello (Burg Schwyz), and Castello di Sasso Corbaro (Burg Unterwalden). The form an intricate defense system that virtually cut through the valley. Built in the 13th century, and continually enlarged until around 1500, it is one of Switzerland's most impressive defense systems from the middle ages. The church Santi Pietro e Stefno is an impressive Reniassance church and was built between 1517 and 1565 by Tomaso Rodari, who also built the Dome of Como. ************************************************** ******************** LUCERNE http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Luzern Lucerne is one of the most beautiful cities of Switzerland, if not the world. It offers many historical sights, among them the world-famous Kapellbruecke, and is an ideal starting point to explore Lake Luzern (Vierwaldstaedtersee) or the many surrounding mountains, like the Pilatus or the Rigi. Glacier Garden The Glacier Garden (Gletschergarten) is a mixture of several attractions. The main attraction, and the one the museum gets its name from, are the glacier mills, huge holes in the rocky ground made by stones hat have been milled around by the moving glacier. Apart from the glacier mills, there is a mirror labyrinth, an antique house with pictures depicting mainly the Russian and French battles from two century ago, a watch tower where you can enjoy a nice view, and several smaller attractions. Just next to the Glacier Garden is the famous Lion Monument. Hofkirche Luzern The origins of Luzern go back to a monastery founded in the 8th century by Benedictine monks. The original church was dedicated to St. Leodegar, or St. Leger. Towards the end of the 12th century, a Romanesque church replaced the old building. The current church, the Hofkirche was built after the old Romanesque church burnt down on Easter Sunday in 1633 due to the carlessness of its verger who was shooting at birds. The two towers that survived the fire have been incorporated into the new design by Jakob Kurrer, a Jesuit monk from Ingolstadt, who rebuilt the church between 1633 and 1644. The massive doors show the two patron saints of Lucerne. On the left door is the St. Leodegar, a French bishop blinded by a drill, which he is still holding, the other door shows St. Maurice, a Roman soldier-saint. The interior is still original from the time of rebuilding the church. On the north wall (left) is the only relic from before the fire is the altar Death of the Virgin Mary from around 1500. The organ is one of Switzerlands largest with 2826 pipes. Special registers allow for imitations of rain, thunder and hail. Kapellbruecke The Kapellbruecke (Chapel Bridge) is Europe's oldest wooden bridge, built around 1300. From 1614, Heinrich Waegmann has painted the historical pictures in the roof of the bridge. Abount two-thirds of the way is a strong water tower, also built around 1300, to fortify the bridge. Apart from defense, the tower also used to be an archive, a prison, and even kept the towns treasury. Unfortunately, the original bridge burnt partly down some years ago, but it has been restored faithfully and is again the gem it used to be. Lion Monument The Lion Monument (Loewendenkmal) is Switzerland's oldest memorial monument, carved out of the cliff in 1821. It remembers the Swiss palace guard of the French king Louis XVI. 700 Swiss mercenaries were guarding the palace, when, on 10 August 1792, French revolutionaries stormed the Tuilleries, the royal palace. Louis XVI ordered the guards to lay down the arms, and they were massacred by the mob. Just next to the Lion Monument is the famous Glacier Garden. Musegg Wall and Towers The Northern part of Luzern's old town wall, the Musegg Wall, was built around 1400 and is still intact for 870m. There are nine watch towers, the Musegg Towers, some of which can be visited. They are, in order from East to West: Daechliturm, Allenwindenturm, Pulverturm, Schirmenturm, Zeitturm, Wachtturm, Luegislandturm, Maennliturm, Noelliturm. Verkehrshaus (Museum of Transport) One of Switzerland's leading museums, the Museum of Transport (Verkehrsmuseum) displays the history of transportation throughout the world. Highlights are the collection of Swiss railway locomotives, cars, historical airplanes, and even space ships (there is an original cabin from the NASA Mercury program. You can experience what it was like to be part of the workers that have built the first Gotthard tunnel over a century ago, and you can even drive a train or a tram in the simulator. Don't miss the stunning view from the 120 m high ride in the captive balloon. The Planetraium has some of the most modern technology. This largest sky simulator of Switzerland displays an excellent show of the solar system's planets, the stars constellation, and stunning pictures of outer space. Transportation of yet another form offers the large walkable map of Switzerland, where you can see details down to the level of single houses. Attached to the museum is the IMAX Theatre, a cinema with an enormous screen. Enjoy the shows, like Alaska - Sprit of the Wild, Helicopters in Action, Blue Planet, Ocean Men, and many more. Another annexe is the Hans Erni Museum. More than 300 works from this painer, graphical designer, and sculptor are on display, and you can buy souvenirs and prints at the shop. ************************************************** ******************** NEUCHATEL http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Neuchatel Neuchatel is a hilly city at the lake with the same name. It has about 35'000 inhabitants. Neuchatel belongs to the French speking part of Switzerland. There is little known about the origins, but it was founded most likely in the 10th century. Mentioned first in 1011 as the residence for the Kings of Burgundy, after 1033 it belonged to the master of Fenis. From 1147 on it is the residence of the powerful Counts of Neuchatel. Castle of Neuchatel Dominating the city is the huge castle on top of the castle hill. The place has been used since the 10th century as a stronghold. The current castle was built and several times enlarged between the 12th and the 15th century for the powerful Counts of Neuchatel. The buildings are grouped around a large courtyard. The current Donjon dates from 1439 - 1465. Also note the intricately carved facade of the south wing. A bit older is the Prison Tower with three distinct levels from different times. The lower part is from the 10th or 11th century, the middle from the 13th century, while the upper part is from the 15th century. Collegiale Notre Dame Located just next to the castle of Neuchatel, La Collegiale Notre Dame, the big church of Neuchatel is a beautiful, Roman-Gothic building originally from the 12th century. Parts of the original buildings have been destroyed in a big fire in 1450. Inside, the Collegiale is more inviting, with warm colours and a high, star-covered ceiling. It has three naves and beautiful coloured glass windows. Just north of the church is a cloister. It has been reconstructed in 1873 - 1875. You can still see some old parts on the curch wall. Fontaine du Banneret Just below the castle is the Hotel du Banneret. Built in 1609 for Jean Marval, it is a good example for a typical renaissance town house of that time. Just in front of the Hotel du Banneret, on the Place de la Croix-du-Marche, is the Fontaine du Banneret is a richly embroidered fountain. The statue on top carries a typical armour from the Renaissance. It was created in 1581 by Laurent Perroud. ************************************************** ******************** RAPPERSWIL http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Rapperswil Rapperswil is located at the narrowest part of Lake Zurich. It consists of a castle atop a ridge that clasw into the lake like a huge finger, and three streets that run parallel to the hill. Rapperswil is also called the Rose Town, because of its famous rose garden. Rapperswil was founded around 1200 by the Lords of Rapperswil. Conflicts with Zurich led to the partial destruction of the town by Rudolf Brun, mayor of Zurich. Since 1803, it belongs to the canton of St. Gallen. Main Place of Rapperswil Just below the castle is the beautiful medieval old town with many histroically significant buildings. Its small, quaint alleys with the numerous attractive shops are traffic free and invite the visitors to take a stroll. For the hungry, the many inviting cafes and small restaurants offer a variety of pleasurable food and drink. Be sure to check out the row of restaurants directly at the harbour where you can enjoy the terasses in the upper floor. Some historically significant buildings The Town Hall at the main place was built around 1470; its tower is from 1615. Landenburg House (Breny House), a bit furhter down from the castle on Herrenberg is from the 15th century, with a 13th century tower. Bleulerhouse (Hintergasse 16), built in 1606 by Uli Stierli, is a huge late gothic stone building with massive arcades. Rapperswil Castle The castle of Rapperswil is perched atop a hill and offers a most stunning view of Lake Zurich and the surrounding hills and mountains. Its triangular structure with the three towers is quite unique. The eastern tower houses the Polish museum that commemorates the polish raising against Russia in 1863. The park grounds have a small zoo with deer, a wine yard and the famous rose garden. Rapperswil Rose Garden Rapperswil is also called the Rose Town, due to its beautiful and extensive rose gardens located at the foot of the castleand the wine yard. There are actually two sections just across the road from each other. One is made especially for the blind, with roses that have a particularly fragrant scent, and with the guide panels written in brail. All in all, there are more than 16'000 roses that bloom between May and October. The gardens belong to the Capuchin monastery at the tip of the peninsula. Wooden Bridge Rapperswil - Hurden Rapperswil is at the narrowest place of Lake Zurich. Being on the Jacob pilgrims path to Santiago de Compostela, Rapperswil was visited by travellers for centuries. A long, quite unsafe wooden footbridge with loosely laid planks connected the two shores. Since the 19th century, a dam used by cars and trains now makes the journey safe and comfortable. In April 2001, the wooden footpath was reconstructed, using modern techniques. The 841 meters long bridge is a very pleasurable stroll of about 20 minutes. Being a pilgrims path, there is also a small chapel, excellently suited for paryer and contemplation. Each Palm Sunday, the sunday before Easter, there is an organised pilgrimage from Rapperswil to Einsiedeln. There is variety of wildlife, many birds nest, and if you bring some bread you will ensure the gratefulness of swans and duck. On the Rapperswil side of the bridge is a picnic area where you can buy some snacks and drinks, and relax in a pleasurable garden. ************************************************** ******************** REGENSBERG http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Regensberg Founded in 1244 by Luetold V. of Regensberg, this small town perched atop the ridge of a hill has retained much of its medieveal charm. Its houses form a city wall, surrounding a large open space with charming gardens and a communal place with a fountain. Old tower of Regensberg Today, the only remnants of the founding time is the 21m high tower, which is accessible and offers a beautiful view. The tower is round, which is rather atypical for the region. The living quarters have been rebuilt in 1585. On 13 February 1302, his great-grandson Luetold VIII sold the whole town to the house of Habsburg. The city obtained the right to hold a market. In 1417, monetary difficulties of the Habsburgs led to the sale to the town of Zurich. The fire of 1538 destroyed most of the city, and many of the houses that you can see have been built at that time. ************************************************** ******************** SARGANS http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Sargans Castle of Sargans Sargans is located at the junction of two mighty valleys, the Rhine valley, and the Walensee valley. Its main feature is the beautiful castle, perched high above the valley. The caslte tower houses a small, but exquisit history museum. The current buildings are from 1460. The region of Sargans was inhabited since very early times, and there are the ruins of a Roman villa. The mountain just behind the town, the Gonzen, had rich iron mines. You can still explore the Gonzenbergwerk on an informative tour. Inquire at the tourist office. ************************************************** ******************** SCHMERIKON http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Schmerikon Schmerikon is a small town at the end (or rather the beginning) of Lake Zurich. Schmerikon was mentioned the first time in 741 with its Old-German name Smarinchova. Around 1200, Schmerikon became part of the Grafschaft Uznach. At that time, the people from Schmerikon were leading ship-builders. When the cantons Schwyz and Glarus purchased the Grafschaft Uznach, Schmerikon became part of the Swiss Eidgenossenschaft. In 1803, Schmerikon became part of the Canton St. Gallen. ************************************************** ******************** ST. GALLEN http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=StGallen St. Gallen is the town of the Holy Gallus, a monk that founded a small chapel in the wilderness over 1'400 years ago. The chapel evolved into a large monastery, and a surrounding town. The Dome and its library are still St. Gallen's main sight, but there are many more reasons to visit this beautiful town. Old Town of St. Gallen The Old Town of St. Gallen is still very much intact. Origninally, it was of a round shape, but in the 15th century, the half-circular "Irervorstadt" was added, giving the old town its unique shape. Most of the old town is a pedestrian area, and it is also where most of the unique shops are. Make sure you take your time for a leasurely stroll through the quaint little streets. There are a lot of special clothes shops, with St. Gallen's textiles and world-famous lace still very much in evidence. A lot of the houses have painted or carved bay windows (Erker), most of them from around 16th or 17th century. Peter and Paul Wildlife Park High above the town is a small zoo, where some typical wild Swiss animals have found a sancturay. It is a pleasant walk, with a view to kill for (well, only if the weather is nice). You can see the full length of Bodensee, the town, and wome of the surrounding mountains, most notably the Saentis. Most of the animals have been hunted to or nearly to extinction within Switzerland. This park has been the source to resettle some of these animals into the wild. The animals on display are various kinds of Deer, Ibex, Chamois, Lynx, Wild Cat, Wild Boar, and Marmot. It is open all year, and all day and night. There is no entrance fee, but donations are welcome. There is a restaurant, Peter und Paul which offers very good food. The specialty is venison. St. Gallen - St. Laurenzen Founded in the 12th century, the current building of St. Laurenzen was constructed between 1413 and 1422. It became the Protestant counterpart of the Catholic Dome church. The inside of the church is light, with a high, star covered ceiling and a beautiful organ prospectus. The church is easily identified by the colourful roof and its high, single spire. The view from the spire is spectacular, but the tower is not always open. St. Gallen Dome The Dome St. Gallus and Otmar is definitely the main attraction of St. Gallen. It is a pure Baroque church with two towers. The inside is elaborately ornate, in my opinion the most beautiful church for hundreds of miles. The origins of this beautiful church go back about 1'400 years to the time when Irish monks were preaching in the surrounding area. In 612, a pupil of Columban, Gallus, was resting at the foot of a small waterfall, when a bear approached him. The monk ordered the baer to gather wood for a fire, and then told him to leave. Taking this as a sign, Gallus started to live in the wilderness, built a small church, and eventually founded a monastery that prospered for a long time. The current Baroque church was built between 1755 and 1766 by Peter Thumb. In the same building as the church, but with the entrance from the backside of it is the world famous library. The Dome is a Roman-Catholic church, and the seat of St. Gallen's Bishop Ivo Fuerer. St. Gallen Dome Library The monastery library of the Domeis of exquisite beauty. The floor is tiled in differently coloured wood and the shelves are elaborately carved. The ceiling was painted in 1762 / 1763 by artist Josef Wannemacher. The library contains thousands of antique invaluable hand written books, many of the unique in both text and artistry. Due to the age and value of the books it is not possible to browse through them, but some the most beautiful volumes are in special display cases. A rather strange curiosity is the old Egiptian mummy in one of the corners. University of St. Gallen HSG The University of St. Gallen HSG is Switzerlands leading university for Business Administration and Economy, and one of the best in Europe. It also has excellent Legal studies. When the old buildings of the university became too small, the township was looking for a new location to build. A couple of years earlier it had received by way of inheritance a large lot, but with the condition to use it only for art. Since the lot was ideally located for the new univerity building, the government decided to connect schooling with art: the building itself was built in 1963 by Walter M. Foerderer as a special piece of architecture, and filled with artwork, thus becoming kind of art museum. The tradition continues with new buildings that are added. Notable pieces of art are from Jean Arp, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Alicia Penalba and Antoni Tapies in the old building, and in the newer building from 1989 by Enzo Cucchi, Martin Disler, Gerhard Richter, Josef Felix Mueller oder Luciano Fabro. ************************************************** ******************** STEIN AM RHEIN http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index...d=Steinamrhein Stein am Rhein is a very beautiful, small town that has retained its middle-age charm. The old town is nearly completely preserved, and many houses are over 500 years old. Its location at the river Rhine adds another pleasurable feature, with terraced restaurants lining the waterfront inviting the hungry and thirsty traveller. A lot of the old houses have painted facades, some dating back to the 16th century. Most of these houses are grouped around the Rathausplatz in the middle of the town. The Rathaus (Town Hall) was built between 1539 and 1542. Its facade was painted relatively recently, in 1898 - 1900 by Carl von Haeberlin and Christian Schmidt. The only notable destruction happened on the 22 February 1945 when an American pilot mistook Stein am Rhein for a German town and bombarded it. The Untertor was destroyed, but was rebuilt in 1948 with the original stones. Former benedictine monastery St. Georgen has been used only for a brief time, from 1002 until 1525. Unused for centuries, it was bought towards the end of the 19th century by a university professor who restored the monastery aand converted it into a worthwhile museum. ************************************************** ******************** ZURICH http://www.pmgeiser.ch/schweiz/index.php?id=Zurich Zurich is the largest city of Switzerland, and its economical capital. It is also, at least according to the many surveys conducted, the world's city with the highest quality of life. The nearby lakecompletes the beautiful setting and offers many beautiful excursions. Lindenhof The Lindenhof is wide place with beautiful trees, and a good view over the river Limmat and the old town. It is ideal for a short rest in a busy day, and if you fancy a bit of Chess, you are sure to find some players using the large sets availabale for public use. Around 370 AD it used to be an old Roman castle. Grossmunster (The Dome) The Grossmuenster is Zurich's largest church. Its distinct twin towers serve as a ready landmark in the city. The first hints for a Chrisitan chapel dates back to the 7th century, but there is little known about its beginnings. The current basilica has been built in the 12th and 13th century in typical Roman style with three naves. The towers have been enlarged between 1487 and 1492, and, after a fire, have been rebuilt with todays characteristic spires in 1781 to 1787. The tower is also open to visitors. The crypt dates from the 11th century. It houses a huge figure of a sitting Charlemagne, dating around 1460. Its copy is on the Western tower. The crypt has murals depicting the legend of Felix and Regula, by the school of Hans Leu the older, end of 15th century. Opening Hours Church 15 Mar - 31 Oct: 9:00 - 18:00 1 Nov - 14 Mar: 10:00 - 17:00 Tower 15 Mar - 31 Oct: Mo - Sa 9:00 - 17:00 1 Nov - 14 Mar: Mo - Sa 10:00 - 17:00 All year: Su 13:00 - 17:00 Fraumunster Arguably the most beautiful church in Zurich, the Fraumuenster is famous for its coloured windows by Marc Chagall. Only the curch is left from the former nunnery; its cloister has been replaced by the town house. When King Ludwig the German, a grand-son of Charlemagne, granted his daughter the convent of Fraumuenster on 21 July 853 it was already a convent. Hildegard's sister Bertha consecrated the convent in 874, and built a crypt for the relics of Felix and Regula. Today, only some of the foundations from these Carolingan and the following Ottonian times are left. The current building dates from the 13th century, and was enlarged over the following two centuries. The slender tower is a landmark of the skyline and sets a nice counterpoint to the twin towers of the Grossmuenster. The choir, in Roman style, was built aound 1250 to 1270 and is 18m high! The paintings date from 1270. There are famous coloured glass by Marc Chagall. Five high, narrow windows have been inserted in 1970. On the north wall, the left window, in red, shows the "Prophets", depicting Elisha watching Elijah ascend to heaven in a chariot of fire, topped by Jeremiah in blue. The next window, "Jacob", shows the patriarch struggling with an angel, and his dream of a stairway to heaven. The main window in the middle, the "Christ" window. Joseph stands next to the tree of life that has a vision of Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms, and the Lamb of God at her feet. There are scenes of the life of Jesus, with the crucified Christ ascending towards heaven. The first window to the right, the yellow "Zion" window, shows an angel announcing the beginning of eternity and the New Jerusalem, ruled by King David. Finally, on the south wall, the "Law" window, in blue, shows Isaiah in the arms of a seraph, ready to announce peace to the world. Above is Moses, watching the disobedience and the suffering of the people. In the north transept, there is another beautiful window, created in 1940 by Alberto Giaccometti. The 9m high window shows God with his son Jesus and eight of the prophets below. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are framed by ten angels. St Peter Parish Church Zurich's oldest parish church is only a stone's throw from Lindenhof. Its late roman-gothic church tower features Europe's largest tower clock face, measuring 8.72 meters accross. There is a beautiful place just in front of the church, excellently suited for a quiet rest in pleasurable surroundings. Zurichhorn Starting from Bellevue along the lakeis a nice pedestrian area along the quai, soon becoming a park where you will find half of Zurich enjoying themselves on a sunny day. Set back slightly from the water is an original Chinese Garden imported from Zurich's sister town Kunming in China. Just near the Restaurant Lake Side Zuerichhorn is Jean Tinguely's world-famous machine "Heureka". Uetliberg The Uetliberg is Zurichs mountain with a truly stunning view over the city. Its steep cliff towers more than 450 m over the town and the Lake Zurich. If you climb to the top of the observation tower you are at exactly 900 m altitude. There are several restaurants and a hotel at the summit of the Uetliberg. Uetliberg makes a very good starting point for many excellent walks of various difficulty. On a hot summer day, the walk down to Triemli is nice and shady. For a longer walk along the crest to Felsenegg you will enjoy the beautiful view over the lake. To get there, take S10 from Zurich main station until the terminal station, also called Uetliberg. From there, it is a short 10 min walk until you reach the top. Shopping Bahnhofstrasse The world-famous Bahnhofstrasse of Zurich is the most beautiful shopping street. It stretches from the train station right down to the lake, and is mostly free of traffic (except for the trams.) About two thirds of the way towards the lake you will come to famous Paradeplatz. It offers unique shopping opportunities ranging from fashion to chocolate and exquisite jewellery. The shops get more and more classy as you near the lake. Paradeplatz The poshest place of all of Zurich, and of Switzerland, the Paradeplatz is the heart of the shopping district. It enlarges the Bahnhofstrasseto make room to breath. The two large Swiss banks (as well as one or two smaller private banks) overlook the place, as does the most famous Swiss chocolate house, Sprungli. Sprungli has a good and popular, but extremely crowded coffee shop on the first floor, and a shop on the ground floor. Just next door is a Movenpick. Across the Banhhofstrasse, the Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville completes the atmosphere. Interesting to note is the fact that this symbol of banking and capitalism in general was for a long time the pig market - quite a contrast to todays setting. Augustinergasse Branching off the world famous Bahnhofstrasse, the Augustinergasse is also a good place for shopping. There are many historic houses with bautiful bay windows, both carved and painted. Niederdorf The Niederdorf is a lively place with shopping during the day, and nightlife starting early. Many nice restaurants (and a few not so nice, but cheap places) and a lot of bars cater to the hungry and thirsty. Oberdorf The Oberdorf is the "upper" part of Zurich's old town, grouped around the Grossmunster (The Dome). There are many original shops, with a unique offering that you will not find elsewhere. A lot of Zurich's most popular bars are found in Oberdorf, as well as many wild clubs, and several excellent restaurants. ************************************************** ******************** SWITZERLAND - Peter M. Geiser's Hotel and Travel Guide Copyright (c) 1996 - 2004, Peter M. Geiser http://www.pmgeiser.ch http://www.pmgeiser.com http://www.mineralwaters.org http://www.dussy.ch ************************************************** ************************ |
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