Zurich
Zurich is the biggest city in Switzerland and cover an area of thirty-five square miles with a population of over three hundred and sixty thousand people in the city proper. If the population of the suburbs are factored in then the city has a population of almost two million people. This city has a long history which can be trace back to Roman times when it was known as Turicum. The major purpose of Turicum was its use as a tax collection center for products shipped on the Limmat River. Later, in the ninth century, Louis the German would establish an abbey at this location. The name of the city changed to Reichsunmittelbar in the early thirteenth century and a thirty eight hectare wall was erected around it. In 1351, Zurich joined the Swiss Confederation, but was ousted in 1440 due to the Old Zürich War. When the war concluded in 1446, Zurich was allowed back into the confederation. Zurich is a city bristling with historic monuments, beautiful architecture and several tourist attractions.
One of the most popular attractions is the Fraumünster Church. This church overlooks the square of Münsterhof and was founded in the ninth century. It has many unique architectural features are the Romanesque choir and a very large organ. But, most people visit this church to see the beautiful stained glass windows designed in 1970 by Marc Chagall. For those wishing to learn a little bit about Swiss history then a visit to the Swiss National Museum is in order. This museum has an assortment of ancient artifacts located in what can only be described as a castle like building. This museums permanent collection includes artifacts from the Stone Age all the way through to modern times. The Swiss National Museum features an Armoury where Swiss weapons from as far back as 1800 BC to the twentieth century can be seen, complete with swords, crossbows and even pieces of armor. Also located here is the Celestial globe of Jost Bürg. Another fine museum to be seen in the city is the Kunsthaus Zurich or Fine Arts Museum.
This museum contains many modern works of art by artist such as Monet, Picasso, Rothko and Chagall. Also featured here are reknowned Swiss artist such as Alberto Giacometti, Fischli and Weiss. This museum is also home to one of the largest collections by the artist Edvard Munch that exist outside the country of Norway. This is a must see museum for anybody wanting to breath in the culture of Zurich. After a visit to the Fine Arts Museum, visitors can then check out a museum of a different sort by heading over to the Museum of Design Zurich. Known for modern designs it is of little wonder that Zurich has a museum dedicated exclusively to design. This museum has three distinct collections, which include the Poster Collection, Design Collection and Graphic Collection. These collection span the past one hundred years. Visitors can also check out one of the temporary exhibits where the works of famous graphic artists, industrial designers, photographers and architects are shown on a semi-regular basis.
This museum was designed by the Swiss architects Karl Egender and Adolf Steger and is a great example of modern architecture in all of Switzerland. A very unique museum located in Zurich is the Uhrenmuseum Beyer. This museum is located in the heart of the city and is the most prominent museum in the world dedicated to the art and science of horology. The Uhrenmuseum Beyer is situated on the bottom floor of Bahnhofstrasse 31, the main shopping street. This museum is home to a large collection of mechanical timepieces as well as a collection of primitive time keeping devices such as water clocks, sundials and hourglasses. The Cabaret Voltaire is a nightclub that was built in 1916 and was used as a cabaret for political and artistic purposes. The cabaret featured dancing, music and poetry readings in a particular performance style known as Spoken word. The Zurich Zoo is another attraction in the city that is not to be missed. This zoo is dedicated to true protection of the environment and at any given time has a whole host of animal reintroduction programs on the table.
Here visitors can get a first hand look at over twenty-two hundred animals from two hundred and sixty species. Visitors will also get the chance to see many endangered species including pandas and snow leopards. An attraction in Zurich that makes you feel that you have stepped back in time is the Niederdorf. This district makes its way through various fourteenth century buildings and plazas. Here you can find all manner of antique shops, bookstores and department stores. Visitors will also find many wine, cheese and pastry shops along the way. The cobbled streets also have many street performers and musicians. In the evening, the mood of the district transforms as people flood into the area’s many restaurants, night clubs and bars. Other attractions to visit in Zurich is Lindenhof Hill, Altstadt, the Guild houses, the shopping district of Bahnhofstrasse, the banking plaza called the Parade-Platz, Fluntern Cemetery, the Old Botanical Garden, China Garden and Lake Zurich. The city is also home to fine restaurants, cafes and hotels which are located throughout the city. |
