8 Historical Places in Zurich Worth Visiting

09 Jun 2022
Ahmad Saud
International Tourism
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Are you thinking of traveling to a place that has it all? Then, think no more, fly yourself to Zurich and you'll see how stunning that place is. It is a very expensive city, but all worth it. The never-ending beautiful sights, old buildings alongside the Limmat River, mountains topped with snow, and Lake Zurich which makes you at peace, are enough reasons to make a trip.

1. Niederdorf and the Old Town

Niederdorf is a neighborhood full of historic charm in the middle of this modern city. It is a very lively place to visit, with medieval streets and squares full of restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Heading up Münstergasse, you'll visit Napf Gasse, which used to be the headquarters of Lombard money changers in the 14th and 15th Centuries. At number 6, Haus zum Napt has a beautiful interior with rooms designed in Renaissance style. On number 17, Spiegelgasse has a house where Lenin used to live in in 1917. In short, there are countless historical places to visit.

2. Uetliberg

For breathtaking views of the city and the lake, head over to Uetilberg. The Albis ridge is the most northerly summit and is easily accessible by Uetilbergbahn. The walkway is usually lit up at night and has a restaurant on the summit, which is a glass-enclosed space with beautiful views of the city below. During the daytime, you can soak in the breathtaking views of the lookout tower stretched across the Glarus Alps, Balais, and Bernese, with Santis to the East and the Black Forest to the North.

3. Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich is the focal point of Zurich with promenades and parks lining up its shores, where the locals and tourists go to sunbathe, jog, picnic, and swim in the lake. Tourists can take a cruise on the lake and see the beautiful views of the Glarus Alps. You can also witness the point where the Limmat flows from the lake, and where the Quaibrucke crosses the river to connect Bellevueplatz with Burkliplatz. You can also visit Zurichhorn Park just 1.5 kilometers from Bellevueplatz. Here, you can find a restaurant, a boat landing for the Limmatschiff, a Chinese Garden, and much more. Needless to say, Zurich is full of surprises and beautiful places to explore.

4. Kunsthaus Zurich

Kunsthaus is one of the top art museums in Europe, run by the Zurich Society of Arts. It has a huge collection of works by several artists. It emphasizes presenting the highest quality of work by an artist. It houses many amazing paintings made by huge names such as Miro, Max Ernst, Magritte, Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, and Marc Chagall. The emphasis is on landmark works such as the first great landscape by Domenichino of the Baptism of the Christ. Obtaining the works of living artists is an important mission and you can find changing exhibits of contemporary sculptures on the ground floor.

5. Bahnhofstrasse and the Bahnhof

Stretching from Bahnhof (the main train station) to Burkliplatz, the main street of Zurich is one of the liveliest shopping streets in Europe. It is enlivened by public art, trees, fountains, and distinguished buildings. Although the shops here are filled with high-end goods, their infrastructure and smartly decked windows make it a popular place to take a stroll. All of the buildings here have some historical stories to tell.

6. Fraumunster

Translated as “Women’s Church”, Fraumunster used to be an abbey for aristocratic women of Europe made by Emperor Ludwig for his daughter Hildegard in 853. The head of the convent used to be the governor of the city until the high Middle Ages. Now, this church is a three-aisled pillared basilica with a Gothic nave built from the 13th to 15th centuries, an early Gothic transept, and a Romanesque chancel. There are a lot of beautiful and amazing paintings and infrastructurally rich things to see here.

7. Lindenhof

Situated between the left bank of Limmat and the Bahnhofstrasse, the quiet tree-shaded Lindenhof lies. In the 4th Century, Romans built their fortified settlement to defend against the migrations from the North. The grandson of Charlemagne built a palace here to be used as a royal residence after five centuries. However, long after, these structures disappeared and some of them got incorporated into buildings. Today, this is a tree-shaded park full of benches where tourists and chess players enjoy the amazing view across the river and Old Town.

8. Limmatquai and the Rathaus

Along the Limmatquai, there are several elegant old guild-houses with amazing interiors presenting evidence of the wealth of the guilds that governed the town till 1789. Many of them have been turned into home restaurants so you can go in and take a look around. The Town Hall of Zurich (Rathaus) is easy to spot overhanging the river and is supported by wide arches. It was constructed between 1694 and 1698 and has rich sculptured decoration and a Baroque ceremonial hall. Besides this, there are a lot of places and things to see around this beautiful spot.