Zurich Old Town - The historic heart of Zurich

Zurich Old Town, Switzerland’s largest concentration of clubs, one of the most popular shopping miles, and a plethora of cultural offerings, is a melting pot of cultural, business, and history.

You can easily identify the Old Town Starting at the Zurich Main Station including the famous “Niederdorf” on your own. The attractions mentioned below are the absolute must-sees of Zurich’s historic city centers. The most popular guided city tour, the “Zurich Old Town Walking Tour”. It is perfect choice for all who want to learn more about Zurich’s history and the past. Professional guides on this tour, provides valuable insights on the origins of Switzerland’s biggest city. They describe its importance for Switzerland through the ages and also report on famous Zurich personalities.

         1. Zurich Old Town Walking Tour

The most famous tour through the historic old town of Zurich provides interesting insights into the vibrant past of the city.

• Description

On a two-hour stroll around the old town, with its dark alleys and pictures que squares, we go hunting for answers to the city’s history. We discover Bahnhofstrasse’s mysteries, figure out what a “procession axis” is and visit a minute-handed church hat leaps a record-breaking half-meter per minute. This famous tour is full of many impressive and funny stories and has plenty to offer both tourists and locals alike.

         2. Bahnhofstrasse

Zurich‘s Shopping BoulevardIn Bahnhofstrasse you will find all your heart desires: design, crafts and specialties attract Switzerland locals as well as tourists.

The world-renowned shopping boulevard was established after Zurich‘s Main Railway Station was completed. Today it links Lake Zurich with the Central Railway Station along a range of 1.4 kilometers (0.87 miles) at the location where city moats were 150 years before.

Several boutiques, department stores and timepiece shops can be located here, as well as at Paradeplatz-the Swiss banking hub. The Bahnhofstrasse is just as popular with locals and tourists and worth a visit at all times. You can stroll relaxed along the lake in the summer as well as enjoy mulled wine or hot chocolate at every corner in the winter.

          3. Rennweg–Once the Widest Street in Zurich

Rennweg was distinguished from other streets in Zurich due to its straightness for a long time and was the widest street in the city at one time.

Rennweg is a medieval main road which gently rises up a moraine hill from Bahnhofstrasse and runs below Lindenhof. The meaning of name is hillside, which derived from “Rain”. It was one of the nodal points of road and public transportation. Rennweg is one of the best tourists’ attractions of the oldest area of the city of Zürich.

The Rennwegtor gate stood at its lower end as part of the city fortifications. After the Bahnhofstrasse, Rennweg is the second most popular shopping area in Zurich, and its pedestrian zone welcomes you to stroll and loiter.

          4. Giacometti Frescos (“Blüemlihalle”)

Giacometti is probably the most beautiful police station entrance hall worldwide located in the heart of Zurich.

Gustav Gull, Zurich’s municipal architect and mastermind behind the National Museum, was assigned with the task of converting a former orphanage into a municipal building to house the city police headquarters. The vaulted ceiling of what had been the cellar was transformed into the entrance area in order to save space.

A competition launched in 1922 by the City of Zurich to paint the entrance hall. The aim of this competition is brightening up the gloomy space and creating work opportunities for local artists. Augusto Giacometti (1877–1947) easily won the competition and his design in warm red and ochre tones was executed between 1922 and 1926 using the al fresco and al secco techniques. The ceiling and vault paintings consist of ornamental floral designs and geometric pattern sand the walls, depict people at work such as stone carvers and carpenters represent the handicraft trade, while astronomers and magicians denote science.

Special remarks in the Old Town

The Giacometti Hall is referred as the “Blüemlihalle” (hall of littleflowers) by the locals due to its design featuring countless ornamental flowers. Against deposit of an ID card, members of the public can visit and admire the entrance area daily from 9–11am and 2–4pm.

        5. Schipfe–Traditional Trades Still Cultivated Today in Zurich’s Oldest District

Boats which delivered silk, gold and food to Zurich, dockedat “Schipfe”in the Middle Ages, Now, the district is a blissful place to linger.

“Schipfe” is one of Zurich ‘s oldest quarters, which lies below Lindenhof.

The name “schipfe” originates from the nautical term “schupfen” (push) used by the fishermen to describe how they pushed their boats to and from the river bank. The Schipfe was the transit point for essential goods throughout the Middle Ages, and from the 16th century it was the center of the silk industry, and the location of bathhouses and boat building.

Also now, the Schipfe remains a street of artisans, where craftsmen take their necessary time for their customers, offering professional tips and recommendations. The small, romantic shops and workshops along the Limmat River sell premium and custom produced goods. The Schipfe is an idyllic place to enjoy relaxing, dining and some healthy snacks.