I arrived in Zurich in the evening of 28 November and made my way by train to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) then on foot to my hotel overlooking the Limmat (the river that flows out of the Zurichsee). Not having slept much on the flight from Sydney and having been awake for over 24 hours, I had an early night! The next morning, Tuesday 29th, I got myself organised and was out of the hotel before 9 am, armed with a tourist map showing a historic walking tour. It was very cold but I was rugged up in multiple layers of thermal clothing and my puffer coat. 

Obeying the map, I retraced my steps to the Hauptbahnhof, walked round to the square on the south side and admired the imposing facade of the station and the statue of a local dignatary in the middle of the road and tram space. Turns out this was Alfred Escher (1819-1882) a Zurich born politician, business leader and railway pioneer – hence his statue outside the station. Not to be confused with M.C. Escher the Dutch artist.

Opposite, Bahnhofstrasse runs southwards, and I followed this street for a bit. It is the main shopping street, and had decorative Christmas lights strung above the road, but at this time of morning, not illuminated. Apparently, this street was built on the site of a ‘fortified moat’ that defended the city up until 150 years ago. 

I came upon a small park with a statue of Joh Heinrich Pestalozzi, with his arm protectively round a child. I had no idea who he was, but he lived 1746 to 1827. Later, I found that Wikipedia says he was a pedagogue and educational reformer, and wrote many books about education. Beside the park is a small fountain of four nymphs, representing simplicity, purity, sobriety and charity. The fountain dates from 1870, Paris, but was presented to Zurich to initiate the World Convention of Water Experts in 1982. It states on the pedestal that the nymphs are to “symbolise international co-operation in providing people everywhere with pure and salubrious water.” Salubrious = healthy and wholesome.

I continued along Bahnhofstrasse to Uraniastrasse down which I found the small square with the ‘singing Christmas tree’, I will have to return at 5:30 pm to experience this. My route turned along a cobbled lane beside the river and then up Fortunegasse, a steep alley-way that eventually got me to Lindenhof. Lindenhof is an open hilltop plaza with trees (linden trees? I recognised some as oak trees) with great views over the river to the opposite side of the old town. There was a fountain here as well, but my photo of this was an indistinct silhouette.

My route took me back down the hill and along to the St Peterskirche, which has the largest clock-face in Europe, at 8.7 metres across. It is the oldest parish church in Zurich, founded in the 9th century. From there I followed Augustinesgasse back to Bahnhofstrasse. Augustinergasse has some quaint oriel windows above the street, best shown in photographs. I also found an antique shop with interesting and colourful icons for sale.

Proceeding down Bahnhofstrasse again, I walked past the more exclusive shops, Chanel, Gucci etc until Paradeplatz where I was directed down a side street to the Frauminster Kirche..  The Frauminster was a convent founded in 853 by King Louis the German, rebuilt at a later date. To one side a small plaza held some Christmas market stalls (not yet open) and a lovely gated building – don’t know what it was but it looked nice. Alongside this was the Munster Brucke (bridge), from which one can see the Rathaus, built out over the river on the opposite bank, and the GrossMunster looming over the waterfront. 

My path continued down the west bank of the Limmat, and passed the Frauenbad, a swimming bath in the river, apparently only for women. A few minutes’ walk later, I came across a statue of a naked man with a bull. There was no obvious explanation for what this was about. Nearby was a produce market. I wandered round enjoying the colours. Across the road, on the lakeshore is an open space, Burkliplatz, where in summer there are markets and street vendors and in winter a view of the snow-covered Alps, but not today, with low cloud!

I crossed the Limmat here, where it leaves the Zurichsee, and followed the lake side to the Opera House. In the square in front, Sechselauten Platz, is a large Christmas Market (not yet open for the day).  I made a mental note to return in the afternoon. Across the road was a mobile phone shop, where I was able to get an USB adaptor to charge my phone, my European adaptor does not fit Swiss electrical outlets. My map indicated a turn up the hill and along Oberdorfstrasse (which I think translates as ‘road above the village’). There were many medieval buildings, one of which had been a bakery since 1620. 

The road led me to the back of the Grossmunster, and then round to the front and Zwingli Platz. I liked the illustrated doors to the Munster.  The map told me that legend has it that Charlemagne discovered the graves of Felix and Regula (Zurich’s patron saints) here and had the church built on the spot. In the 16th century Huldrych Zwingli began the reformation in Switzerland from the Grossmunster.

I went inside the Munster, and found it rather austere. Outside, near the north door, is a statue of Heinrich Bullinger (1504-1575), he was also a reformer and theologian, the successor to Zwingli. I later found a statue of Zwingli near the Wasserkirche.

From here I was directed down to the Limmatquai and along to the Rathaus, before turning uphill again, which took me past Cabinet Voltaire, the birthplace of Dada. I was rather more interested in an old map in a bookshop window, showing Zurich in 1576! As was typical of the time, east is up. The ‘fortified moat’ mentioned earlier is at the bottom of the map, and substantial walls protected the town on the east as well. I could see one of the old towers on this wall from the top of the hill I had been climbing, but could not get to it.

The road led downhill again to the Neumarkt, then I turned and was led back to Niederdorfstrasse, where another fountain caught my eye. A bit further along, there was a sign indicating more shops down a corridor, here I found Place de Finlande, and a building that looked like it dated from 1612.

Continuing along Niederdorfstrasse, I took a side street (Spitalgasse) to look at another church, this one Prediger Kirche. Then I returned to the Bahnhof (concealed by scaffolding for renovation). Beyond the station I found the Landesmuseum, which looks medieval but was built in the late 19th century, so probably classified as ‘Gothic revival’. I walked as far as the confluence of the Limmat and the Sihl. The Limmat is held back by a weir, the Sihl is at a lower level.

I took a break for lunch and a rest. When I went out again, I first checked at the station for the platform from which trains to Bern depart and went into the ticket office to buy my tickets. I walked down the Limmat Quai to the Christmas market on Sechslauten Platz, in front of the Opera. On the way, I was passed by a red tram driven by Santa Claus, later I saw it unloading children, assisted by two angels. The Christmas Market was mostly food and drink, but did have a lovely Christmas Tree.

I returned to the Werdmuhle Platz and its small market, just food and drink, where I had a hot chocolate and some apple strudel while I waited for the Christmas Tree to sing. The ‘tree’ is a scaffold with greenery, on which children are able to stand (safely) and perform. This evening it was a choir from a bi-lingual school, who sang carols in German and English. After listening for a while, I returned to my hotel. My photos were out of focus, unfortunately! The Platz was crowded with proud parents.

I went to Bern the following day and returned on the third of December. On the fourth, I spent about three hours in the Landesmuseum. I thoroughly enjoyed looking round the different areas of the museum. The Collection has all sorts of items that spread over most of three floors of the museum. These include mixed displays of paintings, furniture and household items; some sleighs; a porcelain display; clothing; and a number of historic rooms, apparently dismantled from the house in which they originated and rebuilt in the museum. These included quite a collection of tiled stoves or ‘turmofen’.

I found a model of the Landesmuseum itself, which shows the merging of the Gothic revival museum with the more modern extension at the back. I spent quite a while in the Archaeology section, looking at the displays of finds from various periods. The History of Switzerland section was also absorbing, with text about major events, pictures and items from each century from the 14th onwards. I took lots of photos, too many to share here, and learned a lot about Switzerland’s history. Women did not all get the right to vote until 1972! The men kept defeating the referendums.

I had a quiet afternoon writing and met up with the Albatross tour passengers in the evening. We all went out to the Christmas Market in the Hauptbahnhof then gathered for a meal in our hotel. We were told that our first stop will be a few hours for lunch in Lucerne, then on to Basel for two nights.