Zurich - Old Town

On Zurich's Mythenquai are the headquarters of a number of large insurance corporations, and above it lies Belvoir Park, with old trees, subtropical plants and a restaurant.

Over 25,000 examples of cacti and succulents are on display at the Municipal Collection of Succulents.

From 1642 to 1833 Zurich was surrounded by a ring of ramparts and bastions. After the demolition of these fortifications the moats were filled in, and the town was able to expand beyond its former limits. The monumental complexes of the University and the College of Technology are the result of this wave of building activity in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Zurich's lakeside promenade, which follows the west shore of the lake from the Bürkliplatz, bears the names of General-Guisan Quai and, further south, Mythenquai. Near the landing-stage used by the lake steamers stands the Congress hall (Kongresshaus), opened in 1939, which is built on to the older Tonhalle (1895) and is one of the major focal points of the social life of Zurich, with concerts, conferences and festive occasions of all kinds.

The E.G. Bührle Collection's focal point is French Impressionism with examples by Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, van Gogh, Gauguin, Braque, and Picasso: The Foundation are also exhibits some significant paintings by the Venetian masters of the 18th C, by the Dutch masters of the 17th C as well as an important group of medieval sculptures.

A small collection of sculptures by the artist Hermann Haller (1880-1950) and an urn containing his ashes.

Near the Zürichhorn restaurant in Zurich is a gigantic piece of mechanical sculpture by Jean Tinguely, "Heureka" (1964: operates in summer at 11 and 5).

Hochgasse 6 in Zurich is the Centre Le Corbusier (1967; Heidi Weber Haus), which is now used as a forum for community action.

It is dedicated to Corbusier and his last works.

Along the Limmatquai, a popular Zurich shopping street, are a number of elegant old guild-houses with richly appointed interiors reflecting the wealth of the guilds which governed the town until 1789: at No. 54 the Haus zur Saffran (1719-23), at No. 42 the Haus zur Rüden (1660) and at No. 40 the two-storied Haus zur Zimmerleuten (1709: extended 1783-1785; with a beautiful oriel window), all now housing restaurants. No. 62 is the Haus der Museumsgesellschaft (1866-1868; rebuilt in 1965).

At the junction of the Rämistrasse with the Utoquai is the spacious Bellevueplatz, from which a lakeside promenade offering extensive views runs south along the east side of Lake Zurich under the name of Utoquai and, farther on, Seefeldquai. To the left stands the neo-Baroque Opera House (Oper), designed by the Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer and built within the space of 20 months in 1890-91.

Operas, ballets, operettas and musicals are performed regularly from January to June and September to December.

Seestrasse 409 in Zurich houses the popular Rote Fabrik Cultural Center; concerts by rock groups, salsa, Reggae and other modern musical movements take place here. In addition, there is a small paleontological collection in the building.

Facing the Zurich Art Gallery, on the southeast side of the Heimplatz, is the Haus zum Pfauen (House of the Peacock: built 1888-89, reconstructed 1976-78), with the Schauspielhaus (theater), one of the most renowned of German-language theaters, completely remodeled in the recent rebuilding.

A collection devoted to the writer Thomas Mann (1875-1955) including documents and manuscripts. A library can be observed after prior arrangement.

At Seestrasse 203, the Muraltengut has reception rooms which are used by the Zurich Town Council.

At the east end of the Rathausbrücke, overhanging the river on the right, is the Zurich Rathaus (Town Hall, 1694-98), a massive Later Renaissance building, with rich sculptured decoration, in which the cantonal and communal councils meet in public. The tastefully furnished Baroque ceremonial hall is well worth seeing.

On the south side of Zurich's Münsterbrücke stands the Late-Gothic single-aisled Wasserkirche ("water church"), once entirely surrounded by the Limmat. It was not connected to the land until 1839 when the Limmat quay was constructed. In front of the choir is a bronze statue of 1885 to Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) Zurich's great Reformer. Built on to the north side of the church is the Helmhaus (1794), with an open fountain hall, in which special exhibitions are put on by the municipal authorities.

About 1.5km/1mi from Zurich's Bellevueplatz is the beautiful Zürichhorn Park (landing stage; restaurant).