ZURICH - In Your Pocket

44 WHAT TO SEE
Meet Joyce, Lenin & Co
Artists, scientists, political visionaries - Zurich has been
home to some of the greatest and most original minds of
the last century or two. You can follow their footsteps, see
many of the houses they lived and worked in and the graves
where they are laid to rest. We’ve listed the sites for you,
which also include museums and even a pub!
The genius par excellence, Albert Einstein, studied natural
sciences from 1896 to 1900 at the Polytechnikum, today’s
Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), where he later
became professor before being awarded the Nobel prize
in physics in 1921. Some of the new arrivals fleeing the
First World War had revolutions on their minds. Marxists and
future Russian revolutionaries Vladimir Lenin and his wife
Nadezhda Krupskaya spent a year of their exile in Zurich.
The couple Emmy Hennings and Hugo Ball were to trigger
a revolution right in the middle of Zurich itself: the antieverything
art movement Dada. Both active on stage, they
were forced to leave Germany in 1915 due to their criticism
of the war. Swiss artist and dancer Sophie Täuber was
also part of the Dada circle, but went her own ways. She
began to paint in an abstract geometric style, thus laying
the ground for constructivist art. Another war refugee, Irish
author James Joyce, lived in Zurich from 1915 to 1919,
where he wrote large parts of his modern classic Ulysses
and died in 1941 (photo shows his grave). The furnishings
of the James Joyce Pub are from the Jury pub in Dublin,
mentioned in Ulysses. Renegade psychoanalyst Carl
Gustav Jung worked at the Burghölzli psychiatric asylum
in Zurich from 1905 to 1909. Thomas Mann, author of
epics such as the Buddenbrocks and Nobel prize winner,
also had close ties to Zurich and died here in 1955.The
Thomas Mann Archive runs a small museum about his life.
Sites and addresses
Albert Einstein
Memorial plaque, Unionsstrasse 4, 8 Hottingerplatz
Vladimir Lenin and Nadezhda Krupskaya
Memorial plaque, Spiegelgasse 14, 8 Rathaus
Dada art movement
Cabaret Voltaire, Spiegelgasse 1, 8 Rathaus
Constructivists
Haus Konstruktiv, Selnaustrasse 25, 8 Sihlstrasse
James Joyce
Memorial plaque, Universitätsstrasse 38, 8 Haldenbach
James Joyce Foundation, www.joycefoundation.ch
Friedhof (Cemetery) Fluntern, Zürichbergstr. 189, 8 Zoo
James Joyce Pub, Pelikanstrasse 8, 8 Rennweg
Thomas Mann
Thomas-Mann-Archiv, Schönberggasse 15. Open Wed
& Sat 14:00 - 16:00, admission free. 8 Kantonsschule
Museum Rietberg C-7, Gablerstrasse 15, 8Museum
Rietberg, tel. +41 44 206 31 31, www.rietberg.ch. An
internationally recognised collection of art from Asia, Africa,
the Americas and further afield is on show at the Rietberg
Museum, in permanent and temporary exhibitions (see
section Culture & Events). The museum is housed in several
impressive villas and pavillons, all set in Rieterpark, a garden
which is worth a visit in itself.QOpen 10:00 - 17:00, Wed &
Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 16/12Sfr for
the exhibitions and the permanent collection, 12/10 for the
collection, children under 16 free.
National Museum (Landesmuseum) E-2,
Museumstrasse 2, 8Hauptbahnhof, tel. +41 44 218
65 11, www.musee-suisse.ch. It will take you a while to
get through the permanent exhibition on Swiss history, but
hey, it took centuries to accumulate. Complete with sights,
sounds, slides and secret bank accounts, this is not some
bone-dry collection of old things. There are four thematic
areas: the first section shows the history of migration and
settlement, the second examines religious and intellectual
history, the third is dedicated to Swiss political history and
the fourth section focusses on economy. For most exhibits
explanations in English are available. In the west wing of the
museum the exhibition Swiss Furniture and Interiors shows
11 period rooms, among them for example a living room from
the mediaeval Castle Wiggen. The armour tower displays
arms of national and international importance. Besides
that there are temporary exhibitions on changing topics (see
Culture & Events section of this guide). The courtyard of the
fairy-tale castle the museum is housed in is a nice place for
a drink. English-language guided tour through the permanent
collection every Tue at 11:00. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00, Thu
10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. 10/8Sfr.
NEW
Shedhalle Seestrasse 395, 8Rote Fabrik, tel. +41 44
481 59 50, www.shedhalle.ch. Shedhalle defines itself
as a ’cultural think tank’ and shows visual art which is often
provocative and political, engaging with controversial and
neglected subjects. Recent exhibitions included The F-Word,
in which four artists grappled with what feminism could mean
today or Im/Possible Community, which asked questions
about individualism, migration and what makes consensus or
collective action possible. Shedhalle breaks with traditional
forms, both in the art shown and with the institution of joint
curatorship practiced since 1994. QOpen 13:00 - 18:00,
Sat & Sun 12:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. 5/3Sfr.
Gardens & Parks
NEW
Hardau Park Badenerstrasse, 8Albisriederstrasse.
The Hardau park is one of Zurich’s newest parks, in the
Hardau district well to the west of Langstrasse, an area with
cheaper apartment blocks and a large immigrant population.
The highlight of this multifunctional park is the huge white
y-shaped sculpture by Sisley Xhafa. Does it scream ‘why’? Is
it a catapult? Yes, but it’s also a giant toy, a swing open for
use by the parks visitors, which glows in different colours when
used. Xhafa, a Kosovar living in New York, picks up on serious
subjects: resistance, conflict, despair, subjects the immigrant
knows particularly well. And who isn’t an immigrant nowadays?
Zurich Zoo J-1, Zürichbergstrasse 221, 8Zoo, tel.
+41 848 96 69 83, www.zoo.ch. Zurich Zoo is located on
the Zürichberg high above the city. The pride of this zoological
garden which was opened in 1929 is the Masoala Rainforest
hall, simulating the ecosystem in the Masoala National park in
Madagascar on some 10,000sqm. Animals like lemurs or giant
Zurich In Your Pocket zurich.inyourpocket.com
tortoises can move freely around in the hall as you watch and
walk by on a path through the forest. Keep your eyes peeled,
probably a chameleon is sitting on a branch right next to you.
But the rainforest is not the only thing worth seeing. Since
1992 Zurich Zoo has gradually been changing the traditionalstyle
enclosures into whole ecosystems which better meet the
animals’ needs, e.g. an Indian dry forest for the lions. Q Open
09:00 - 18:00 (Nov - Feb 09:00 - 17:00). Masoala hall opens
at 10:00. Admission 22/16 (16 - 25 years)/11Sfr.
Churches
See Main sights at the beginning of this chapter for the
churches Fraumünster and Grossmünster.
Zurich’s Romanesque landmark, the Grossmünster.
Zurich Tourism (MB)
St. Peter E-4, St.-Peter-Hofstatt, 8Paradeplatz. St.
Peter church is the one with the huge clock-faces on all four
sides of the tower you can spot from far away. The diameter
of the clock-faces is almost 9 metres - they are said to be the
biggest in Europe. The first mayor of Zurich, Rudolf Brun, was
buried here in 1360 - a copy of his tomb stone can be seen
on the northern side of the church. The nave of the church
was finished in 1706, while the choir and the tower date from
a Romanesque church built in 1230. This was the first church
in Zurich that was built as a Protestant place of worship after
the Reformation. Don’t miss the unfortunately partly faded
mediaeval murals in the choir. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat
10:00 - 16:00, Sun 11:00 - 17:00.
Sightseeing tours
Best of Zurich - Zürich City Tour E-1, Bus Terminal
Sihlquai, 8Sihlquai / HB, tel. +41 44 710 50 50,
www.switzerland-tours.ch. A city tour including a short
stroll through the old town and a ride with the Dolderbahn
rack-and-pinion railway up into the residential area Zürichberg.
The most exciting Swiss Family-Center
Play with science (from babies to adults)
The ‘factory‘ (chocolate, bread, cooking, cars, creative)
Outdoor area with driving school
Themed restaurant and Edustore
From Zürich Mainstation – S-Bahn S9 or S14 (15 minutes) · Open 363 days a year
Chlirietstrasse 12 | 8604 Volketswil ZH | www.kindercity.ch
zurich.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE
In little more than two hours you get to see Bahnhofstrasse
and the financial district, the old guild houses along
Limmatquai and the universities. There is a live commentary
in English and German, audioguides in Spanish, Russian,
Chinese and Japanese available. Q Starts daily 13:00 at the
bus terminal Sihlquai next to the main train station. Tickets
available on the spot, reservation by phone recommended.
Tickets 34/17Sfr.
Ghost Walk of Zurich E-4, Paradeplatz, 8Paradeplatz,
tel. +41 44 941 45 65, www.ghostwalk.ch. This tour
is not for the faint-hearted: Dan Dent will tell you all about
Zurich’s Ghosts on a walk through the old town - in English
only. Listen to this great entertainer and get to know the
Schipfe Poltergeist or the ghost of Zurich’s first mayor,
Rudolf Brun. QEvery Thu & Fri at 20:00 at Paradeplatz.
Meeting point is next to the fountain. No need to book, just
show up. 15/10Sfr.
Stories of the Old Town - Guided walk E-2, Tourist
Office Main Train Station, 8Hauptbahnhof, tel. +41
44 215 40 88, www.zuerich.com. A professional guide
will take you on this two-hour walk through the old town of
Zurich. Discover the city’s history and listen to anecdotes
from its past in English and German. Good choice if you
really want to see the old town, where the bus tours can’t
go. For other walks ask at the tourist information at the
main station. Reservation by phone recommended. Q
Starts at the tourist office at the main railway station. Daily
3pm, additional Sat/Sun 11am. From Nov 1 only Wed, Sun
11:00 and Sat 11:00 & 15:00. 25/12.50Sfr, 50% discount
with Zurich Card.
Markets
Flea Market Kanzlei C-3, Kanzleistrasse 56,
8Helvetiaplatz, www.flohmarktkanzlei.ch. This is
probably Switzerland’s biggest year-round flea market. Up
to 400 people put their second-hand goods on sale here
every Saturday, professional traders as well as people
who are just flogging things they don’t need anymore.
Definitely worth a visit even if you’re not really looking
for anything. Q Sat 08:00 - 16:00.
Rosenhofmarkt F-3, Rosenhof, 8Rathaus,
www.rosenhof.ch. Incense sticks, trinkets and hippiestyle
clothes are on offer on Thursdays and Saturdays at
the Rosenhof, a hidden square in the Niederdorf part of
the old town. Artists also sell their handcrafted jewellery
and pottery. There is also food from aurond the world. Q
March - September Thu 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00.
Factory
Reservation
043 204 30 60
October - November 2012
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