Swiss sculptor Richard Kissling created this bronze statue in 1889 in honor of Alfred Escher, a renowned Zurich politician and entrepreneur.

Escher founded one of Switzerland’s two large banks and three of its largest insurance companies to finance and insure the Gotthard railway line and tunnel, among other things. Because there were not enough engineers available for the construction, he also co-founded the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Zurich’s Oldest District.

Boats docked at "Schipfe" in the Middle Ages, which delivered silk, gold and food to Zurich. Today, the district is an idyllic place to linger, shop and enjoy some good food.

This spot provides a glorious view of the Old Town, Grossmünster Church, City Hall, the Limmat river, the university and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Lindenhof was also the scene of numerous historical events. In the 4th century a Roman fort stood on Lindenhof – and in the 9th century the grandson of Charlemagne built a regal palace as place of residence on the very same site.

After the Lindenhof was successively used as a settlement by Ottonians. They turned it into a palatial seat of power with walls and watchtowers, but it seems likely that these structures were demolished or destroyed during the 12th century.

The Lindenhof is not only shrouded in the legends of the past. Since the 19th century it has been home to a mysterious building that can only be accessed by members of Zurich’s eight Masonic lodges.

Augustinergasse – One of Zurich's Most Beautiful Historical Narrow Streets

Augustinergasse is conspicuous for the many bay windows along it. These served not only to provide light, but also had other practical benefits.

Paradeplatz has made a name for itself as the largest financial transaction site in Switzerland since the time when large Swiss banks set up their main offices there.

The rooftop bar, 1838, at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy (founded in 1838, this iconic property, the oldest grand hotel in the city) welcomes its guests high above the rooftops of Zurich. A branch of the confectionery company Sprüngli is also located there, where you can buy the popular "Luxemburgerli".

Founded in 853 by King Louis the German, this church with its convent was inhabited by the female members of the aristocracy of Europe. The convent enjoyed the patronage of kings and the abbess the right to mint coins in Zurich until well into the 13th century. Ownership of the church and convent passed to the city of Zurich after the Reformation.

Important architectural features include the Romanesque chancel and the high vaulted transept. The nave was last renovated in 1911.

Its most stunning treasures are the stained glass windows: those in the north transept are by Augusto Giacometti and the five-part cycle in the chancel and rosette in the southern transept the works of Marc Chagall. The cloister also reveals a series of frescos by Paul Bodmer.

Niederdorf is part of Zurich's old town – and the locals fondly refer to it as “Dörfli”, meaning the entire Niederdorf and Oberdorf area that extends as far as Bellevue.

Niederdorf is a pedestrian zone the same as Limmatquai, which runs parallel. The popular “Dörflifäscht” takes place with many DJs, market booths, culinary delights, shows and attractions at the end of August.

During the First World War, Lenin lived with his wife Nadeshda Krupskaja at Spiegelgasse 14 in Zurich for about a year – a commemorative plaque on the house serves as a reminder. He finished his work "Imperialism as the Highest Stage of Capitalism" in Zurich. He spent a lot of his time in Zurich’s libraries. However, in his free time, he and his wife are said to have loved driving up to the top of the Zürichberg hill, lying in the grass and eating Swiss chocolate. Whether Lenin visited the Cabaret Voltaire, the birthplace of Dadaism, is still unknown but has fuelled speculation as to whether Lenin was a secret Dadaist.

The Haus zum Rech has been part of Zurich’s old town for 800 years. Today it houses the city archives.

We will visit this place to see a model of 18th century Zurich, copies of a 16th century painting and an interactive map of the city that will allow us to learn a little about Jewish Zurich.

Two internationally renowned, leading universities and various practice-oriented institutions make Zurich an important center for education and research.

The ETH Zurich offers predominantly technical study courses in the fields of engineering, science, mathematics, and civil engineering. The main focus areas of research are medicine, sustainability, manufacturing technologies, and data science/machine learning. Scientists from all over the world benefit from the state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and numerous successful spin-offs are important drivers for business innovations.

The University of Zurich has a broad range of study courses and is made up of seven faculties, ranging from law and economics, to medicine, science and social sciences. The scientists at the University of Zurich have received numerous distinctions for their outstanding research in the fields of medicine, immunology, genetics, neuroscience, and structural biology, as well as in economics.