Switzerland's cultural and historical heritage
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A trip to Switzerland will be remembered for a lifetime because it is rich with unique architectural monuments, beautiful lakes, and mountain ranges. Every medieval town of this country deserves attention. This article presents the cultural heritage of a wonderful country like Switzerland.
Grossmünster Cathedral
If you are a fan of religious monuments, then you will love the majestic cloister located in the heart of Zurich. The cathedral is thought to have been built in the 9th century, and the site was chosen for a reason. The tombs of St Regula and St Felix were discovered nearby. According to the description of the site, construction was delayed at that time, and the building was not commissioned until the 12th century. Today, the site is one of Switzerland's most visited tourist attractions, offering visitors the chance to experience the church's long history.
Old Town (Zurich)
Not to be missed is one of the most intimate and colourful places in the main city. Here you can see buildings that date back to the 11th century. They are notable for their painted walls and the presence of a large number of flowers on the windows. And for a tour of Zurich's Old Town, look out for St. Peter's Cathedral, which boasts the largest clock tower in Europe. The city's main churches include the Fraumuenster. Excursions to Switzerland's oldest part of Zurich appeal to tourists because of the huge number of antique and souvenir shops and restaurants that have been built there. On the lakeshore is a park with picnic areas, beach and cafes.
Ballenberg Open Air Museum
The museum was created after the locals stopped tearing down the village houses that had fallen into disrepair. The same applies to the stables and outbuildings. In the 70s, they began carefully dismantling them and restoring them on the open-air site. At first there were only 16 exhibits in the museum, but now there are about 100 buildings that have been collected from different parts of the country.
«The Dying Lion» in Lucerne
The story of this Swiss landmark is very moving, with an American writer calling it "the most tragic stone in the world". In short, a sculpture of a dying lion was carved into the natural rock in honour of the victims of the storming of the Tuileries Palace. It's depicted pierced with a spear, attempting to cover the coat of arms, which is the symbol of the French royal house.
Capelbrücke
The Capelbrücke is a bridge which is a real piece of engineering that has survived the centuries. It is the oldest wooden structure in Europe that connects the banks of the river Rois. You can use it to get from the old part of the city to the modern part. The massive stone piers of the bridge are the only non-wood elements of the structure and are definitely worth a look. And the best part: there are 111 paintings under the roof, from which you can learn about the history of the state as a whole, the canton and the city.
Museum of Art and History in Geneva
It is considered the largest of its kind in the country. The collections include more than 650,000 exhibits, ranging from paintings to archaeological artefacts. To find the place in Geneva, look for the cathedral. The museum itself is housed in a beautiful columned palace in a classicist style. There are stone sculptures on the roof. You can view the permanent exhibitions for free, but you'll have to pay for the temporary collections.
St. John's Benedictine Monastery
In the rural valley of Müstair, just outside the Italian border, there is a village with the same name that few tourists reach. The last building you'll see here before you hit Italy is the Carolingian monastery and nearby church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. And no wonder. The monastery and its church present a magnificent series of Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes. The Benedictine monastery is still active and, together with the adjoining cemetery, retains a mystical atmosphere that is sure to impress you.
Art Museum in Basel
Names like Monet, Cézanne, Picasso and Chagall have made this museum famous, the incredible historical scope of its collection has brought it even greater fame. Featuring one of the largest collections of Holbein family works and exhibits dating back to the 15th century, the museum is a must-see for art lovers. With a separate focus on movements such as Cubism, German Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, it has earned worldwide recognition as one of the most representative museums of its kind.
St Gallo Abbey
At the heart of the picturesque town of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland, which grew out of a 7th-century hermitage, lies the Abbey of St. Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a valuable monument to Carolingian monastic architecture. The abbey library, with its Baroque architecture and Rococo decoration, contains one of the richest and most diverse medieval collections in the world. And St Gall's Cathedral itself, apart from its design and fanciful decorations, boasts one of the three oldest surviving bells in Europe. Legend has it that the bell was brought by Gallus himself during his wanderings from Ireland in the 7th century.
Lausanne Cathedral
Elevating above the city of Lausanne like an enormous crown on the head of a king, this 13th-century cathedral has long been the spiritual centre of French-speaking Switzerland, and is considered one of the finest Gothic buildings in the country. Indeed, the mix of Anglo-Norman and north-eastern French architectural details makes the cathedral one of the most outstanding buildings in Europe's artistic heritage. Its spacious, colourful interior is actually capable of evoking faith. But the greatest masterpiece kept within the vaults of Lausanne Cathedral is the magnificent 7,000 trumpet organ, whose unrivalled power and new harmonics never fail to capture the hearts of listeners. It is one of the most expensive instruments in the world, so the organ itself is reason enough to visit Notre Dame de Lausanne.
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