Zurich:Culture City

From indulging in the legendary Swiss time pieces to mingling with the culturati, Amrita Shah goes all out in Zurich

Sitting at the end of Lake Zurich with the Alps as a backdrop, it’s easy to see why Zurich is considered one of the most picturesque cities in the world. All pics courtesy Zurich Tourism Board

I was expecting the worst when my train failed to pull out of a station in the outskirts of Zurich. And with good reason too. Trains in Switzerland don't run late. Ever! So when the train refused to budge after 15 complete minutes, my tribulation only increased. There had to be a huge problem to warrant this, I thought to myself.

But the well-oiled machinery that the Swiss transport system is, the speaker crackled to life and I heard a heavily accented voice announce a technical problem. I hopped off the train to find another inter-city railroad car make an unscheduled stop almost immediately to pick up stranded passengers such as myself. Evidently, things run like clockwork here and any hiccup in the system is smoothed over with minimal fuss and maximum efficiency.

Haven For Culturati

I was headed towards the old cobbled town of Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland located in the northern part of the country. The Swiss are known for their efficiency, time management and clockwork precision and their banks, watches and chocolates are considered among the finest in the world - not necessarily in that order.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to me when my guide pointed out that Zurich was also one of the great art cities of the world. For some reason, I didn't associate it with great art. Paris, London, New York, yes, but not Zurich. But the city was full of surprises from the word go. I witnessed a series of life-size statues with diversely attired teddy bears (courtesy Teddy Summer 2005) at the airport. Then there was artist Mario Merz's 'Das Philosophische Ei', a funky installation made of red spirals suspended in mid-air that stood out in complete contrast to the classic sobriety of the Central Station and French sculptor, Niki de Saint Phalle's protective angel.

The sweltering heat of the day hit me in the face as I stepped out of the station. I saw people licking gelatos and sauntering around in shorts, street side cafés were bustling with activity and more teddy bears lined the streets! This was Zurich at the height of its summer - young, fun, bursting with life - and in complete holiday mood. But considering that the sun got this generous only for a few weeks in a year, one could only smile in sympathy.

The Zurich skyline is dominated by spires, towers and similar remants of the city’s medieval past	The lifeline of Zurich, the River Limmat by night
The River Limmat divides Zurich down the middle	A bronze statue of Swiss politician, Alfred Escher sits atop a fountain at Banhofplatz

The Roman Turicum

Located on the northern shore of Lake Zurich with River Limmat running through it, Zurich started off as a small hamlet called Turicum in Roman times and began to acquire its current skyline only under the rule of Karl, The Fat. It was in the 13th century that the imposing Fraumünster Church, with its single steeple, was constructed and which now dominates the West Bank.

The church boasts of five stunning stained-glass windows painted by the famed Russian painter Marc Chagall and is the primary reason for attracting hordes of tourists.

The other imposing landmark of the city is the Grossmünster Church on the other side of the river with its two Gothic towers standing out in stark contrast to the Fraumünster's solitary one. Not far from the Grossmünster is the vibrant Niederdorf district replete with street cafes, bars, restaurants, galleries, fashionable boutiques and antique shops. Cabaret Voltaire, the birthplace of Dadaism (a western European artistic and literary movement that sought the abolition of traditional culture and aesthetic forms), is located here. Not far is the Kunsthaus Zurich, one of the city's largest art museums as well as a handful of art galleries.

Zurich is a great city to walk about and a good way to explore the city is to stroll around the medieval town - in sensible shoes I might add - because old town equals cobbled streets and I learned my lesson the hard way. The entire city is paved with cobblestones. It is suspected that the bank vaults lie somewhere below these streets, and is supposedly filled with gold. So one is literally walking on gold-lined streets.

The old town with its cobbled streets and quaint shops is one of the most charming areas in the city	The late-baroque style Opera Houses us one of Switzerland’s best.
The only place to shop (or window-shop!) in Zurich - the uber-cool Banhofstrasse.	The Chinagarten on Bellerivestrasse was a gift to the city by the Chinese city of Kunming.

You can get a feel of the local culture and lifestyle by wandering through its meandering streets of the medieval quarter. This way you can even chance upon a beautiful historical structure that might not be included in the regular tourist itinerary. For instance, Café Odeon on the open Limmatquai plaza and one of the most historic cafes in Zurich established in 1912. This art nouveau style cafe has been patronised by the likes of Lenin, Trotsky, Mata Hari, Thornton Wilder, Mussolini and James Joyce.

Better still is the Restaurant Kronenhalle on Rämistrasse, known for its gourmet food but more for its walls adorned with the original artworks of Klee, Chagall, Matisse, Miró, Kandinsky and Picasso - some of whom were patrons and paid in paintings rather than cash. Needless to say that the sight left me completely in awe; where else would I get a chance to breathe on a Matisse! Of course, drop-ins are not welcome, and a meal is likely to cost you a small fortune. But I especially liked walking through the vibrant Zurichhorn Park; not only was it full of pretty people but I got a chance to see the colourful Centre le Corbusier and the funky kinetic iron sculpture by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely.

Most of Zurich’s cultural centres lie along the banks of the river or lake as does the Opera House	The trendy Barfussbar at the women’s river bath is one of the popular nightspots in town
Sunbathers ahoy! The Swiss make the most of their few weeks in the sun	Cafes line the length of the lake and river - perfect for people watching!

Boat Trippin'

If art and history are not your cup of tea, then Zurich has plenty of other distractions as well, especially during the summer. Like most Swiss cities, water is an integral part of life and the rivers and the lakes are not only vital transport arteries but also a hub of activities as well. A walk around the lake with its backdrop of hills and slopes covered with vineyards looked very enticing. Unfortunately, it was too hot for me to walk around the city on my first day. So I climbed into one of the Limmatschiff boats that ferry people up and down the river. That backfired as well because the boat turned into a sauna of sorts due to the heat. However, I'm quite certain that the experience is way nicer when the weather is pleasant.

On the other hand, the boat trip from Rapperswil - the picturesque medieval town located at the other end of Lake Zurich - was a treat. A quiet town with plenty of cafes, a castle and a church looming over the harbour, Rapperswil is known for its rose gardens. Though the ride back took a good hour and a half, there was plenty to eat and drink onboard, an essential after having to climb numerous flights of stairs on the boat. The boat ride is a good opportunity to sunbathe - an activity that appeared to be the current Swiss preoccupation - with several decks to lounge and stretch about in.

Another evidence that Swiss life revolves around frolicking in water is the constant swimming that goes on - whether it is after work (which was very common) or all through the day during holidays. I saw the lake almost always brimming with swimmers and sailboats. There are even public baths complete with sauna and pool lining the lakeshore that can be converted into 'schicki-micki' bars (a term I have absolutely come to love!), which, loosely translated, means 'going out only to be seen'. But the Swiss swimming until sundown and sipping cocktails in summer with their unrestrained merrymaking could hardly be termed as 'schicki-micki'.

Club Toni in the trendy Zurich West district is one of the happening clubs in the city	Bathers making the most of the River Limmat
Summertime is all about enjoying the waterfront - be it swimming, cycling or just hanging out	Picnickers and sunbathers revelling in the summer sun at the Zurichhorn Park Pic: Amrita Shah