Place

Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen is a small city 50km northeast of Zurich and the capital of the Canton of Schaffhausen. The first historical mention of the city came in 1045AD. It was an independent city state before becoming a charter member of the original Swiss Confederacy. Schauffhausen suffered considerably during the Thirty Years' War, and in fact did not recover fully until the arrival of the railroad in 1857.

City guide

Overview & visitor information

Schaffhausen has a small but impressive Alstadt (or Old Town). The architecture is remarkably well preserved and ranges from the Gothic, Baroque, and Rococo periods. Many of the streets are pedestrian only and lined with small shops and restaurants. At the center of town is Fronwagplatz, which features a clock tower and fountain dating from the sixteenth century.

Münster zu Allerheiligen is the city's finest church and dominates the Old Town. The cathedral was built in the eleventh century and renovated several times since. The Museum zu Allerheiligen has an extensive collection of artifacts from the ancient and Medieval periods. Several rooms are decorated in the styles of the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries. Most of the writing in the museum is in French and German, so English speakers may struggle to understand everything.

The Munot was once a fortress defending the city. The design features massive stone ramparts. The views from the top are great. You can see all of Schaffhausen and the surrounding valley. The Haus zum Ritter is the city's finest mansion, dating to the 1490s. The fabulous paintings that were once housed here are now in the Museum zu Allerheiligen.

The train ride from Zurich to Schaffhausen takes about an hour. If you want to see a little more of town, you can rent bicycles at the train station. The town's tourist office offers tours daily. During the day, it hits up all the major attractions. At night, it focuses on the grislier side of things, including murders and hangings. They're available in English and provide interesting insight into the city's history. Schaffhausen is an easy day trip from Zurich. The pleasant, riverside atmosphere is definitely worth a visit.

Location: 50km northeast of Zurich

Museum zu Allerheiligen Location: Baumgartenstrasse 6, Schauffhausen Telephone: +41 52 633 0777 Website: www.allerheiligen.ch Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday 11:00-17:00 Closed Monday. Admission: CHF9 Adult CHF5 Seniors/Students Free for children under 16 Free for Münster zu Allerheiligen

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Kids in Tow

Activity

Switzerland is famous for toys ranging from trains to wooden carved toys and the Zurich Toy Museum and Franz Carl Weber, the toy store, should be part of any visit to the city when you have children in tow.

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Grossmünster

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Grossmünster, or 'Gross Monster' as it's lovingly referred to by English speakers, is Zurich's most important church and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. The original church was supposedly commissioned by the Emperor Charlemagne himself. It was also supposedly the burial place of Zurich's patron saints: Felix and Regula. The present structure was built in the traditional Gothic style during the twelfth century and consecrated around 1220AD. The twin, neo-Gothic spires were added in 1781 after the original wooden steeples were destroyed in a fire.

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Fraumünster

Churches

Fraumünster, or Church of Our Lady, is one of Zurich's most important churches. The original church was opened in 850 and served as a Benedictine Abbey. The convent here was home to many of the elite women of Medieval Germany. The crypt dates from this original building. The current church was built in the mid-thirteenth century and a Romanesque spire was added in 1732. The spire towers above central Zurich, making this an important landmark.

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Swiss National Museum

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The Swiss National Museum opened in 1898, seven years after its establishment. The building is in the style of a French Renaissance chateau, designed by architect Gustav Gull. It has been expanded several times since. The museum is dedicated to Swiss culture

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Bahnhofstrasse

Street

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Kunsthaus

Museum

Kunsthaus is Zurich's best art museum. It opened in 1910 and was designed by architect Karl Moser in the Greek Revival style. The facade is a little drab, but it belies the excellent collection housed inside. Many of the European masters are represented here, though the museum features some of their lesser works. Painters include Edward Munch, Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, and Salvador Dali to name a few.

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Schanzengraben

Canal

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Niederdorf and Oberdorf

Town

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Rietburg Museum

Museum

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Aussersihl

Town

Address: Langstrasse Zürich Tel: +41 44 215 4000

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Widder Hotel (international)

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Petermann's Kunststuben (French)

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Haus zum Ruden (Swiss)

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Masala (Indian)

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Swiss Chuchi (Swiss)

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Outback Lodge (Australian)

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Widder Hotel

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Hotel zum Storchen

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Baur au lac

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