Walking Tour of Zurich

Zurich was founded by the Romans in 58 B.C. This is the Lindenhof, once a Roman fort and now the people's square. 

Legends of the city's founding date back to the martyrdom of two saints (a third was added to the story centuries later). The martyred trio are said to have been beheaded at one site, carried their heads to another, and were buried at a third. Statues and paintings throughout Zurich feature this legend.

The architect of this ornate building became so disgruntled with the criticism received by those who thought the design too elaborate for Zurich that he sculpted the faces of his critics over the windows. 

And here we have a "monument" to punitive sentences awarded to recalcitrant Zurich youth: they were stripped, caged, and visible for all passersby to see.

On the day of this tour, much of downtown Zurich was closed to automobiles. Foot traffic, bicycles, and mass transit were the means of getting around. And here, with the old Fraumunster church in the background, is a fleet of Twikes, 2-person vehicles whose occupants can choose to pedal or rely upon the electric battery.