Architecture

Climb the 365 steps and you will be rewarded with an unforgettable view of the town of Fribourg.

As a hospital, an orphanage or a hostel for craftsmen, Solothurn's Old Hospital has been a venue for people to meet and receive hospitality since it was first mentioned in the 14th century.

A significant building with a Renaissance facade. In the interior you will find numerous frescoes and important Baroque decorations.

The church, which was originally part of a Franciscan monastery, is home to Switzerland's most famous Renaissance fresco. It covers the whole wall of the nave. The "Passion and and Crucifixion of Christ" is defined by great expressiveness and vividness of the individual scenes.

The sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso in Orselina above Locarno is the most famous place of pilgrimage in the Italian part of Switzerland. It is rooted in the ancient tradition of votive gifts.

Neuenburg Castle and the collegiate church have shaped the townscape of Neuenburg since the 12th century. The architecturally striking building complex is enthroned on a rocky outcrop above the city.

One of the three remaining towers on the city walls serves as the Old Town’s southwest entrance and exit. In bygone days, it was on the Ochsenplatz, located just behind the Obertor, that goods were exchanged for the last time before they were taken across the Alps.

Lured to Lucerne by the wealthy Ludwig Pfyffer von Altishofen, the Jesuits brought the Counter Reformation to Lucerne in the 17th century; the elaborate Jesuitenkirche, dedicated to Francis Xavier, was constructed in 1666. Architects from Italy and Austria built what many believe to be the most beautiful Baroque church in Switzerland.

The tower of the St. Lawrence Church affords a beautiful view of the Old Town and the Abbey Precinct.

The Churches of St. Stephen and St. Luzi were and are both situated higher than the much more famous cathedral. Remains of the Church of St. Stephen were first discovered during the construction of the cantonal school in 1850.

Solothurn’s Jesuit Church may stand in the shadow of the magnificent cathedral of St. Ursen, but it is also well worth a visit – and about a hundred years older.

With its coating of pink granite, the spherical Ste-Trinité Church arouses curiosity. Set in the centre of the city, this singular church stands out amid the surrounding buildings. Built in 1994, its original architecture is subject to a range of interpretations.

The Spalentor is the most imposing of the three city gates that were part of the large city fortifications dating back to the year 1400. Many important supplies entered the city of Basel from Alsace through this gate. From here, there is a wonderful view over the roofs of Basel’s old town and the hills of the Jura, the Black Forest and Vosges.

The southeastern corner of the former town fortification, the Gunpowder Tower, was built between 1522 and 1532 and was used to store gunpowder. Its external diameter is about 14 m, the inner diameter 8.5 m.

In St. Gallen you'll find history at every turn. The city's landmark is the Convent of St. Gall with its Baroque cathedral. The convent, including the library and monastery archives, was added to the Unesco World Heritage List in 1983.

The cathedral is a fitting symbol of the episcopal city of Chur. Somewhat plain from the outside, it impresses with its magnificent interior.

The «Ambassadors’ Nativity Scene» is a rarity and sure to attract all nativity scene lovers to Switzerland’s most beautiful Baroque town.

The Musegg Wall towers over Lucerne and offers you history and views in one. Climb the medieval towers and enjoy the view of the lake, the city and the Alpine panorama.

The Bern Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture in the middle of Bern's old town. Climb the highest church tower in Switzerland and admire the architecture and the view of the rooftops of Bern, the Aare and the Alps.

The high tower of St. Martin's Church dominates the Chur landscape.

The locals still think of the ruins as their own Stein Castle. Standing majestically over Baden, it offers a magnificent view of the Old Town.

Schadau Castle was built between 1846 and 1854 for the Neuchâtel banker Denis Alfred de Rougemont. The location of the castle, on the southern banks of Lake Thun where the River Aare flows out of the lake, and with its views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, is almost as attractive as the architecture itself.

The present name of this highest tower with the strongest walls was taken from the Capuchin monastery that was built in the vicinity in 1595.

The Grossmünster is Zurich's landmark. You will visit the Romanesque church, climb the Karlsturm and discover the medieval stained glass windows – right in the heart of the old town, between Limmat and Niederdorf.

The bell tower of the Gothic cathedral, high on the hill on which the Old Town is built, is home to the city’s most enigmatic resident.

Visit the Fraumünster at the Münsterhof in Zurich's Old Town. The church houses five coloured Chagall windows in the choir as well as a stained glass by Augusto Giacometti – and in the crypt over 1200 years of city history.

Discover the most visited historical monument in Switzerland: Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva. Immerse yourself in 1000 years of history, explore medieval dungeons and enjoy the magnificent view of the lake and the mountains.

The fortifications of Bellinzona are an extraordinary example of a late-medieval defensive structure located at a key strategic point on the Alpine pass. The castles of Bellinzona are among the most marvelous examples of medieval fortified architecture in the Alps.

The fortifications of the town of Fribourg were built as protection for the town in the Middle Ages between the 13th and 15th centuries. With large sections of them having been preserved to this day, they are the most significant piece of medieval military architecture in Switzerland. They are also open to the public.

Visit Munot Fortress in Schaffhausen and climb inside the tower to the battlement, the fortress platform. At the top, a view of the Rhine, the old town and the hills of eastern Switzerland awaits you.