Lindenhofplatz (Lindenhof Square), Zurich

Lindenhofplatz (Lindenhof Square), Zurich (must see)

Lindenhof is a hilltop park situated at the site of a Roman fortification, right in Altstadt on the banks of the Limmat. The Roman settlement here is known to go back to the second century, and the castle was used throughout the fifth and sixth centuries. A citadel was built on the hilltop in the fourth century, which had two-meter wide walls and ten towers. The castle was refurbished for Louis the German in the ninth century, but by the 13th, it had been abandoned, and the stones were being repurposed for other buildings in town.

While the Romans get most of the credit for first settling the area, Lindenhof had been important for the town well before that. As far back as the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from 4,500 to 850 BC, settlements have been centered here. Back then, the Sihl flooded most of the lower land, making the elevated hill ideal for settlement.

Since the 1700s, the area has been used as a public park. Bow and crossbow shooting was the primary draw in the early days.

A large fountain in the park, known as the Hedwig Fountain, commemorates the 1292 siege of Zurich by Duke Albert I of German. During the siege, Zurich's women dressed in full battle gear and tricked the Duke into believing that the city was protected. In reality, all of the men of Zurich were away at the time at another battlefront. The fountain was built in 1912 by sculptor Gustav Siber.

Why You Should Visit

The Lindenhof is a great spot to capture stunning pictures of Zurich. The elevation means getting a bird's eye view of the rivers and the lake. It's a quiet green space where you can pause in between your other adventures. There are playgrounds for the kids and a giant outdoor chess board for fun.

Tips

You can see the second-century Roman tombstone, found on this site in 1747, that bears the earliest record of "Turicum," which was Zurich's Roman name. It's on display at the Swiss National Museum. There is a copy on display in the Lindenhof.

There are numerous festivals and events held throughout the year; check with the tourism office to see if any are planned during your visit.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Zurich. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Lindenhofplatz (Lindenhof Square) on Map

Sight Name: Lindenhofplatz (Lindenhof Square)
Sight Location: Zurich, Switzerland (See walking tours in Zurich)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Zurich, Switzerland

Create Your Own Walk in Zurich

Create Your Own Walk in Zurich

Creating your own self-guided walk in Zurich is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Zurich Souvenir Shopping

Zurich Souvenir Shopping

It would be a pity to leave Zurich without having explored its specialty shops and bringing home something truly original. We've compiled a list of gifts and souvenirs, which are unique to Zurich, that a visitor might like to purchase to reflect their visit.

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Museums Walking Tour

Museums Walking Tour

With a total of 43 museums located within the city boundaries, Zurich is a true city of museums. Amid this extraordinary variety you can find all sorts of exhibitions, from art to natural science to local history & culture to curious things and more. To find your way around this diversity at your own pace, follow our self-guided tour and explore the exciting exhibits that Zurich has to offer!

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Old Town Walk

Old Town Walk

The historic heart of the city beats on both sides of the Limmat river, where guild houses, churches and historic places line the romantic little streets and adorn the hidden corners. This self guided tour takes you to explore some of the most important sights in the old town Zurich.

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Zurich's Historical Churches Tour

Zurich's Historical Churches Tour

Zürich has many splendid churches and monasteries, which provide an immense spiritual and cultural contribution to the entire country. Many of them played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. Each church is inimitable in its architecture. Follow this walking tour to become familiar with Zürich's most beautiful religious edifices.

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Zurich Introduction Walking Tour

Zurich Introduction Walking Tour

Walking around Zurich is a walk through history. The city was first officially settled by the Romans in 15 BC, who called it Turicum. But there were earlier inhabitants–evidence has been found of settlement that dates back more than six millennia. One of the oldest parts of town is Lindenhof Square, an elevated hill that was one of the earliest sites.

Today Zurich is the largest city in...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Zurich Gourmet Tour

Zurich Gourmet Tour

Apart from the high-quality watches, Switzerland is also famous for unique delicacies the secrets of making which have been preserved for centuries and passed on from father to son. Many of these can be found in Zurich, home to the numerous chocolatiers, confectioneries and patisseries offering an array of made-by-hand delicacies with inimitable flavors. To give your taste buds a satisfying...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

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