Swiss National Museum, Zürich, Switzerland

The Swiss National Museum is one of the most important art museums of cultural history in Europe. The museum building of 1898 in the historicist style was built by Gustav Gull in the form of the French Renaissance city chateaus. The impressive architecture with dozens of towers, courts and his astonishing park on a peninsula between the rivers Sihl and Limmat has become one of the main sights of the Old City District of Zurich.

The exhibition tour takes the visitor from prehistory through ancient times and the Middle Ages to the 20th century (classic modern art and art of the 16th, 17th and 18th century is settled mainly in the Kunsthaus Museum in a different part of the city of Zurich). There is a very rich section with gothic art, chivalry and a comprehensive collection of liturgical wooden sculptures, panel paintings and carved altars. Zunfthaus zur Meisen near Fraumünster church houses the porcelain and faience collection of the Swiss National Museum. There are also: a Collections Gallery, a place where there are Swiss furnishings being exhibited, an Armoury Tower, a diorama of the Battle of Murten, and a Coin Cabinet showing 14th, 15th, 16th century Swiss coins and even some coins from the Middle Ages.

References:

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Museums in Switzerland

User Reviews

Martin Sand (15 months ago)
Really nice exhibitions for children and parents. You can spend almost a day in there. The only trade off is that you cannot take the stroller into the exhibition #gutmitkindern

harly MW (16 months ago)
Is an interesting building. When to see the free out of charge Zurich exposition and it was very informative. Also had some memories when I arrive to this city back in the 80's and it shows how ZH has changed in 40 years. Go to see it

Fionn Keene O'Connell (16 months ago)
Really incredible place. A very modern high tech museum. Most certainly will not leave you bored. 10 frank entrance (quite cheap considering). Definitely the most modern museum I have ever been to. Great things to see. Beautiful building and architecture. The lighting was so cool.

Preston Davis (17 months ago)
Very nice to learn Switzerland's history. It's orderly & efficient. Swiss history is fascinating & inspirational. I wish America was as successful in integrating immigrants. The location of this museum is perfect. Right next to the train station.

Ashley Long (18 months ago)
We had an excellent time at the museum, despite multiple sections being closed during our visit (although we were offered free vouchers for a return trip). We easily spent three hours walking around and enjoying the exhibits. They all consist of interesting content with a great integration of technology. Learning about history has never been so engaging and interactive! We also had a quick bite at the cafe, which was very tasty.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Soave Castle

Soave castle was built in 934 to protect the area against the Hungarian invasions. It was remodelled by Cansignorio of the Scaliger family in the mid-1300s. in 1365 Cansignorio had the town walls erected and the Town hall was built in the same year.

The castle underwent various vicissitudes until, having lost its strategic importance, it was sold on the private market in 1596. In 1830 it was inherited by Giulio Camuzzoni who restored the manor and in particular the surroundings walls (with is twenty-four towers), the battlements and living-quarters.

Soave castle is a typical medieval military edifice, commanding the neighbourhood of the city from the Tenda Hill. It comprises a mastio (donjon) and three lines of walls forming three courts of different size. The outer line, with a gate and a draw bridge, is the most recent, built by the Venetians in the 15th century. It houses the remains of a small church from the 10th century.

The second and larger court, the first of the original castle, is called della Madonna for a fresco portraying St. Mary (1321). Another fresco is visible after the door leading to the inner court, and portrays a Scaliger soldier. The mastio is the most impressive feature of the castle. Bones found within showed it was used also as prison and place of torture.

The House called del Capitano (the Scaliger commander) houses Roman coins, weapons parts, medals and other ancient remains found during the most recent restoration. Adjacent is a bedroom with a 13th-century fresco with St. Mary and Madeleine and a dining room with medieval kitchenware. Another room houses the portraits of the most famous Scaliger figures: Mastino I, Cangrande, Cansignorio and Taddea da Carrara, wife of Mastino II; the portrait of Dante Alighieri testify an alleged sojourn of the poet in the castle.

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Historic Site of the week

Soave Castle

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