The Lindenhof quarter.
Hisory and Stories.
The Lindenhof quarter, one of the oldest in Zurich, is situated between Limmat and Bahnhofstrasse. Anyone meandering through its narrow mediaeval cobblestone alleys will be delighted not only by beautiful houses, courtyards and fountains, but also by discovering countless small stores, boutiques and restaurants and three important churches. St Peter, the Augustinerkirche and the Fraumünster are within a few hundred meters of each other.
The centre of this beautiful quarter is Lindenhof. Located on a small hill, the square opens to a splendid view over the roofs of the Old Town. Based on a former Celtic settlement, this view was appreciated by the Romans – even if for the military rather than scenic reasons – the high ground was perfect for a fort. The remains of the fort walls and a Roman gravestone from the second century are evidence of Roman occupation. Inscribed on the gravestone is also the earliest reference of the city of Zurich (Latin: Turicum). On Pfalzgasse on the steps to Lindenhof is a copy of the gravestone.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Germanic Alamanni tribe gradually settled in the Lindenhof Quarter. Situated on the left bank of the Limmat, it was a very modest settlement, but this changed in 835. Louis the German, grandson of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, took a liking for Zurich and used it as a customs post on the route to the south. Louis then built a palatinate castle on Lindenhof and only a few meters to the south a convent for his daughter. This Carolingian convent was a fore-runner to today’s Fraumünster church. The upgrading of the settlement was a signal for further development. In the twelfth century Zurich was considered as the grandest city of the Swabians.
The Holy Roman Empire palatinate rule of Louis the German gave way to the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty, which itself expired as far as Zurich is concerned with the extinction of the main line of the governing Zähringer family in 1218. At this time Zurich was virtually a building site – with its first city walls and a host of towers and gateways.
Lindenhof itself though was spared this building boom – it was now a square. Legend has it that the Lindenhof played a decisive role in 1291. When the men of Zurich went to war against Winterthur, they suffered a terrible defeat – all fell in battle – leaving Zurich defenseless. The ruler of Winterthur, Duke Albrecht I. of Habsburg, immediately sent an army to conquer Zurich. But before the gates of Zurich, the Winterthur army looked up to Lindenhof to see hundreds of warriors sharpening their lances. The warriors were the women of Zurich dressed up in military garb. Hoodwinked and apprehensive, the Winterthur army withdrew. The figure of the fountain on Lindenhof commemorates this act of communal heroism.
Had the Winterthur army been more daring, they probably would have first charged the massive gateway to Rennweg. In those days it was the main entrance to the city. Rennweg, a wide main street, had been settled over many centuries mostly by artisans such as cabinet makers, joiners and carpenters who needed a lot of space for their workshops and storage. In the narrower alleys of the Lindenhof Quarter, the Strehlgasse for example, lived and worked craftsmen needing smaller workshops, such as cabinet makers for looms goldsmiths and shoe makers. Around Schipfe, directly on the Limmat, were tanners, fishermen and boat men. As they all were dependent on the river for their trade, arguments often arose. So in 1551 two fishermen complained to the council about a neighboring tanner who they claimed had polluted the water so that the fish in their boats and containers were contaminated.
In the course of 19th century industrialization, the construction of factories, plants and warehouses took place all around Zurich. Increasing numbers of people from rural areas flocked to the city. The old Zurich which until then had lived on the work of craftsmen became increasingly a commercial center. Workshops were converted into stores and soon the Lindenhof Quarter was lined with store windows.
Along with technical progress came social division. Those who did well made sure it was recognized, dressing accordingly – preferably following the latest Paris fashions. Keeping up with fashion incurred extravagantly high costs through the use of expensive fabrics, out of the reach of the working classes. According to a comedy of the time, once in a while a maidservant would arrive at a rendez-vous in her mistress’s dress.
The emergence of prosperous textile industries also promoted the development of the left bank of the Limmat river and therefore the Lindenhof Quarter. Here the choice of merchandise was considered as extremely refined and chic, whilst one would turn up one’s nose at the cheap goods on display on the right bank. This was surprising because till then the left bank had been consider the “lesser” Zurich.
So when a lady was on the hunt for the latest trend, she would take herself to the left bank. On Rennweg she would arm herself with fashion magazines such as “Bazar” or “Victoria” at a stationary or book store. If she was taken with particular style, she would find the right fabric at Silk-Spörri, matching hat at Zacharius Bachmann on Weinplatz and shoes at Albert Höfling on Storchengasse. Or perhaps at Jakob Schulthess on Rennweg? Even back then, women were not spared the agony of choice!
Still today, tradition-rich fashion and shoe stores characterize the image of the Lindenhof quarter. But often one thing is overlooked despite the changes: craftsmen have held their ground in the quarter. Carpenters, goldsmiths, plumbers, painters, bakers and butchers still keep faith with their handcraft – in the middle of the mediaeval setting steeped in history.
Hisory and Stories.
The Lindenhof quarter, one of the oldest in Zurich, is situated between Limmat and Bahnhofstrasse. Anyone meandering through its narrow mediaeval cobblestone alleys will be delighted not only by beautiful houses, courtyards and fountains, but also by discovering countless small stores, boutiques and restaurants and three important churches. St Peter, the Augustinerkirche and the Fraumünster are within a few hundred meters of each other.
The centre of this beautiful quarter is Lindenhof. Located on a small hill, the square opens to a splendid view over the roofs of the Old Town. Based on a former Celtic settlement, this view was appreciated by the Romans – even if for the military rather than scenic reasons – the high ground was perfect for a fort. The remains of the fort walls and a Roman gravestone from the second century are evidence of Roman occupation. Inscribed on the gravestone is also the earliest reference of the city of Zurich (Latin: Turicum). On Pfalzgasse on the steps to Lindenhof is a copy of the gravestone.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Germanic Alamanni tribe gradually settled in the Lindenhof Quarter. Situated on the left bank of the Limmat, it was a very modest settlement, but this changed in 835. Louis the German, grandson of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, took a liking for Zurich and used it as a customs post on the route to the south. Louis then built a palatinate castle on Lindenhof and only a few meters to the south a convent for his daughter. This Carolingian convent was a fore-runner to today’s Fraumünster church. The upgrading of the settlement was a signal for further development. In the twelfth century Zurich was considered as the grandest city of the Swabians.
The Holy Roman Empire palatinate rule of Louis the German gave way to the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty, which itself expired as far as Zurich is concerned with the extinction of the main line of the governing Zähringer family in 1218. At this time Zurich was virtually a building site – with its first city walls and a host of towers and gateways.
Lindenhof itself though was spared this building boom – it was now a square. Legend has it that the Lindenhof played a decisive role in 1291. When the men of Zurich went to war against Winterthur, they suffered a terrible defeat – all fell in battle – leaving Zurich defenseless. The ruler of Winterthur, Duke Albrecht I. of Habsburg, immediately sent an army to conquer Zurich. But before the gates of Zurich, the Winterthur army looked up to Lindenhof to see hundreds of warriors sharpening their lances. The warriors were the women of Zurich dressed up in military garb. Hoodwinked and apprehensive, the Winterthur army withdrew. The figure of the fountain on Lindenhof commemorates this act of communal heroism.
Had the Winterthur army been more daring, they probably would have first charged the massive gateway to Rennweg. In those days it was the main entrance to the city. Rennweg, a wide main street, had been settled over many centuries mostly by artisans such as cabinet makers, joiners and carpenters who needed a lot of space for their workshops and storage. In the narrower alleys of the Lindenhof Quarter, the Strehlgasse for example, lived and worked craftsmen needing smaller workshops, such as cabinet makers for looms goldsmiths and shoe makers. Around Schipfe, directly on the Limmat, were tanners, fishermen and boat men. As they all were dependent on the river for their trade, arguments often arose. So in 1551 two fishermen complained to the council about a neighboring tanner who they claimed had polluted the water so that the fish in their boats and containers were contaminated.
In the course of 19th century industrialization, the construction of factories, plants and warehouses took place all around Zurich. Increasing numbers of people from rural areas flocked to the city. The old Zurich which until then had lived on the work of craftsmen became increasingly a commercial center. Workshops were converted into stores and soon the Lindenhof Quarter was lined with store windows.
Along with technical progress came social division. Those who did well made sure it was recognized, dressing accordingly – preferably following the latest Paris fashions. Keeping up with fashion incurred extravagantly high costs through the use of expensive fabrics, out of the reach of the working classes. According to a comedy of the time, once in a while a maidservant would arrive at a rendez-vous in her mistress’s dress.
The emergence of prosperous textile industries also promoted the development of the left bank of the Limmat river and therefore the Lindenhof Quarter. Here the choice of merchandise was considered as extremely refined and chic, whilst one would turn up one’s nose at the cheap goods on display on the right bank. This was surprising because till then the left bank had been consider the “lesser” Zurich.
So when a lady was on the hunt for the latest trend, she would take herself to the left bank. On Rennweg she would arm herself with fashion magazines such as “Bazar” or “Victoria” at a stationary or book store. If she was taken with particular style, she would find the right fabric at Silk-Spörri, matching hat at Zacharius Bachmann on Weinplatz and shoes at Albert Höfling on Storchengasse. Or perhaps at Jakob Schulthess on Rennweg? Even back then, women were not spared the agony of choice!
Still today, tradition-rich fashion and shoe stores characterize the image of the Lindenhof quarter. But often one thing is overlooked despite the changes: craftsmen have held their ground in the quarter. Carpenters, goldsmiths, plumbers, painters, bakers and butchers still keep faith with their handcraft – in the middle of the mediaeval setting steeped in history.