09 Best Places to Visit in Winterthur will explain to you the tourist attractions and their importance in the historic city of Winterthur.
Winterthur is a medium-sized city in northern Switzerland, northeast of Zurich near the German border. (Located half an hour from Zurich). Winterthur is best known historically as an industrial center. A peaceful town, Winterthur is best known for its high-tech manufacturing sector.
The city of Winterthur offers many museums (There are 17 museums) for art lovers to visit. Most of them are located in the huge pedestrian zone in the city center. Fotomuseum Winterthur and the Swiss Science Center Technorama, which exhibit photography, are two unique museums here. Also at the Oskar Reinhardt Museum, important works of art from antiquity to the 20th century are on display. Winterthur’s Kunstmuseum exhibits modern art, including works by Picasso and Klee.
If you are a flower lover then definitely visit the Rosengarten. The Rosengarten is a hilltop garden with views of the old town and hundreds of varieties of roses. Kyburg Castle is an archaeological site with mementos of the medieval past such as torture chambers and an armory.
How to reach to Winterthur
Winterthur can be reached in a variety of ways, the most common of which is by train. Some European rail networks will take you to this destination. Trains arrive in Winterthur from Bern, Zürich, St. Gallen, Munich, and Basel, among other places. You can choose to drive to the city, in which case you will need to use the highway from Zurich, St. Gallen, or Schaffhausen.
Accordingly, Winterthur, which seems a bit far from the tourists, also has many things worth visiting, so read on to know what such attractions are.
01) The Rosengarten
Address : Hochwachtstrasse, 8400-Winterthur.
The Rose Garden
Among the places to visit in Winterthur, the Rose Garden holds a special place. The rose garden was given to the people of Winterthur as part of the city’s 700th anniversary celebrations in 1964. It is spread over an area of 8’089 m² in the old town of Winterthur. Every year, around 3000 roses of 300 varieties bloom in the garden. Rare and historic roses are among them. In addition to the flowers, visitors to the Heiligberg Rose Garden will find a haven of peace and a breathtaking view of Winterthur.
To protect roses in the rose garden from pests and diseases, organic methods are used in the rose garden. These include natural fertilizers and beneficial insects along with things like copper, sulfuric alumina or fennel oil. Viewers can often see the staff applying medicine to the plants as the staff members perform this care over and over again according to the season or rainfall. Despite a wide range of safety measures, roses can be susceptible to disease, so behavior is concerned about the safety of the flowers, so you should also watch them for damage.
02) The Kyburg Castle (Museum)
Address : Museum Schloss Kyburg, Schloss-1, 8314-Kyburg, Switzerland
Kyburg Castle is perched high above the Töss River. The Castle is the most important feudal castle in Eastern Switzerland, and it now houses a lively, newly arranged museum. The internationally acclaimed museum provides fascinating insights into daily life in the past. You can sit in on a court of justice, explore the cellar, attic, and torture chamber, and smell the spices of the medieval kitchen.
Kyburg Castle was the residence of the counts of Kyburg, one of the most powerful noble families in South Germany. In 1264, the castle was captured by the Habsburgs. Zurich purchased the castle and its seignory in 1424. This award-winning museum provides a wealth of information about castle life over the last 800 years.
03) The Technorama
Address : Technoramastrasse 1, 8404-Winterthur.
There is no other science museum in Switzerland that compares to it. Technorama will give you the best experience and will teach you a lot because there are over 500 research projects that you can watch or participate in as you discover this beautiful city. When technology is incorporated, the technological center demonstrates how ingenuity and simplicity can work in natural phenomena.
If you bring your children to this location, they can build their own cyclones, solve fun mathematical puzzles, and explore magnet features. This location will be enjoyable for both children and adults because it is educational. Furthermore, the “Mindscapes” exhibition demonstrates that none of our senses can be trusted.
After ten years of planning and a two-year construction period, “Technorama Draussen” (Technorama Outside) will open its doors in 2021.
The new exhibits allow visitors to go outside, making Technorama an all-weather, all-seasons family-friendly destination, as well as expanding the space in which guests can explore and experiment with a variety of new, fascinating, and exciting installations. The new outdoor area is located behind the main building and is set among a 15,000 square meter garden with a small stream running through it, a pond, and multiple BBQ and picnic areas.
Tip – Rain gear and extra clothing are recommended.
04) Oskar Reinhart Collection
In an elevated position above Winterthur, a jewel of the Swiss museum scene awaits you: one of the most distinguished private collections of the twentieth century in a villa hidden away behind old trees in an idyllic garden.
Oskar Reinhart was born into a wealthy Winterthur family. As a young man, he began to collect art. A portion of his collection is now on display at the villa “Am Römerholz.” The emphasis is on French impressionism and its forefathers. There are also works by Lukas Cranach, Peter Paul Rubens, and Francisco de Goya from earlier periods.
He added an impressive picture gallery. The Swiss Confederation, Reinhart’s beneficiary after his death in 1965, opened the doors to his treasures. Impressionist paintings by 19th-century French painters such as Renoir, Cézanne, and Monet, to name a few, stand out. These are supplemented by individual exquisite paintings by old masters such as Rubens, Goya, and Bruegel.
The villa and historic park, with its sculptures and collection, form a small but impressive whole work of art. The charming café with a view, inviting you to follow the enjoyment of art with table delicacies, should not be missed.
Address : Sammlung Oskar Reinhart “Am Römerholz”, Haldenstrasse-95, 8400-Winterthur
05) The Fotomuseum Winterthur & Fotostiftung Schweiz
Address : Fotomuseum, Grüzenstrasse, 8400-Winterthur
Fotomuseum Winterthur & Fotostiftung Schweiz have collaborated to launch a major retrospective exhibition honoring Swiss artist Balthasar Burkhard’s lifetime achievements (1944–2010). His oeuvre is almost unparalleled in the way it reflects not only a photographer’s self-invention, but also photography’s emancipation as an artistic medium in its own right during the second half of the twentieth century.
The Fotomuseum Winterthur
The Swiss Museum of Contemporary and Classic Arts and Documentary Photography’s exhibitions have received international acclaim. With images ranging from art to documentary, this Swiss photography Mecca captivates more than just die-hard fans. The Winterthur Museum of Photography entices visitors with contemporary collections in addition to the renowned temporary exhibitions. The Fotostiftung Schweiz association collaborates with the museum. It also has a bistro, a library, a lounge, and a shop.
Fotostiftung Schweiz
The Fotostiftung Schweiz is dedicated to preserving, indexing, and communicating photographic works. She is in charge of an archive and a collection that includes more than 50 estates and approximately 50,000 original prints by notable photographers. It organizes three to four exhibitions per year in its own Winterthur location, publishes books on the history of Swiss photography, and purchases current photography. The Fotostiftung Schweiz, in collaboration with the Fotomuseum Winterthur, operates a public photography specialist library.
06) Kunstmuseum Winterthur
The Kunstmuseum Winterthur houses one of Switzerland’s finest collections of modern art, with outstanding groups of art ranging from the late nineteenth century to the present. The museum building, designed by Rittemeye and Furrer in 1915, and the newer extension, designed by Gigon and Guyer in 1995, provide an exceptional setting for displaying the museum’s collection.
The 1915 structure is dedicated to exhibiting French art from the turn of the century, including works by van Gogh, Monet, Bonnard, Vuillard, and Vallotton, as well as classic modern masterpieces by Arp, Braque, Delaunay, Gris, Klee, Léger, Magritte, and Mondrian. The newer extension, on the other hand, houses international contemporary masterpieces by artists such as Guston, Marden, Kelly, Ryman, Richter, and Arte Povera.
In furthermore to the permanent collection, the museum hosts monographic and thematic exhibitions from the same era on a regular basis. They are supplemented by exhibitions of drawings & prints from the Graphics Cabinet’s collection.
07) Explore the various old town shops
Winterthur’s old town is a great place to walk around and shop and it has the Switzerland’s largest continuous pedestrianized zone. Winterthur’s charming old town will astound you with its pretty streets where you can browse countless shops and enjoy the cozy restaurants and cafés.
Marktgasse
Shopping enthusiasts, in particular, will find what they are looking for in well-known brand name shops in the lively Marktgasse. If you prefer peace and quiet, take the large Neumarktplatz to the hip Steinberggasse, which is popular with Winterthur residents.
The vibrant weekly market is held here, and there are numerous small, local shops to discover. Right next door is the heart of Winterthur’s old town, as well as an oasis of peace – the church square with the imposing town church, which is surrounded by other inspiring shops. You ascend further into the idyllic Neustadtgasse with a view of the cozy “Graben,” where the sun can be enjoyed outside on the small terrace.
08) Wild Park Bruderhaus
11 species live in the Bruderhaus wildlife park, which was founded in 1890. The well-being of the animals is paramount when keeping them. Information boards, nature trails, guided tours in the wildlife park and forest as well as events by nature and animal protection organizations help to understand the environment and the animals and their demands and needs.
The city of Winterthur recommends arriving on foot, by bike or by public transport. From March to October, line 12 of the city bus runs on Wednesday afternoons, weekends and public holidays from the “Archstrasse/HB” stop to the “Bruderhaus” stop at the wildlife park. There are only a limited number of parking spaces available at the wildlife park. These are chargeable.
What is where :
The overview map (PDF) shows where which animal species can be found and where the bus stop, restaurant, playground, information stand, pavilion of the wildlife park association and picnic areas in the area are located.
Ice Age Trail Winterthur :
Thousands of years ago, huge glaciers advanced into the Swiss Plateau and covered the area around Winterthur with a layer of ice that was hundreds of meters thick. The ice age path at the Bruderhaus wildlife park makes this history come alive on an interactive adventure path using numerous boulders from the area. The path starts right at the “Bruderhaus” bus stop with the two mammoths Backenzahn and Vroni.
Opening hours : The Bruderhaus wildlife park is open around the clock. Admission to the wildlife park is free.
Address : Bruderhausstrasse-3, 8400-Winterthur.
09) Winterthur to Rhine Waterfalls
The Rhine Falls is the most powerful waterfall in Europe and it is located in Switzerland. Winterthur and Rhine Falls are 21 kilometers apart. The driving distance is 27.7 kilometers. Without a car, the best way to get from Winterthur to Rhine Falls is by train, which takes 26 minutes. The falls are located on the High Rhine, near the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland.
This breathtaking waterfall is 23 meters tall and 150 meters wide, making it Europe’s largest. In one of Europe’s most powerful falls, blue roaring waters cascade down the Rhine river.
Although the waterfall can visit all year, it is especially beautiful in early summer, when the water flow doubles. Between April and October, a variety of boat tours on the Rhine are available, some of which take you very close to the falls.
During these months, there are also ferry crossings that connect the two banks of the river, making it an ideal way to visit both Laufen Castle and Wörth Castle after a day on the water.
