Name: 瑞士的偉大城市 (Switzerland's Great Cities)
Uploaded: 2021-01-14T06:07:47.000Z
Duration: 24 min 57 s
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Hi, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. This time we're in Switzerland

enjoying not its majestic Alps...but its fascinating cities.

Whether enjoying its traditional culture high in the mountains

or savoring the joys of modern life in its great cities,

the Swiss get it right. In this episode we focus on an often overlooked

side part of Switzerland - its urban charm.

We'll get some easy exercise - floating with locals...and ring one very big bell. We'll

enjoy a variety of art from stained glass by Marc Chagall, to bold works by artists

considered insane. We'll see how the Swiss use blue lights as part of a creative drug

policy and explore a secret underground fortress built as a defense against the Nazis. And,

we'll experience that incomparable Swiss natural beauty with a cruise on a romantic paddle

Nestled in the center of Europe is Switzerland. While much of the country is dominated by

the Alps, most of its population is in the northwest - a gentler land of lakes and cities.

From Zürich we travel to Luzern, Bern, and Lausanne.

Like many visits to Switzerland, ours starts in its biggest city - Zürich. While it's

a major transportation hub and many just pass through, it's a powerhouse city and well worth

The Swiss joke that Zürich is zu reich and zu ruhig - that's a play on German words for

"too rich" and "too quiet." Sure it's rich...and there are livelier places, but Zürich is

comfortable and it consistently ranks as one of the world's most livable cities.

Zürich's history goes back to Roman times. By the 19th century it was a leading European

financial and economic center. Its people are known for their wealth and for working

hard to earn it. Like most Swiss cities, it embraces its river or lake in a fun-loving

way. The lakefront is a springboard for romantic walks, bike rides, and cruises. A great way

to glide across town is to catch the riverboat, which functions like a city bus, and just

Its old town is lively day and night with cafés, galleries, and a colorful cobbled

ambience. Zürich's main drag, Bahnhofstrasse, is famous for its elegant shops. If you're

looking for a fancy watch, stunning jewelry, or a $1,000 sweater...this is the place.

For more affordable extravagance - these delightful mini-macarons - a local favorite - may be

expensive...but they won't break the bank.

The city's art treasure is in its Fraumünster (or "Church of Our Lady"): a set of five towering

stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. His inimitable painting style - deep colors, simple

figures, and shard-like Cubism - is perfectly suited for the medium of stained glass.

The windows depict Bible scenes - here Jacob dreams of his ladder - the traffic of angels

symbolizing the connection between God above and Jacob's descendants (the Children of Israel)

below. Old Testament images - King David with his harp, Moses with the Ten Commandments,

and the angel blowing the ram's horn to announce the creation of a new Jerusalem, all create

a cohesive message drawing you to the central window. Here, a jumble of events from Christ's

life leads to the central figure in God's plan of salvation - a crucified yet ascendant

But nearby, the leading entertaining heavenly character in Zürich is its guardian angel.

Hovering above the main hall in the central train station, she protects all travelers

and adds to the energy of the station. Situated at the center of Western Europe, this major

European transportation hub handles 2,000 trains a day zipping people all over Europe.

Shortly after leaving Zürich, the train ride becomes a scenic joyride. And 30 minutes later

Since the Romantic era in the 19th century, Luzern has been a regular stop on the "Grand

Tour" route of Europe. Its inviting lakefront now includes a modern concert hall - which

incorporates the lake into its design. The old town, with a pair of picture-perfect wooden

bridges, straddles the Reuss River where it tumbles out of Lake Lucerne.

The bridge was built at an angle in the 14th century to connect the town's medieval fortifications.

Today it serves strollers rather than soldiers as a peaceful way to connect two sides of

town. Many are oblivious to the fascinating art just overhead.

Under the rafters hang about 100 colorful 17th-century paintings showing scenes from

Luzern and its history. This legendary giant dates to the Middle Ages, when locals discovered

mammoth bones which they mistakenly thought were the bones of a human giant. Here's Luzern

in about 1400 - the bridge, already part of the city fortifications. And Luzern looked

Luzern is responsible for controlling the lake level. By regulating the flow of water

out of its lake, the city prevents the flooding of lakeside villages when the snow melts.

In the mid-19th century, the city devised and built this extendable dam. By adding and

taking away these wooden slats, they could control the level of the lake.

Swans are a fixture on the river today. Locals say they arrived in the 17th century as a

gift from the French king Louis XIV in appreciation for the protection his Swiss Guards gave him.

Switzerland has a long history of providing strong and loyal warriors to foreign powers.

The city's famous Lion Monument recalls the heroism of more Swiss mercenaries. The mighty

lion rests his paws on a French shield. Tears stream down his cheeks. The broken-off end

of a spear is slowly killing the noble beast. The sad lion is a memorial to over 700 Swiss

mercenaries who were killed defending Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI during the French Revolution.

The people of Luzern take full advantage of their delightful river with a variety of cafés

and restaurants along its banks. This evening, we're enjoying the setting as much as the

food. I'm having the local pork. My producer Simon is having eel fresh from the river.

With a picturesque setting like this, the dining experience makes for a wonderful memory.

Boats connect towns around Lake Lucerne. That's its English name, but the Swiss call it the

Vierwaldstättersee - literally, "Lake of the Four Forest Cantons." That's because it

lies at the intersection of four of Switzerland's cantons or states. Romantics will want to

ride one of the classic paddleboat steamers. A short ride drops you at any number of interesting

sights - one of which come with a surprise.

Imagine it's 1941. You're Swiss; your country is completely surrounded by Hitler and Mussolini.

The Nazis are on the move. What to do? [knock, knock] Turn your mountains into a hidden fortress.

The Swiss managed to make their rugged mountains an even more effective barrier. How? By lots

One example, the Fortress Fürigen has done its duty. Recently decommissioned, it now

welcomes visitors interested in Switzerland's secret defenses.

Guide: In central Switzerland we have now nine forts like this, bigger ones and smaller

ones. There are installed I think in total 44 canons.

The Swiss implemented a plan to retreat into the mountainous heart of the country and defend

themselves with a series of hidden fortresses dug into mountain sides like this one.

Guide: Here we enter into bunker #2. You see here the canon. You can turn it, the elevation...

Rick: I can sit here on the gun. Can I sit on this?

Guide: Yeah you can. Rick: Push this down? 62-

Guide: Fine, yeah. Rick: And then I go, I want to go to 21.

Guide: Fine, yes. Rick: Wow there it is, 62 21, the top of the

With the advent of the Cold War in the 1950s, the fortress was retooled for the threat of

the USSR. The Swiss have since found documents indicating that both the Nazis and the Soviets

actually had plans to invade Switzerland.

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瑞士的偉大城市 (Switzerland's Great Cities)

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