RAPPERSWIL
The alps, the quaint villages & medieval towns, and the fairyland-like pastoral landscapes of Switzerland attract tourist from all over the world. On top of my list are its many lakes & rivers. A boat trip on one of the lakes is always a treat. If travelling to Zürich, add a day or two to your itinerary and take a cruise on one of the ZSG’s (Lake Zürich Navigation Company) historic paddle steamers to Switzerland’s “City of Roses” – Rapperswil, St. Gallen.
Approaching Rapperswil you’ll recognize its landmark castle which overlooks the town. Originally built around 1200, it was destroyed in wars, rebuilt in the mid 1300s, used as a military base & prison over the years, then over time fell in disrepair. Thanks to Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater, a Polish immigrant who used his own funds, the castle was restored & a small Polish National Museum was established within its walls on October 23, 1870. The museum houses an eclectic collection of Polish art and historical items. It provides a good overview of Polish history and a great way to learn about the connection between Poland and Switzerland.
Although red roses have been featured on Rapperswil’s coat of arms for over 1000 years, it wasn’t until 1958 that its tourist office promoted the idea that Rapperswil was indeed going to become a “City of Roses.” Today you’ll find rose gardens everywhere. You’ll find 20,000 rose plants, 600 varieties, flowering from May to September. One of the many gardens contains 2400 plants with 100 varieties of fragrances, some particularly strong, all labelled in Braille as well as normal lettering for the visually impaired and disabled.
A visit to Rapperswil would not be complete without a walk on its famous wooden footbridge. Over ½ mile in length it parallels the causeway which bridges the narrowest area of Lake Zürich from Rapperswil to Hurden. Historians have traced the footbridges at this location to 1650 BC. From there you might consider a visit to the Capuchin Monastery. The church was consecrated in 1607 and Capuchin monks have continued to live at the monastery to this day. On certain times of the year it is possible to experience monastery life as a short term guest.
Checkout the videos & web sites by clicking on the highlighted links above.
The alps, the quaint villages & medieval towns, and the fairyland-like pastoral landscapes of Switzerland attract tourist from all over the world. On top of my list are its many lakes & rivers. A boat trip on one of the lakes is always a treat. If travelling to Zürich, add a day or two to your itinerary and take a cruise on one of the ZSG’s (Lake Zürich Navigation Company) historic paddle steamers to Switzerland’s “City of Roses” – Rapperswil, St. Gallen.
Approaching Rapperswil you’ll recognize its landmark castle which overlooks the town. Originally built around 1200, it was destroyed in wars, rebuilt in the mid 1300s, used as a military base & prison over the years, then over time fell in disrepair. Thanks to Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater, a Polish immigrant who used his own funds, the castle was restored & a small Polish National Museum was established within its walls on October 23, 1870. The museum houses an eclectic collection of Polish art and historical items. It provides a good overview of Polish history and a great way to learn about the connection between Poland and Switzerland.
Although red roses have been featured on Rapperswil’s coat of arms for over 1000 years, it wasn’t until 1958 that its tourist office promoted the idea that Rapperswil was indeed going to become a “City of Roses.” Today you’ll find rose gardens everywhere. You’ll find 20,000 rose plants, 600 varieties, flowering from May to September. One of the many gardens contains 2400 plants with 100 varieties of fragrances, some particularly strong, all labelled in Braille as well as normal lettering for the visually impaired and disabled.
A visit to Rapperswil would not be complete without a walk on its famous wooden footbridge. Over ½ mile in length it parallels the causeway which bridges the narrowest area of Lake Zürich from Rapperswil to Hurden. Historians have traced the footbridges at this location to 1650 BC. From there you might consider a visit to the Capuchin Monastery. The church was consecrated in 1607 and Capuchin monks have continued to live at the monastery to this day. On certain times of the year it is possible to experience monastery life as a short term guest.
Checkout the videos & web sites by clicking on the highlighted links above.
