Lindenhof - Zurich

Zurich is believed to have been founded in 15 BC by the Romans who had a customs station here which they called Turicum. This name was first discovered on a Roman child's tombstone dating back to around 200 AD. Evidence has also been found of ancient Celtic settlements, so it is still probably not sure as to who came first.

The Lindenhof hill which is part of the old town area of Zurich, rises about 25 m above the river Limmat  and is situated right beside it. The Romans probably took advantage of the height in order to build a fort there and remains of it can still be seen today. Today it is a pleasant shady park with good views of the city and the river, a flat square on top of the hill, with a lot of trees, including lime trees. There is a steep climb to reach the place, just starting off Rennweg and Strehlgasse. It is a peaceful place with a number of benches scattered around, some chess playing squares on the ground and a place to rest in between roaming around the city, or even to eat a picnic lunch.

There is a copy of the child's tombstone, which was first discovered in 1747 in the Lindenhof area. It is for the son of the head of the customs station, a boy named Lucius Aelius Urbicus who died at the age of 1 year, 5 months and 5 days. 

There is also a fountain, the Hedwig fountain, which was built in 1668 to recall the bravery of the women of  Zurich. The story goes that in 1292, Duke Albrecht von Habsburg I, had attacked Zurich while the men of the city were away doing battle in Winterthur. It is believed that the women of the city, led by Hedwig Burghalden, dressed in armour and carrying lances, stood on the walls of the Lindenhof, to successfully protect their city against this siege.

There are more Roman remains near the hill - the heating system of an ancient Roman thermal bath, which can be seen on Thermengasse. They date back more than 2000 years but were discovered recently in the 1980s.

Till next time, ciao.





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