Niederdorf (Old Town)
Niederdorf
A pedestrian old quarter on the east bank of the Limmat, with cobbled lanes full of small shops, pubs and cheese fondue restaurants.
Niederdorf is the part of Zurich's Old Town on the east bank of the Limmat. Its main axis, Niederdorfstrasse, runs south from near the Central Library to the cathedral, making it the most lively pedestrian district in the city. Narrow cobbled lanes are lined with 14th- to 17th-century houses, whose ground floors hold antique shops, bookshops, watch shops, Swiss souvenir stores and small pubs. Lanes such as Leninstrasse and Spiegelgasse hide historical stories. Lenin lived at No. 14 Spiegelgasse during his exile in 1916–1917, while the Cabaret Voltaire opposite was the birthplace of the Dada movement in 1916 and remains an art space today. In the evening, Niederdorf is the liveliest district for nightlife in Zurich. At long-established restaurants, try Swiss cheese fondue or Zürcher Geschnetzeltes mit Rösti (veal strips in cream sauce with potato rösti). Coordinates are an estimate for the middle section of Niederdorfstrasse. From the Zurich Main Station, it is a 5-minute walk across the river to the northern end.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- ETH Polyterrasse
- Lindenhof
- Grossmünster
- St. Peter Church
- Zürich Hauptbahnhof
- Fraumünster
- Bahnhofstrasse
- Kunsthaus Zürich