Münsterhof

Münsterhof is a town square situated in the Lindenhof quarter, the historical center of Zürich, Switzerland.

Kratz quarter, Fraumünster and Münsterhof, early 16th century, Hans Leu the Elder

Münsterhof on an 17th-century glass painting, showing the "Mordnacht von Zürich" in 1350, Swiss National Museum in Zürich

Limmatquai and Quaianlagen: Bellevueplatz and Bürkliplatz, Quaibrücke, Bauschänzli, Stadthausquai, Münsterbrücke and Münsterhof, and Rathausbrücke–Weinplatz, aerial photography by Eduard Spelterini in the probably mid-1890s.

Geography

Münsterhof is located in front of the Fraumünster church, to the south of the Lindenhof hill and oppostite of the Limmatquai, and is surrounded by medieval buildings, among them the guild houses "zur Waag", the former "Kämbel" guild house and, as of today, the art museum Zunfthaus zur Meisen. Named after the Münster (plural), in fact the two minster churches Fraumünster and Grossmünster, it is today a section of the southern extensions of the Quaianlagen promenades that were built between 1881 and 1887.^[1] Being the biggest town square within the former medieval town walls in the Altstadt of Zürich, situated on the right (western) shore of the Limmat river, the square is accessibly by Stadthausquai, Poststrasse, Storchengasse and Waaggasse, and by the Münsterbrücke crossing the Limmat river to Limmatquai. Münsterhof is one of the historical cores of the medieval town of Zürich, previously the Celtic-Roman Turicum at the bottom of the Lindenhof hill.

History

In the early Middle Ages, the Münsterhof (literally: Fraumünster abbey courtyard) area was a swampy, by the Sihl river flooded hollow. Not yet archaeologically proven but suggested by the historians, as well for the first construction of the today's Münsterbrücke Limmat crossing, the present Weinplatz square was the former civilian harbour of the Celtic-Roman Turicum.^[2] First mentioned in 1221 AD, probably in the 9th century wooden houses were built by Zürich citizens besides Fraumünster Abbey and mansions made of stone may been built in early 13th century.

The archaeological excavations of winter 2014/2015 were concentrated on the plaza and on the Stadthausquai and Poststrasse area: So the remains of a cemetery chapel of the era before 1300 AD have been examined, when the chapel was removed and the cemetery decreased, in order that the new errected gothic church building got in the focus of the public. The Zürich archaeologist also secured human remains and grave furnishings, that will be presented along with the findings of the excavations in 1977/1978 in a archaelogical window in the Fraumünster's crypt.^[3]

In medieval times, the plaza was also used as a cemetery close to the former Fraumünster Abbey, and the bailiff's house of the Einsiedeln Abbey may been situated there. In 1504 AD, and probably much earlier, the passion play of the city's martyrs Felix and Regula was celebrated on the plaza. Following the Reformation in Switzerland, the area was used as a pig market to 1667. In 1676 the town square was renewed by using cobblestones. From 1627 to 1835, along the north wall of Fraumünster church stalls were situated. In 1766 a fountain adorned Münsterhof plaza, but was removed 45 years later. During Züriputsch in September 1839, led by Bernhard Hirzel, pastor of Pfäffikon, several thousand putschists stormed the city from the west, and fought the cantonal troops in the alleys between Paradeplatz and Münsterhof. In 1938 the plaza was rebuilt at its south-westerly side towards Poststrasse as it is today,^[4] now mainly being a parking facility nearby the pedestrian zones at Bahnhofstrasse, Paradeplatz and Limmatquai.

Activities and sights

Main sights are the Fraumünster church (first mentioned in 853 AD) and Zunfthaus zur Meisen that houses the porcelain and faience collection of the Swiss National Museum. There are some renown restaurants and cafés situated there among them Zunfthaus zur Waag respectively Zeughauskeller and Sprüngli at nearby Paradeplatz. Beginning in 1999, Gesellschaft zu Fraumünster (Fraumünster society) organized every three years the so-called Mittelalter Spectaculum, a medieval funfair, at the Münsterhof square.

The city's authorities plan to declare Münsterhof as car-free zone: For the future public use of this urban square, an evaluation will be done, to enliven this historical place within the Altstadt of Zürich, as before, by major events such as several popular open-air performances and public events in general. Construction works were scheduled for 2014 and the inauguration for 2015,^[5] but had to be re-scheduled to 2015 respectively 2016 due to the archaeological excavations in winter 2014/2015.^[3]

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  Fraumünster, Münsterhof and Zunfthaus zur Meisen as seen from Grossmünster

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  Münsterhof as seen to the north, former "Kämbel" guild house to the right, during a solidarity event of the Gesellschaft Schweizerisch-Tibetische Freundschaft respectively a visit by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama in April 2010

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  as seen from Fraumünster church

• 

  as seen from Poststrasse

Transportation

The Zürich tram lines 2, 4 and 15, as well as the Zürichsee-Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) and its Limmat river tour boats towards Zürichhorn respectively Landesmuseum provide public transportation. Individual transportation usually is strictly limited, thus the area is part of the pedestrian zone of Zürich respectively limited to road tansport use between lower Limmatquai and Bellevueplatz upstream the Limmat river. Since 25 September 2004, the driving of motor vehicles, motorcycles and scooters is restricted, excepted to cargo handling, rides in traffic with the cantonal police station, postal delivery services as well as medical doctors and emergency services.^[6]

References

External links

Media related to Münsterhof (Zürich) at Wikimedia Commons