Holidays In Geneva

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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St Peters Cathedral in Geneva was originally built between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and is surprisingly small for a building of this type. It comprises a mixture of architectural styles, including a neoclassical, gothic, and Romanesque that combine surprisingly well. The North tower can be climbed, and offers excellent views over the lake and the old town.

The English Garden was originally constructed in 1854, and is home to the Monument National, a bronze fountain, and the Flower Clock, a massive clock planted with over 6,300 flowers that was constructed to honour the watch making industry in Geneva. Its second hand is the biggest in the world.

The most famous landmark in Geneva is the Water Fountain, which dominates the harbour landscape. When the sun is out, a rainbow forms behind the jet of water, and at night, the fountain is illuminated by electric lights to create a startling display.

The Reformation Wall was built in 1909 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, and is dedicated to the four central figures of the Reformation movement that let to the establishment ...
... of the protestant church, namely John Calvin, Theodore de Beze, John Knox and Guillaume Farel.

Genevas famous Botanical Gardens were originally situated in the Parc des Bastions from 1817 to 1900, but were relocated to their current position in Chambesy in 1901. These gardens, which cover 69 acres, contain an aviary, a park of rare animals, thousands of flowers, a garden of the senses, a large pond, and several greenhouses full of exotic plants.

The Palace of Nations is a huge building in the shape of a double horseshoe, and is the biggest United Nations building in the world aside from the headquarters in New York. It was originally built between 1929 and 1937 as the home of the League of Nations, which was the immediate predecessor of the UN.

Set inside an old factory, the four floor Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is a major art gallery with a number of permanent and changing exhibits. Perhaps the most famous of their permanent exhibitions is Lappartement, a faithful reproduction of a Paris based collectors apartment, featuring original artworks, sculpture, and furniture belonging to the collector.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum tells the story of the Red Cross from its inception at the hands of Henry Dunant to its modern day humanitarian activities through a combination of sculpture, documentation, computers, and multimedia presentations. This guide to holidays in Geneva was written by Bonny Kominek. For great deals on Geneva hotels, go to the Octopus Travel website.