The Switzerland Traveler

It’s easy to know when winter is over in Zürich. Just ask whether the snowman has been burned yet.

I’ve not worked out exactly how the timing of the festival works, I assume it’s linked to Easter, but this year Sechseläuten falls on April 14th. It’s always a Monday.

A children’s parade on Sunday, and a march through the streets by the merchant guilds on Monday are preludes to the main event - the burning of the Böögg.

The Böögg is the snowman who will determine what sort of summer we will have.

The faster he burns, the better the summer, so recently there has been a distinct smell of petrol in the background…

The festival’s name, Sechseläuten, means six bells ringing, which should give you a clue that the burning takes place at six in the evening.

The bonfire is located at Bellevueplatz, and the parades take place along the shores of the River Limmat.

If you live in or near Zürich, it’s something you should probably visit at least once. After all, it’s a public holiday, well a half holiday…

Photos: Flickr - rgot