Page 121 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Place du Bourg-de-Four, Gothic façade, with three tiers forces during the civil war of
the bustling heart of of windows and a turret at one 1847, he managed to defeat
Geneva’s Old Town corner, is decorated with the the separatists. He was also
Tavel coat of arms, as well as a founder of the Inter national
with curious stone sculptures Red Cross – the neutral organ-
Nearby, on Rue de l’Hôtel-de- of animal and human heads. ization that assists victims of
Ville on the southwestern side Although it was rebuilt after war and violence – which has
of the square, stands the Hôtel the fire of 1334, which des- its head quarters nearby (p122).
de Ville. Built in the 15th cen- troyed much of Geneva, the
tury, it was originally the city earliest record of the house
hall and now serves as the seat goes back to 1303.
of the can tonal auth orities. Maison Tavel now houses
The Tour Baudet, a tower dat- the Musée du Vieux Genève, a DRINK
ing from 1455 and the oldest museum devoted to daily life
part of the city hall, once in Geneva from the 14th to
housed the cantonal archives. the 19th centuries. While the Atelier
On the ground floor of the basement is reserved for Perfectly balanced
Hôtel de Ville is the Alabama temp orary exhibitions, the wines and hand-mixed
Room, where the Geneva rest of the house is filled with cocktails in an
Convention was signed in 1864 exhibits, including coins, iron- industrial-chic setting.
and where the Inter national work, tiles, wooden doors and  E3 ⌂ Rue Boissonnas
Red Cross was recognized as a other elements of ancient 16 ¢ Sun
humani tar ian organization. It houses. Twelve rooms on the ∑ latelierlounge.ch
was also here that the League second floor illustrate urban 
of Nations assembled for the life in the 17th century. In
first time, in 1920. the attic is a huge model of
Geneva, made in 1850, before Blue Balloon
the city’s medieval fortifi- Delicious snacks and
8 cations were demolished. A barista-perfect coffee in
über-hip surroundings,
son-et-lumière presentation
Maison Tavel highlights points of interest just right for a
on the model. petit pause.
 C4 ⌂ 6 Rue du Puits-St- A separate section is  A4
Pierre # 10am–6pm Tue– ⌂ Rue Ancienne 41
Sun ∑ institutions.ville- devoted to Général Dufour § 041 22 301 58 58
geneve.ch (1787–1875), the son of a
Genevan clock maker who 
Built by the Tavel family, this created a 1:100,000-scale topo-
fine limestone building is the graphic map of the country. As
oldest house in Geneva. The commander of the Federal
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