Page 257 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

The cobbled Rathausplatz,
with its fine medieval build­
ings, in Stein am Rhein

The massive lake, which is
both fed and drained by the
Rhine, is 64 km (40 miles) long
and 12 km (7 miles) wide. Its
western and southern shores,
which belong to Switzerland,
are lined with small resorts
that have excellent fishing
and watersports facilities.
Kreuzlingen is the principal
Swiss town here, with the
Baroque Kirche St Ulrich
its finest building. Schloss
Arenenberg and the medieval
castle of Gottlieben are both
on the Swiss shoreline, as is
the 14th-century Turmhof
fortification in Steckborn.

8
Stein am Rhein
! E2 £ @ g n Oberstadt 3;
www.steinamrhein.ch
With its numerous medieval
half-timbered buildings and town began to prosper and Lindwurm Museum
16th-century houses with expand in the late 11th cen- " ⌂ Understadt 18
frescoed façades, Stein am tury, when German emperor ∑ museum­lindwurm.ch
Rhein is one of the country’s Heinrich II established a
most beautiful sights. Founded Benedictine monastery here. Klostermuseum
in Roman times, this small The outline of the town walls St Georgen
can be made out, and two of " ⌂ Fischmarkt 3
the town gates, Obertor and ∑ klostersanktgeorgen.ch
Untertor, still stand. The main
square, Rathausplatz, is lined
with handsome wood-framed THE RHAETIAN
houses painted with motifs RAILWAY
reflecting their names, such as Riding a mountain train
House of the Sun or House of when in Switzerland is
the Red Ox. The Lindwurm almost an inevitability.
Museum re-creates 19th- The most scenic line is
century middle-class life over the private Rhaetian
four floors of a beauti fully Railway, running across
restored house in the historic 383 rail bridges and
Old Town. through 84 tun nels. Its
Overlooking the Rhine Albula/Bernina Line,
stands Kloster St Georgen, a climbing up the Albula
Benedictine monastery, and Valley past the drama­
its 12th-century church. The tic Landwasser viaduct,
well-preserved monastery is now a UNESCO World
rooms, decorated in the early Heritage Site and one
16th century, now house the of Europe’s truly great
Klostermuseum St Georgen, rail journeys.
devoted to local history.
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