Page 52 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Burning of the Böögg
A tradition since the 16th century, Zürich’s
Sechseläuten festival (p156) takes place on Did You Know?
the third Monday in April and heralds the
beginning of spring. Its centrepiece is the The word “Böögg” is
burning of the Böögg, a snowman effigy probably related to
packed with fire crackers, put atop a bonfire the English word
and set alight at 6pm on the dot. Supposedly, “bogeyman”.
the quicker the Böögg’s head explodes, the
DISCOVER Switzerland Your Way Böögg did predict the very hot summer of
nicer the summer will be. It’s a hit-and-miss
method of weather forecasting, but the poor
2003 when his head exploded after just
5 minutes and 42 seconds. In comparison,
the longest recorded time was in 2016,
when the head took 43 minutes and 34
seconds to explode. Afterwards, festival-
goers hang around to enjoy barbecuing
sausages in the bonfire’s embers.

The Sechseläuten festival in
Zürich, with the flaming
Böögg as the centrepiece

SWITZERLAND
WITH A TWIST

Slick museums and world-class attractions abound in Switzerland, yet
the country’s more unusual experiences are not to be missed. Some are
hidden in plain sight, while others require you to delve deeper into the
heart of the country to discover the quirkier side of the Swiss.

Velogemel
Invented in 1911 by a local
businessman and wood-
carver with mobility
problems, the velogemel is
a wooden snow-bike unique
to the mountain village of
Grindelwald. The vehicle
allows users to push off using
their feet and steer with two
handlebars. It’s still made in
Grindelwald, and can be hired
for use on the area’s sledge
runs. Put your skills to the
test in the annual Velogemel
World Champion ships in
February, or use it to get
from A to B like a local.

Snow sent flying through
the air by the blades of a
traditional velogemel

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