Bahnhofstrasse
Bahnhofstrasse, is the main downtown street of Zurich, Switzerland, and one of the world's most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues. In 2011, a study named Bahnhofstrasse the most expensive street for retail property in Europe, and the third-most-expensive worldwide. In 2016, the street ranked ninth.
History
Bahnhofstrasse came into existence when the city fortifications were demolished in 1864 and the ditch in front of the walls was filled in. Until that time, the name of the location had been Fröschengraben, which then was changed to Bahnhofstrasse.Layout
At its northern end, Bahnhofstrasse starts at Bahnhofplatz in front of the station building of Zürich Hauptbahnhof, the city's main railway station, and fountain with the statue of Alfred Escher. Running in a mostly southerly direction, it passes the Pestalozziwiese, Rennweg, Augustinergasse and Paradeplatz, before it ends after at Bürkliplatz on the northern shore of Lake Zurich.Paradeplatz, one of the most famous squares in Switzerland, is situated on the southern portion of Bahnhofstrasse. The two largest Swiss banks—UBS and the Credit Suisse Group—have their headquarters there, the former in a building named Münzhof. Another building on Bahnhofstrasse and at the northeastern edge of Paradeplatz is Peterhof. Paradeplatz is also known for its chocolate shop and cafe, Confiserie Sprüngli.
Aside from the many shops, there are also several restaurants and hotels, the Beyer Watch and Clock Museum and the Urania public observatory.
Shops
Some of the many shops along Bahnhofstrasse include:- Ambassadour House
- Apple Store
- Beyer Watches & Jewellery
- Blancpain
- Breguet
- Burberry
- Bvlgari
- Cartier
- Chanel
- Dior
- Ermenegildo Zegna
- Giorgio Armani
- Globus
- Gucci
- Hackett London
- Hermès
- H&M
- Jelmoli
- Louis Vuitton
- Mont Blanc
- Prada
- Salvatore Ferragamo
- Tiffany and Co.
- Tissot
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Trois Pommes
- Vacheron Constantin
- Victorinox
- Zara
Transport
The street is largely pedestrianised, but is also an important link in the Zurich tram network of VBZ.- North of Paradeplatz, Bahnhofstrasse carries tram routes,, and
- South of Paradeplatz, it carries lines,, and
The street is mostly closed to private transport, except for a short stretch near Rennweg, but there are nearby parking facilities. Bahnhofstrasse can also be easily reached from Zurich Airport.