Geneva on Lake Geneva

The beautiful city of Geneva is located at the southern tip of Lake Geneva. It sits in a majestic setting surrounded by the Alps and Jura Mountains. From the city, there are dramatic views of Mont Blanc. You’ll find the headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the Red Cross here.

A well-known landmark in Geneva is its pencil fountain The Jet d’Eau. This fascinating lakeside fountain is the first thing you’ll see as your plane gets ready to land. The structure is 140m tall and shoots out water with a force of 200km/h, 1360 horsepower. It creates a sky-high jet of water that sparkles in rainbow colors on sunny days. It is most refreshing in the summertime as at any one time 7 tonnes of water are in the air and then sprayed on people down on the pier. Two or three times a year the fountain is illuminated pink, blue, or another color to make a humanitarian event.

Mostly Gothic St. Peter's Cathedral was begun in the 11th century. It has an 18th-century neo-Classical facade. Protestant John Calvin preached here between 1536 and 1564. You can see his seat in the north aisle. Inside 77 steps spiral up to the attic afterwards another 40 steps lead up to the panoramic northern and southern towers for awesome views all around. In the summer free Carillion and organ concerts are held in the cathedral filling the surrounding square with music.

The cathedral is located in the interesting Old Town, where at No. 40 you’ll find the house where Espace Rousseau the 18th-century philosopher was born. Beneath the cathedral, you’ll find the archeological site with fine 4th-century mosaics and a 5th-century baptismal font.

In the Old Town is the oldest square in the city Place du Bourg-de-Four. The square is on the site of the Roman forum where an important market was held from the ninth century onward. Today both locals and tourists enjoy the cafes and restaurants. Among the highlights is an 18th-century fountain, and a statue, Clementine by Heinz Schwarz.

The Palais de Justice has been home to the law courts since 1860.

Of interest is The Art and History Museum with more than 7,000 exhibits on display. They range from prehistoric finds to modern paintings. The museum opened its doors in 1910 and is the largest museum in Geneva. The Department of Applied Arts displays Byzantine Art, icons, musical instruments, and textiles. In the sector which is devoted to Fine Arts, you’ll find paintings that range from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

The home to the UN has been here since 1966 housed in the Palais des Nations. It was built between 1929 and 1936. Visits here are by guided tour only with an ID card or passport. The tour is an hour long and includes a tour of the building and the surrounding 46-hectare park. The park has lovely old trees and peacocks. You’ll also see the grey monument sealed with heat-resistant titanium that was donated by the USSR to commemorate the conquest of space.

Nearby the Palais des Nations is the Ariana Museum which is devoted to ceramics and glass production. It has a collection of 25,000 examples from Switzerland, other places in Europe, and the Middle and Far East. The building was built in the neo-Classical and New Baroque styles.

Take a wonderful stroll on the picturesque northern lakeshore promenade – Quai-du-Mount-Blanc. Here you’ll find beautiful flowers, statues, outdoor art exhibits, and fantastic views of Mount Blanc on clear days. The promenade will lead you to several city parks.

The International Museum of the Reformation is housed in an 18th-century mansion. There are state-of-the-art exhibits and audiovisuals about everything from the earliest Bibles to the time Geneva emerged as “Protestant Rome” in the 16th century. It covers it all from John Calvin up to Protestantism in the 21st century.

A most lovely place is the English Garden. It has a large flower clock which is a most popular photo spot. This waterfront garden was landscaped in 1854 on the site of an old lumber-handling port and merchant yard. The flower clock is known as The Horloge Fleurie and is created from 6,500 plants. It has been in the garden since 1955. Its second hand which is 2.5m long is thought to be the world’s longest.

A fascinating park full of statues and a giant chess board is Park des Bastions. Here you can see a statue of the cofounder of the Red Cross Henri Dufour. He also drew the first map of Switzerland in 1865. There are 4.5m tall statues of Beze, Calvin, Farel and Knox.

The official commemoration of Geneva’s significant role in the Reformation is the Reformation Wall or Reformation Monument. It was carved in the early 20th century and construction took from 1909 to 1917. The giant wall is 325 feet long and 30 feet high. The wall dominates the Parc de Bastions and centers on 15 ft. tall statues of four Geneva luminaries. Behind the statues is the motto shared by the Reformation and Geneva – Post Tenebras Lux “After Darkness, Light”. Surrounding the four Genevan reformers are smaller statues of major Protestant figures, bas-reliefs, and inscriptions. One relief depicts Roger Williams and the Pilgrim Fathers praying on the deck of the Mayflower. Another shows the Bill of Rights being presented to King William of Orange by the English Parliament in 1689. At the sides of the wall, you’ll find Martin Luther – the German “Father of the Reformation” and Ulrich Zwingli – a Swiss reformer based in Zurich.

A lovely rose garden is Parc de la Grange which has one rosebush per square meter and altogether the garden is 12,000 square meters. It was created from 1945 to 1946 and has over 200 different varieties of roses. The flowerbeds are in terrace form between large stairways created from natural rock and enhanced by pools and pergolas (shaded walkways).

Geneva’s answer to New York City’s Greenwich Village is its Bohemian district Carouge. Just a short distance from the city center you’ll find yourself surrounded by architecture that reminds of Sardinia and you’ll feel like you’re in Southern Europe. There are many interesting shops, shady terraces, crafts, and antique dealers in its alleys and passageways. Take the time to explore its nightlife in the many trendy bars here.

Jardin Botanique/Botanical Gardens have greenhouses, gardens, and a conservatory featuring over 12,000 species of plants and trees. An Alpine Garden displays plants from the high elevations of Switzerland and the herbarium is one of the largest in the world. There is a small animal area with fallow deer and other kinds of wildlife.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum was designed to bring visitors into the contemporary work and mission of the world's primary humanitarian aid organization. There are interactive exhibits and visitors learn about the work the Red Cross did during WW I and WW II and other conflicts. Three individual areas, “The Humanitarian Adventure” explore three major challenges that face the world today – Defending Human Dignity, Restoring Family Links, and Reducing Natural Risks. A large interactive globe shows the latest developments in the field.