The old town of Schaffhausen is famous for its 171 bay windows as well as the Munot Fortress. It is one of the best-preserved medieval towns, and has plenty to offer in terms of culture too.
With an exceptional concentration of international music festivals, the vibrant local arts scene and the many clubs and bars, Schaffhausen is one of the most diverse and influential small towns in Switzerland.
Tips for the perfect cultural tour of Schaffhausen
The tour starts at the Museum zu Allerheiligen. At the former Allerheiligen Benedictine monastery in the middle of the picturesque old town, alongside testimony to the monastery’s history, the museum also houses an important collection of works of art from the 15th century right through to contemporary art. The museum’s café in the idyllic Pfalzhof invites guests to linger a while. The monastery complex also includes Switzerland’s largest Romanesque church, wonderful cloisters, and a sweet-smelling herb garden – an absolute “must see” when in the city.
Just a short distance away, between the IWC watchmaking factory and the banks of the Rhine is the Kammgarn. The Kammgarn pub on the terrace under the chestnut tree is the perfect place to indulge in culinary delights. Is a concert your kind of thing? KiK Kultur im Kammgarn has been arranging events at the Kammgarn for over 25 years. These include all kinds of concerts, parties, the Schaffhausen film festival, theatrical performances, and the Irish Nights Festival.
A visit to Schaffhausen city theatre is the perfect ending to a cultural tour of Schaffhausen. From September to May each year, it hosts around 80 performances with artists and ensembles from across the world.
You can enjoy falling asleep to the sound of the “Munotglöggli”, the church bell of Munot Fortress. It is probably the last alarm bell to be rung by hand in Europe, and certainly the last in Switzerland. It is rung by hand by the Munot guard for five minutes every night from 9 p.m. In the Middle Ages, the ringing not only announced that the city gates were being shut, but also let people know that it was closing time in the city’s taverns. Continuous ringing at any other time meant that the Munot guard was warning of fire or enemies approaching the city.
(Article attributed: mySwitzerland.com)
