Zurich Sightseeing: Churches, Art, Views

October 29, 2026

Most of Zurich’s headline sights sit within a short walk of the Limmat, between the lake and the main station. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF), and the Zürich Card (CHF 29 for 24 hours, CHF 56 for 72 hours) covers several of them.

Grossmünster and the Karlsturm

The twin-towered Grossmünster is where Huldrych Zwingli began the Swiss Reformation in 1519. The nave and crypt are free. The Karlsturm climb is 187 steps to an enclosed platform with six large panoramic windows, because the terraces are closed for safety. It costs CHF 5 for adults and CHF 2 for children aged 6 to 16 and students. Hours are Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October, shorter in winter, and Sunday hours vary. Restoration work continues until about 2029. This is an active church, so keep voices low.

Fraumünster and the Chagall windows

The former abbey at Münsterhof, founded in 853, holds five choir windows by Marc Chagall (1970) and a window by Augusto Giacometti (1945). Entry is about CHF 5, free for children and students. Photography is restricted, so follow the signs. Services limit visiting on Sundays.

Kunsthaus Zürich

Switzerland’s largest art museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, and on Thursdays until 20:00. It is closed on Mondays. A full adult ticket is about CHF 31. It has the largest Alberto Giacometti collection in the world, plus Hodler, Munch and Impressionists. The Bührle collection is shown in a changing presentation until 2027, and the provenance of many of its paintings is disputed, so expect explanatory text. The permanent collection is free with a Zürich Card.

Landesmuseum

The Swiss National Museum, behind the main station, is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays. Adults pay CHF 13 until the end of 2026, then CHF 18 from 5 January 2027, when under-18s also go free. The ground-floor “Simply Zurich” display is free.

Lindenhof

This tree-lined terrace above the Limmat is the site of a Roman fort and has the classic view over the Old Town. It is open at all hours and free, and locals play on the large chess boards.

Planning notes

Use a guided option if you prefer to have the history explained. A search for Zurich sightseeing tours shows what is available. Opening times for the churches are published at zuerich.com and for the museums at kunsthaus.ch and landesmuseum.ch . Closing dates include 19 April 2027 for the Landesmuseum, because of the Sechseläuten spring festival, planned for that day.