Excursion tour in Geneva. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

Lake Geneva Let’s move further. The upcoming famous architecture monuments of Geneva that deserve to be mentioned are Palace of Nations, Grand Theatre de Geneve, Musee Rath, and Museum of Art and History. An overview of interesting facts and a collection of photographs are available for each monument. In order to plan a route for your real-life sightseeing tour in Geneva, use our interactive map of sights in of Geneva that is available below this article.

Palace of Nations, Geneva

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The building complex that is 600 m long had been built for 8 years.
» One architect was excluded from the project because he signed the document with improper ink.
» In the Palace, there are the headquarter of the League of Nations, the UN office, and the office of the World Health Organization.
» About a hundred thousand tourists visit it.
» Ceremonial negotiation rooms are also open for visitors. There are canvasses of world-famous artists on the walls.
» 100 tons of paint was used and €10 million was spent to decorate the room ceiling of the total area of 1.5 m2.
» The 1st and 3rd levels intersect along the entire length but other floors don’t.
» There is a symbolic cannon near the Palace. Its barrel is knotted, which is the symbol of peace. Politicians discuss global issues in the building. Every year, over 8 thousand meetings on international issues and almost 600 intergovernmental meetings are held in the Palace.
» There is a picturesque garden around it. One of the buildings is located in the park. This land belonged to an aristocratic family. Upon its order, the authorities must keep the peacock they inherited here. Also, there is a garden pavilion aged over 300 years.

Grand Theatre de Geneve, Geneva

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The opening of Grand Theatre de Geneve was marked by the premiere performance based on the opera drama of Rossini, “Wilhelm Tell”. It is the national symbol of the country.
» Besides plays, city festivals are organized here.
» After the fire, the theatre was modernized with modern equipment and quality lighting.
» The new theatre season is marked by 8 operas and 2 ballets. They run through their performances up to 12 times and the cast is maintained.
» The building is decorated with granite columns, marble statues symbolizing goddesses of art, and busts of eminent composers.
» The construction was damaged by the fire. It has been restored for 10 years. The updated auditorium welcomes 1488 theatre-goers. The orchestra pit accommodates 100 musicians. The ceiling is decorated with moldings and crowned with a big chandelier. There are a lot of floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the hall. After the reconstruction, the auditorium has a square shape. It had had a horseshoe shape before.
» The administration encourages performances made by directors and casts from other cities and countries.

Musee Rath, Geneva

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Different art exhibitions (1826) were organized at the initiative and expense of sisters Henriette and Jeanne-Francoise Rath.
» Today, the Musee Rath has an international status. It is a cultural object and is under the protection of the State. It houses the collection of world-famous pieces of art.
» In the Musee Rath, temporary art and archaeological exhibitions are mostly held.
» The building is located in New Square. It is the only museum that houses the western art collection from ancient times to the present day.
» Two years elapsed between the project stage to the opening. The museum was opened in 1826.
» At one time, the building was rented out to the detainees’ camp of the Committee of the Red Cross.
» The collection of murder weapons and pieces of Egyptian masters is really extraordinary. Here, you can also see the masterpieces of Swiss artists living in different epochs. Individual exhibitions of modern people of art are held here.
» From the outside, it is the rectangular building of gray blocks. Its dome is upheld by 6 round columns decorated with patterned moldings. The staircase leads to the front door.

Museum of Art and History, Geneva

Location on the map:
Facts: » The collection of the Museum of Art and History contains over 650 thousand rare items. These are paintings, sculptures, musical instruments, and ancient artifacts.
» Not only permanent, but also temporary exhibitions are organized here.
» In the square of 7 000 m2, you can see pieces of art of global significance. There are 500-year-old items, as well as canvases of modern artists.
» The museum fund is replenished thanks to private collections.
» Graphics, books, household items of the bygone era, and old weapons are just some of the exhibits displayed.
» The building matches the collection it houses. The vault of the palace is upheld by classical columns with strict proportions. The pediment of the building is crowned with stone figurines.
» In the period of the Civil War in Spain, the authorities sent all the precious exhibits to the Museum of Geneva.
» Showrooms where you can see Greek flowerpots, ceramic items of Etruscans, pieces of medieval furniture, and ammunition of the 12th century are very impressive.
» Near the museum, there is the restaurant Le Barocco where you can taste dishes of the local cuisine.
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Plan your own tour over Geneva on the monuments map

More to see in Geneva
Geneva never ceases to amaze travelers by its attractions, many of which are truly unusual. For example, every day hundreds of tourists come to see wonderful flower clock located on Promenade du Lac. Live clocks are made up of several flower beds, between which is located the dial mechanism. It should be noted that the length of the second hand estimates 2.5 meters – the second construction of such scale simply does not exist. Not far away from this sight is located English park, which is very popular among fans of outdoor recreation. Among the architectural monuments of the city we should definitely mention Palais des Nations, which currently houses the headquarters of the UN. This massive and beautiful architectural complex, which consists of several buildings, is surrounded by a beautiful park. It is a perfect place for walking and relaxing. Fans of excursions should definitely not forget to visit Museum of Lake Geneva. Its exposition is also quite unique and provides visitors with examples of life forms that once have inhabited the pond. The total area of the museum is more than a thousand square meters – during a long history of the museum here have appeared really many exhibits. Your trip to Museum of Clocks will be no less exciting. The museum has become a symbol of not only Geneva, but of the whole country. Among the exhibits you will see clocks that were made yet in the 16th century. Fans of paintings and art will surely find much interesting in their visit to … Read further

Tours through neighbours of Geneva

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