Heimplatz

Heimplatz stands at the edge of Zurich’s old town, within the Hochschulquartier of District One, beside major cultural institutions. Some Zurich locals still call the plaza Pfauen.

The Schauspielhaus theatre borders the plaza, while the Kunsthaus art museum and its modern extension face another side. Cars, trams, and buses all meet at this urban junction. Several major roads, including Heimstrasse, Kantonsschulstrasse, Rämistrasse, Hottingerstrasse, and Zeltweg, converge here. The nearby public transport stop is known as Kunsthaus.

A statue of composer Ignaz Heim stands in the plaza, recalling the person honoured by its present name. A protected historic kiosk stands nearby as well. Built as a tram shelter, the small structure later became a kiosk and remains a visible feature of Heimplatz. Historic Turnegg House marks the nearby street corner.

The site once held the Hottinger Gate, part of Zurich’s baroque fortifications before later urban changes shaped the square. The plaza originally carried the name Kantonsschulplatz before Heimplatz. Today, Heimplatz brings together theatre, visual art, historic buildings, public transport, and central Zurich’s urban history. Its setting joins city history with cars, trams, buses, and urban pedestrians.