Lindenhof

Lindenhof is a moraine hill and public square in Zurich’s historic centre, rising above the Limmat. The hill preserves traces of prehistoric settlement. Roman Turicum later occupied the site, leaving stone buildings and a fortified citadel above the river. Medieval builders reused those remains for fortifications. The former Kaiserpfalz connected Lindenhof with royal ceremonies and the changing history of Zurich’s old town. Archaeological discoveries also connect the slope with Celtic remains and a copy of a Roman tombstone. After the palace disappeared, the hill became a public park within the city walls. Lindenhof offers a car-free setting for stone tables, chess games, gatherings and quiet pauses. Chess players use the square as a meeting place. Its elevated position frames the old town, Grossmünster, the Limmat, the university and ETH Zurich. The Hedwig Fountain adds a nineteenth-century monument linked to Zurich’s siege legend. Linden trees give the public square its name. Lindenhof holds national heritage significance through its prehistoric, Roman and medieval remains.