Chinagarten

On the east shore of Lake Zurich, in the Seefeld district near the Zürichhorn park, the Chinagarten is a classical Chinese garden set down in a Swiss city. It was a gift from Kunming, the capital of the Chinese province of Yunnan and a sister city of Zurich, and it opened in 1994. The gift was a gesture of thanks for help that Zurich experts had given Kunming in the field of water supply and drainage, and the garden is a lasting symbol of the partnership between the two cities.

The garden was built with the help of craftsmen and materials from China, and its design follows the traditions of Chinese landscape architecture. At its centre is a pond with an island, around which pavilions, covered walkways, bridges and small halls are arranged so that visitors move through a series of views. The aim of this kind of garden is to compose pictures, and each turn of the path offers a new scene, framed by a window, a gate or the curve of a roof. Tiled roofs with upturned eaves, carved wooden details, stone bridges and rockwork evoke the gardens of southern China.

Plants add to the effect. Many of the species were brought from Yunnan or chosen to suit the Chinese tradition, and bamboo, ornamental trees and flowering shrubs soften the architecture. The garden changes with the seasons: spring brings blossom, summer brings shade and reflections in the pond, and autumn brings colour. In winter, the bare branches and the stark lines of the buildings give a different, quieter beauty.

Visitors should plan to move slowly. The garden is small enough to see in an hour, but its pleasures lie in lingering, sitting in a pavilion and looking at the water. It is open daily, usually from late morning to early evening, and entry is free, though opening times can change with the season.

The Chinagarten lies next to the Blatterwiese lawn, the botanical garden and the lakeside promenade, so it fits easily into a stroll along the water. The tram from the city centre takes about fifteen minutes. The Chinese Garden is in Zurich, in the Seefeld district on the lakeshore.