Lichterschwimmen (December)

During this traditional event, hundreds of tiny lanterns set sail from Stadthausquai down the River Limmat. Every year, students from schools in the Canton of Zurich make the lanterns and then launch their creations on the water. Zürich Tourism also serves hot punch and something sweet for onlookers on Weinplatz. 

The History of Lichterschwimmen

In 1962, Hansruedi Obi, a teacher from the Ilgen School in Zurich, was looking for a way to celebrate the Swiss tradition of “Schulsylvester” ‒ the last day of school before Christmas ‒ a little differently with his class and to also surprise the townspeople. He and his pupils made tiny boats with candles inside, which they launched from the Stadthausquai at 7.00 o’clock on Schulsylvester morning. In 1991, Jürg Inhelder, a primary school teacher at the Balgrist School, took over the by now much-loved tradition. Every year at Advent, he and his pupils make 800 little lanterns – precisely the amount he can fit, carefully stacked, in his car.