James Joyce in Zürich

A September 2002 trip to Zurich by rhiannon1968

When one thinks of Swiss cities one thinks of banks, money, chocolate... but there's is much more... even literature... and especially James Joyce

  • 5 reviews
James Joyce! Let's follow the footsteps of the most famous Irish writer of this century.

Quick Tips:

It's hard to follow all the places where Joyce lived or used to frequent - or that are connected with him in some way. An exhaustive list can be had at the James Joyce foundation. The ones mentioned here below are only the most well-known ones.

Best Way To Get Around:

It''s a central hotel where rooms are dedicated to an important person who, at some time, has lived in Zürich. Room 301 is dedicated to James Joyce - and on the room''s wall one can admire his portrait.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on January 12, 2002

Hotel Rigihof
UNIVERSITATSTRASSE 101 Zurich, Switzerland
0041 1 361 16 85

Kronenhalle RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "K r o n e n h a l l e R e s t a u r a n t"

The food is the standard German/Swiss food - so all sorts of local specialities can be found there - züriroschti and so on - but what makes this restaurant special is its decor (there are some famous paintings on the walls) and its history. In the 30s it was one of Joyce's favourite haunts - and it was also the place where his wife Nora used to go after Joyce's death, because of the friendships he had made there. They would all help her and support her through the hard times.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on January 12, 2002

Kronenhalle Restaurant
Rämistrasse (Bellevue) Zurich, Switzerland

Zürcher James Joyce StiftungBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Meeting James Joyce"

Zürich is the only place where one can meet James Joyce... in the sense that, at the cemetery near the zoo, one can visit his gravesite and pay homage to such a great writer. There's a statue that commemorates him, it's the statue of James Joyce sitting down and thinking.... somehow similar in Rodin's Le penseur statue. It's also not uncommon to meet literary aficionados there.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on January 12, 2002

Zürcher James Joyce Stiftung
Augustinergasse 9 Zurich, Switzerland

Zürcher James Joyce StiftungBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "James Joyce lives"

First of all, it's a small museum. There's a collection of Joyce-related books, autographs, objects. Then there are open lectures, usually held in the evening once a week, audio and videotapes, Joyce-related artworks and journals too. Given advance notice Fritz Senn is always eager to discuss and explain anything to his visitors - on one condition - that they sign the guestbook! No one is allowed to leave the foundation without doing it. Also one should ask him about his Joyce anecdotes: the man is a grat story-teller and has some interesting stories to share - like when he was caught by a policeman trying to steal a street-sign in Dublin because it was the street where Leopold Bloom had lived. Note that at that time he was in his late 60s.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on January 12, 2002

Zürcher James Joyce Stiftung
Augustinergasse 9 Zurich, Switzerland

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