Rieterpark

Rieterpark is a landscape park in Zurich's Enge district, close to Lake Zurich and wrapped around the Museum Rietberg. At roughly 70,000 square metres, the city's tourist board calls it the largest park in Zurich. It suits a slow walk, a picnic, or a break from sightseeing downtown.

How did Rieterpark come about?

The grounds were laid out around 1855 for Otto Wesendonck, a German merchant, as the setting for his villa. The architect Leonhard Zeugheer is credited with the house, and the gardener Theodor Froebel designed the gardens. The Wesendoncks were patrons of Richard Wagner, who was living in Zurich at the time and worked on his opera Tristan.

The Rieter family, industrialists from Winterthur, bought the estate in 1871, which is where the park's name comes from. In 1945 the city purchased about 68,000 square metres, including Villa Wesendonck, for 2.9 million francs. A public vote in 1949 turned the villa into a museum, and it opened on 24 May 1952.

What is there to see?

• Veteran trees. Several beeches date from the original planting and are more than 150 years old.
• Pond and fountain. The best-known feature of the garden landscape.
• Terraced slopes. The ground rises and falls, so paths pass several vantage points.
• Historic villas. Besides Villa Wesendonck, you will find Villa Rieter, Villa Schönberg and the former Remise, all part of the museum.
• A modern addition. The "Smaragd" building opened in 2007 and more than doubled the museum's exhibition space.

On 26 December 1999, Storm Lothar badly damaged part of the tree stock. The park has since recovered and works as a public green space, occasionally hosting classical concerts and theatre.

What should you combine it with?

The Museum Rietberg is Switzerland's major museum of non-European art, built on the collection of Baron Eduard von der Heydt. Walking through the park is free; you only pay for the museum exhibitions. Afterwards you can head down toward the lake and the Enge neighbourhood.

How do you get there?

The park is a short ride from the city centre. The simplest route is by tram or train to the Enge station area, then a short walk through the neighbourhood. The city lists the address as Gablerstrasse 15, and there are also entrances from the Scheideggstrasse side.

When is the best time to visit?

Late spring and summer, when the trees are in full leaf, and early autumn for colour. Weekday mornings are quieter than weekend afternoons, when locals come for picnics.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rieterpark free to enter? Yes. The park is open to everyone, and only the Museum Rietberg exhibitions need a ticket.

Where exactly is it? In Zurich's Enge district near Lake Zurich, surrounding the Museum Rietberg.

Is it really Zurich's largest park? The city's tourism site says so, giving about 70,000 square metres. Some listing sites give slightly different figures, so treat the number as approximate.

What is the Wagner connection? The park was laid out around Villa Wesendonck, home of Wagner's patron Otto Wesendonck. The composer lived in Zurich in the 1850s and worked on Tristan during that period.