A Walk around Zurich looking for the Easter Rose Fountains

Monday April 6, 2026 -- After a short two-hour walk along the Sihl River just south of Zurich (photos HERE), we took a 15-minute train ride into town and spent another 90 minutes walking through the old town looking for the "Rose Fountains". 

I had recently read that during Covid in 2020, the Evangelical Church in Zurich had decorated seven of the city's water fountains with thousands of roses over the Easter days, to add some brightness to those dark days. It was such a hit with the locals, that they have continued this tradition every Easter Time (till April 7th this year). So we wanted to have a look for ourselves.

The main fountains with the roses (all next to large churches) are:

• Münsterhof next to Fraumünster
• Münzplatz next to Augustinerkirche
• Zähringerplatz next to Predigerkirche
• Helmhaus next to Wasserkirche

We had a rough idea of where these fountains were, and walking around the old town, we discovered three of the ones on this list (we didn't go to the one at Zähringerplatz, which was a bit out of the way). Even though it was now at the end of the roses' perfect bloom, it was still pretty, and the number of people was not overwhelming. On the way back to the train station, we also discovered a road lined with flowering Japanese Cherry Trees, also a hit in the city. 

Together with the walk along the Sihl River, we did 11 km of walking this day!

After walking along the Sihl River for two hours, we took the 13:15 train from Adliswil into the city of Zurich. Instead of going all the way to the Haupbahnhof, we got off at the stop called Selnau, and from there walked eastward into the old town. This river is a canal which leaves Lake Zurich and joins the Sihl River near the Main train station. (Interesting fact: Instead of diverting the river when expanding the main station, platform levels were built above and below the river). 

Many of the buildings in the city are made with sandstone. This is called St.Annahof, a monument-protected building which is currently a department store. 

First we headed to the Lindenhof, a raised park very popular with tourists, because you get a nice view of the Limmat River. 

The large park called Lindenhof, very popular with tourists. I find it weird that there is no grass here. I walked via this park on a different walk I did in Zurich in November 2022. 

View from Lindenhof Park

View from Lindenhof Park onto the Limmat River. Across the river is the steeple of the Predigerkirche at the Zähringenplatz. There is another fountain of roses there, but we didn't want to walk that way. Behind the church you can see the buildings of the University. 

Starting at the Selnau station at 1:30 p.m., we walked through the Lindenhof district, then south to the fountain next to the Fraumünster church, then crossed the river on the Münster bridge to the Helmhaus fountain, back to Rathausplatz, and past the St.Peter church to the final of three fountains at Münzplatz next to the Augustiner church. We got to the train station at 14:40 for the 14:51 train back to Zug. 

Walking down the alleyway toward the St.Peter Church. This church is famous for its clock face, which is the largest in Europe. It is the oldest parish church in Zurich, still with its original 9th-Century foundation. 

Walking down the cobblestone road toward St.Peter church. (We didn't go into the St.Peter Church this time, because I had visited in on my November 2022 walk. Here are some details on this PHOTO). The clock-face is 8.7 meters in diameter, the largest in Europe. 

This house is one of the oldest in this section of the old town. It was already used as a private residence in 1325 and first used as a tavern in 1487, and later totally restored and retrofitted in 1934, and is now a fancy restaurant.   

Past St.Peter's we got to the large square in front of the Fraumünster Church (Münsterhof). By the looks of the large crowd over there, we think we have found the first of the Rose Fountains!

This is the Fraumünster church. This is one of four Evangelical churches in the city and used to be the site of a Benedictine Monastery (for women) from at least mid-14th Century. We did not go inside.... I will postpone a church visit in Zurich to a later date!

The little fountain in the front should also be full of roses, but it's getting to the end of the display now (the final day is April 7th). There are many people here! The rose fountains are a popular tourist attraction as well. 

All the lovely and colourful roses (flowers only) on the surface of the fountain water. Kids love to touch them and pick them up!

Houses around the Münsterhof

We then headed across the "Münsterbrücke" (Münster Bridge) to the right side of the Limmat River, where there was supposed to be a less-frequented rose fountain. The famous Grossmünster Church is covered in scaffolding (from very recently till end of 2027) because the sandstone towers desperately need restoration, which requires specialized stonemasons. (Information HERE).  

Looking south from the Münsterbrücke. On a clear day you can see the snow-covered Alps. 

A tour boat has just passed beneath the bridge. 

From the bridge, a really good look at the tower of the St.Peter's church. 

The building across the street is called the "Wasserkirche", or "Water Church", and there is apparently a fountain called Helmhaus. We walked to the south end of the building and found nothing, but when we returned, we discovered the small fountain inside the hall with the arched windows!

Inside the hall we saw a gathering of people, and sure enough, here was the little fountain!

This was the Helmhaus Fountain at the Wasserkirche. (The latter, by the way, is only open for viewing from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Monday, which was today!!! It was currently 2:10 p.m., so on any other weekday we could have gone in. )

Once again, small hands playing with the water and the roses.... From here we then crossed back to the left side of the river over the Rathaus bridge, heading north toward the train station via another fountain.

Here we pass another historical Tavern where some important historical figures have spent the night. For example, the German poet Goethe was here in 1779. The text above the door, translated, reads: "Why are you standing outside? Is there not a door and gate? If you come inside, you will surely be welcome!"

Up ahead is the spire of the Augustinerkirche (Augustinian Church), where the third fountain which we want to visit is located. This church was originally built as a Gothic Monastery church in 1270, but after the Reformation (mid 16th Century) converted to a Mint (coin currency production) and warehouse. Later it became a Catholic Church again. 

Near the Münzplatz

This large square across from the Augustinerkirche is called the Münzplatz (the name is related to the time that the building was used as the City Mint, i.e. Münz = Coins). Up ahead is obviously another fountain of interest!

A single photo of me on this Zurich outing!

Such a nice variety of colours!

Time to head back toward the Main Train Station (Hauptbahnhof). It is now 2:30 p.m. 

This is a very beautiful door!

We spotted a flowering Japanese Maple on a parallel road and so we headed over there. There are several boulevards in the city lined with these pink-blossoming trees, but by now these are mostly finished now!

Looking down the road across from the Hauptbahnhof at a line of Japanese Cherry Trees!

What our walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

This photo of the Münsterhof Fountain WITHOUT people around it was taken from the website https://www.zhkath.ch/kirche-aktuell/gemeindeleben/ohne-dornen-keine-rose. A link there also features a couple of videos (https://reformiert-zuerich.ch/-4/kirchenkreis-1/home~1680/-home-artikel~3262/rosenbrunnen-altstadtkirchen/91111/)