Cow Halves On The Loose
On May 7, 2018, a truck lost its cargo of frozen cow halves on Pfingstweidstrasse, causing a massive traffic jam and damaging a VBZ power line and a traffic control system.
Pfingstweidstrasse · Zurich ·
Absurd, comical and surprisingly humorous stories from across Switzerland. Browsing 80 curated facts.
On May 7, 2018, a truck lost its cargo of frozen cow halves on Pfingstweidstrasse, causing a massive traffic jam and damaging a VBZ power line and a traffic control system.
Pfingstweidstrasse · Zurich ·
In 1980, two Zürcher Jugendunruhen activists, pretending to be concerned citizens 'Herr und Frau Müller', sparked a TV scandal by calling for repressive measures against their own movement on a live…
Zurich · Zurich ·
The Confiserie Sprüngli, a famous Zurich chocolatier, was founded by David Sprüngli in 1859 and is still located at the Paradeplatz, where it was mistakenly assumed that the new train station would b…
Paradeplatz · Zurich ·
Richard Wagner mocked the Grossmünster's appearance, comparing its twin towers to two pepper dispensers.
Grossmünster · Zurich
In 2016, the Münsterhof was renovated, and a new fountain was installed, from which wine sometimes flows.
Münsterhof · Zurich ·
The Civil Defence Museum in Zurich is open only one day every two months, featuring exhibitions with mannequins that seem to have been arranged with a sense of humor.
Civil Defence Museum · Zurich
Carla Bley and her big band had a food fight in a restaurant in Zurich, with around 20 people throwing food at each other, including Don Cherry, who was mortified by the incident.
Zurich · Zurich
A rare edition of a Swiss postage stamp featuring the Eisvogel bird was released in 1966 with a minor color error, giving the bird a 'snowy plumage' on its back. This unique stamp was designed by ren…
Der Eisvogelweg · Zurich ·
The Heimplatz in Zurich was almost renamed Max-Frisch-Platz in the 1990s to honor the famous Swiss writer, but the proposal was rejected due to concerns that the new name would not stick with the loc…
Heimplatz · Zurich ·
The Kruggasse was once known as the hub of Zurich's 'Halbstarken' youth culture, with the Café Ring at its center, sparking heated debates and petitions from locals due to nightly brawls, noise, and…
Kruggasse · Zurich ·
The Rumpumpsteig in Zurich's Wollishofen quarter gets its name from a nearby house or inn called 'Rumpump', which was likely known for its loud and rowdy patrons. The name is thought to have originat…
Rumpumpsteig · Zurich ·
A handbag thief stumbled and fell in front of a police patrol on Militärstrasse, dropping a stolen handbag and wallet in the process.
Militärstrasse · Zurich ·
A brave bystander helped catch a thief at a gas station on Seebahnstrasse in 2019. The thief had stolen a woman's handbag from her car, but the quick-thinking bystander and gas station staff chased h…
Seebahnstrasse · Zurich ·
A 29-year-old man was arrested at Stadelhofen in 2017 for carrying imitation firearms, including a machine gun, while preparing for a stag party.
Stadelhofen · Zurich ·
A driver crashed his car into a storefront in Zürich-Altstetten because he was using summer tires on a snowy road.
Zürich-Altstetten · Zurich ·
In 2011, a 48-year-old Swiss woman fell about five meters from her balcony in Schwamendingen while trying to throw a key to someone on the street below, suffering moderate injuries to her upper body.
Schwamendingen · Zurich ·
A honest passerby at Talstrasse in Zurich's Kreis 1 saved a 63-year-old man from losing over 9,000 euros in 2010. The passerby immediately stopped oncoming cars, collected the scattered notes, and ha…
Talstrasse · Zurich ·
The celebrations at the main train station were so intense that fans climbed onto stationary cars, and one driver reported significant damage to his vehicle after jubilant fans slammed into it.
Hauptbahnhof · Zurich
The city of Zurich prematurely marked a 30 km/h zone on Lagerstrasse without the required approval from the cantonal government, only to remove it shortly after due to the error.
Lagerstrasse · Zurich ·
A professor at ZHAW Winterthur hired an Instagram influencer as a proctor for a law exam, who then took photos of students and posted them on her Instagram story, revealing sensitive information.
ZHAW Winterthur · Zurich ·
A family in a Zurich-Hottingen apartment building successfully fought a massive rent increase of 1450 francs per month, with the rent being reduced by 1000 francs to 3950 francs after mediation.
Zurich-Hottingen · Zurich ·
The Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich relocates its beehives to the Zürcher Weinland every year to protect them from the noise and vibrations of the Street Parade, which passes directly in front of the hot…
Baur au Lac · Zurich ·
A Swiss woman was surprisingly rejected from having breakfast at the Bürgenstock Resort, only to be personally invited by the culinary director the next day.
Bürgenstock Resort · Zurich ·
Holidi, the wooden giant, had its phallus removed and stolen in August 2015, causing a stir in the community.
Graben · Winterthur ·
In 1974, the new Geiselweid indoor pool was inaugurated by Stadtrat Othmar Hüssy, who took a plunge into the pool dressed in street clothes to mark the occasion.
Geiselweid indoor pool · Winterthur ·
The Bäumli restaurant in Winterthur had a wild party where guests helped flood the place with beer, literally putting the lounge under water.
Bäumli · Winterthur ·
A historic fountain in Wülflingen was replaced in 2016, sparking controversy among locals who argued it was a valuable piece of the area's rural heritage. The original fountain had a unique design, f…
Wülflingen · Winterthur ·
At the Burgstelle Gamser, a unique method called 'Gamserle' was used by the police to sober up drunk individuals by dropping them off and making them walk back to town.
Burgstelle Gamser · Winterthur
Eduard Bühler-Egg, a textile industrialist, would often speed through Winterthur's streets in his horse-drawn carriage, using a loud whistle to clear the way for himself and his passengers.
Winterthur · Winterthur ·
During the 1854 Eidgenössisches Sängerfest, a worker fell from the roof of a giant hall on the Bahnhofplatz, but miraculously only lost his hat.
Bahnhofplatz · Winterthur ·
The people of Seen were so excited about their new electricity that they left their lights on day and night, prompting concerns about 'Stromverschleuderung', or reckless electricity waste, with some…
Seen · Winterthur ·
The Frackumzug procession, which takes place in the old town of Winterthur, features students driving homemade vehicles, often causing chaos and amusement among the spectators.
Old town of Winterthur · Winterthur ·
In 1977, two boys slid down the snowy stairs of the Stadthaus in Winterthur using a school satchel as a sled, risking damage to their schoolbooks and facing potential punishment at home.
Stadthaus · Winterthur ·
The FC Oberwinterthur football team suffered a crushing defeat, losing 0:6 to Bayern-München in the inaugural match of their new stadium, Talwiesen, in 1949.
Talwiesen Stadium · Winterthur ·
During the 2023 meeting, President Alain Berset asked the audience which symbol is more typical for Winterthur: the silent Saint Alban with his head under his arm or the national 'Schnurri' Beni Thur…
Museum and Library building · Winterthur ·
The TV show 'Stöck, Wyss, Stich' was one of the first interactive TV formats in Switzerland, allowing viewers to call in and ask questions, which sometimes led to humorous mistakes, like Göpf Egg's i…
SRF Studios · Winterthur ·
On the Gotzenwilerstrasse, a secondary school student named Lennox Spühler revived the Grand Prix Chlösterli soapbox race in 2024 as part of his final project, after it had been discontinued since 20…
Gotzenwilerstrasse · Winterthur ·
Hans Rüegg, the former city president of Winterthur, had to have the city clerk repeat everything loudly into his ear due to his severe hearing loss during council meetings.
Winterthur City Hall · Winterthur ·
The Barockhäuschen was initially intended to be demolished, but its preservation was ensured when the city decided to use its basement as a public toilet, thus justifying its renovation.
Barockhäuschen · Winterthur ·
The Basel Carnival features satirical commentary on current local and global events, with the Fasnächtler using their costumes and masks to poke fun at politicians and other public figures.
Old Town · Basel
During the 2007 medieval reenactment at the St. Alban Gate in Basel, a self-proclaimed 'Bible thumper' appeared, condemning the crowd for their supposed immorality and attempting to start a witch hun…
St. Alban Gate · Basel ·
The Brauerei zum Löwenfels was notorious for its raucous student gatherings, where over 100 drinkers would compete to outshout each other, with rapiers tapping out a rhythm on the tables, audible fro…
Brauerei zum Löwenfels · Basel ·
The Weinhändler Johannes Gysling would often arrive late at the Restaurant zum Helm, and if he did, the patrons would know that the served wine was not up to standard, leading to chaotic scenes.
Restaurant zum Helm · Basel ·
A famous farmer, Seppi Emmenegger, would ride his horse directly into the Restaurant zum Helm, causing laughter among the patrons.
Restaurant zum Helm · Basel ·
Conchita Wurst, the 2014 Eurovision winner, went unrecognized in Basel's Gerbergasse, prompting her to perform an impromptu rendition of her winning song 'Rise Like a Phoenix' to a subdued crowd.
Gerbergasse · Basel ·
A villa on Bruderholz was listed for a staggering 31,000 francs during the Eurovision Song Contest week, sparking controversy over exorbitant prices.
Bruderholz · Basel ·
On the Dreirosenbrücke, two rival neighborhoods, Kleinbasel and Grossbasel, engage in an annual water battle, with participants using water balloons and pistols to soak each other.
Dreirosenbrücke · Basel
In 1602, a brave and courageous woman, Dame Royaume, threw a heavy pot from her window on the Corraterie, hitting and knocking out one of the invading Savoyard soldiers trying to climb the walls of G…
Corraterie · Bern ·
A burger chain's ad at the Bern train station has gone viral due to its bizarre slogan, 'Leckr nid dä Wärbig', which roughly translates to 'Not licking the advertisement, but rather biting into a Big…
Bern train station · Bern ·
The new Bundesratsjet, a Global 7500 from Bombardier, is too heavy to take off from Bern-Belp airport when fully fueled, forcing high-ranking officials like Umweltminister Albert Rösti to start their…
Bern-Belp airport · Bern ·
At the Bern train station, a bizarre problem has been plaguing the area: people, known as 'Wildpinkler', have been urinating on the Heiliggeistkirche and in the elevators, earning them the nickname '…
Bern Train Station · Bern
A 20-year-old man urinated on the Verwaltungsgericht building in Bern, sparking a confrontation with police who tried to intervene.
Verwaltungsgericht · Bern ·
A tenant in Bümpliz, Bern, was charged nearly 400 francs for replacing a missing toothbrush glass, which was estimated to cost only 5 francs.
Bümpliz · Bern ·
A sign on the A1 highway near Oensingen features the coat of arms of New Bern, a city in North Carolina, USA, which was founded by a Bernese citizen in 1710, but curiously lacks the red genitalia pre…
A1 highway near Oensingen · Bern ·
A driving instructor in Bern received a diploma from a retired couple in Thun for his exceptional parallel parking skills, which they observed and evaluated from their home overlooking the Teichmatts…
Teichmattstrasse · Bern ·
In the Chemin du Calvaire area of Lausanne, a 'Banc de la honte' (Bench of Shame) was installed, sparking controversy and amusing reactions from locals. Initially, a single chair replaced a tradition…
Chemin du Calvaire · Lausanne
In 1972, the people of Lausanne rejected a proposal to build a 53-meter-high hotel-tower in Ouchy, with 14,820 voting against it and only 7,016 in favor.
Ouchy · Lausanne ·
John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, shook off journalists by going for a bike ride along the lakeside in Lausanne, during negotiations about Iran's nuclear program in 2015.
Lakeside · Lausanne ·
In 1987, a former student of Mme Liengme, who was now a policeman and ambulance driver, met her again at the Police de Lausanne's Groupe sanitaire, where she was researching for the brochure 'La poli…
Groupe sanitaire, Police de Lausanne · Lausanne ·
In 2021, the university cafeteria sparked outrage by switching to a vegan and vegetarian-only menu, prompting criticism from farmers, meat industry representatives, and some politicians, who saw it a…
University of Lucerne cafeteria · Lucerne ·
A carnival float in Lucerne's Englischgrussgasse was fined by the police for protruding beyond its parking space, despite being a work of art and not obstructing traffic.
Englischgrussgasse · Lucerne ·
A Burger King advertisement near Lucerne's train station sparked amusement among locals for using the term 'Karneval' instead of the traditional 'Fasnacht' to promote their products during the city's…
Luzern Bahnhof · Lucerne ·
In Lucerne's city center, a 13-year-old cat named Kater Sämi has become a local celebrity, visiting shops and charming passersby despite living on the outskirts of town.
Lucerne city center · Lucerne ·
The Jet d'Eau fountain in Geneva can reach a height of 150 meters and uses 500 liters of water per second, but unsuspecting visitors may get drenched if the wind direction changes suddenly.
Jet d'Eau · Geneva ·
In 1602, a brave and courageous woman, Dame Royaume, threw a heavy pot from her window on the Corraterie, hitting and knocking out one of the invading Savoyard soldiers trying to climb the walls of G…
Corraterie · Geneva ·
The Mère Royaume, a courageous woman, scalded a Savoyard soldier with her soup during the Escalade, and to this day, chocolate cauldrons are sold and devoured in her honor.
Old Town · Geneva ·
The Revue genevoise, a humorous and satirical spectacle, has been mocking Geneva's politicians and their quirks since 1892, making it a unique and longstanding tradition in the city, performed at the…
Casino-Théâtre · Geneva ·
The Nationalbahn's construction led to absurd situations, such as the village of Buchs having two train stations due to the intense competition between railway companies. This bizarre coincidence is…
Buchs · Switzerland ·
A wayside shrine in Switzerland has a humorous inscription that calculates the distance to Jerusalem, stating it's 700 hours away, but if you take the footpath over Mauchen, it's a quarter of an hour…
Gedenkstein Hebel · Switzerland
The 'Steiner Krieg' in 1784 was a bloodless conflict between Stein am Rhein and Zürich over a recruitment site for the Prussian army.
Stein am Rhein · Switzerland ·
A car accident on Krebsbachstrasse in Schaffhausen damaged a homemade birthday cake that a 22-year-old driver had baked with love, leaving her on the verge of tears.
Krebsbachstrasse · Schaffhausen ·
A chicken was found on a Thurbo train at Schaffhausen station, and the locomotive driver, Tobias Elflein, took it into the driver's cabin, giving it a special seat usually reserved for guests.
Schaffhausen station · Schaffhausen ·
A Jaguar owner in St. Gallen discovered that a garage employee took his car for a 75-kilometer joyride, including a private shopping trip, while it was supposed to be in for repairs.
Emil Frey Garage · St. Gallen ·
A Swiss politician, Mike Egger, was hit with a milkshake by unknown assailants from a moving car at the St. Gallen train station.
St. Gallen Train Station · St. Gallen ·
A duck was caught speeding at 52 km/h in a 30 km/h zone in the Wangentalstrasse, not once, but twice, seven years apart, in 2018 and 2025.
Wangentalstrasse · Köniz ·
A kangaroo hopped through the streets of Lostorf after escaping from the 'Maro's' experience restaurant, with its joey in tow.
Lostorf · Solothurn ·
A chicken was found on a Thurbo train and even got to ride in the driver's cabin, an unusual honor typically reserved for employees or special guests.
Thurbo train · Zug ·
A student at the Gymnasium Liestal performed a daring parkour stunt, jumping from one balcony to another, and posted it online, earning him both praise and a potential disciplinary action from the sc…
Gymnasium Liestal · Liestal ·
K-Pop stars Jimin and Jungkook were so impressed by the burgers at Cahan's Imbiss that they considered returning to Chur just for the food.
Cahan's Imbiss · Chur ·
At the ESAF 2025 event, a young Glarner startup, Tagtraum Clothing, pulled off a clever prank by placing fake parking tickets on cars, which turned out to be promotional flyers with a 20% discount co…
Flugplatz Mollis · Glarus ·
Discover hidden stories, legends, and quirky facts about your current location in Switzerland
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