Royal Murder at Lenzburg
The Lenzburg castle has a dark history, with one of its former owners, Johannes Parricida, being involved in the murder of King Albrecht in 1308.
Lenzburg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
Discover 60 curated stories about Winterthur in Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
The Lenzburg castle has a dark history, with one of its former owners, Johannes Parricida, being involved in the murder of King Albrecht in 1308.
Lenzburg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
On October 27, 1966, the Tössbrücke construction site in Winterthur witnessed a catastrophic collapse, with 7000 tons of concrete plummeting 15 meters into the depths below, miraculously claiming no…
Tössbrücke · · 💀 Dark history
The Albani Music Club, located at Steinberggasse 16, was on the verge of being sold in 2020, but the community came together to save it through a crowdfunding campaign, raising half a million francs…
Albani Music Club · · 🏛️ Legendary
In Winterthur, a tragic event in 1984 had a profound impact on Aleks Weber's life and art when his girlfriend, Gabi S., took her own life after being held in custody for a month.
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
Aleks Weber died in 1994 at the age of 33, due to complications related to his HIV diagnosis. His ashes were scattered in the Töss river, near the 'Chinesenbrückli' in Winterthur.
Töss river · · 💀 Dark history
Bruno Stefanini's vast art collection, valued at over 500 million francs, includes rare items such as the Rolls-Royce of Greta Garbo and Napoleon's deathbed.
Stiftung für Kunst, Kultur und Geschichte · 🏛️ Legendary
Dieter Kläy, a politician from Winterthur, was elected as the president of the Zürcher Kantonsrat with a record 174 out of 175 votes in 2019.
Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
A gas cylinder explosion at the Technikum in 1905 killed one person, injured several, and caused significant damage. The explosion was so powerful that it ripped the victim's body apart, with the tor…
Technikum · · 💀 Dark history
Rudolf von Wart, the husband of Gertrud, was involved in the murder of King Albrecht I in 1308 and was later executed by being broken on the wheel. This dark event in Winterthur's history led to the…
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
Hans Gamper, the founder of FC Barcelona, was born at Jakobstrasse 7 in Winterthur, but his life took a dark turn when he was forced into exile and later took his own life in 1930.
Jakobstrasse 7 · · 💀 Dark history
Hans Hollenstein was involved in the scandal surrounding the BVK, the cantonal pension fund, which was one of the largest corruption scandals in Swiss history.
Kantonalverwaltung · · 💀 Dark history
Some of the interned Polish soldiers escaped from the camp and made their way to England, where they joined the resistance against Nazi Germany.
Hochschullager Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
The site's history is marked by a toxic legacy: the area was heavily contaminated with perchlorethylen, requiring a costly and extensive cleanup operation before new construction could begin.
Hölken-Areal · · 💀 Dark history
In the 19th century, the building that now houses the Klinik Schlosstal was a textile factory where children as young as 6 years old worked 13.5 hours a day for a wage of just 40 Rappen.
Klinik Schlosstal · · 💀 Dark history
The convent of Töss was once home to Elisabeth, Princess of Hungary, who lived there from 1309 until her death in 1336. After her death, she was revered as a saint, and her grave was moved from the n…
Kloster Töss · · 🏛️ Legendary
In 1992, Peter Steiger from Winterthur's Radfahrer-Verein became world champion among professional cyclists.
Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Winterthur Art Museum, led by Richard Bühler, became a pioneer in showcasing modern and French art in Switzerland during World War I, defying traditional bourgeois ties with Germany.
Kunstmuseum Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
In 1951, two sport planes collided about 20 meters above the ground at the Hegmatten airfield, resulting in severe injuries but miraculously no fatalities.
Hegmatten airfield · · 💀 Dark history
Sibyll Kindlimann, a history buff, was initially discouraged by her professor Marcel Beck from pursuing a doctorate in history due to her gender. However, she persevered and successfully completed he…
Kantonsschule Rychenberg · · 🏛️ Legendary
A devastating explosion occurred at Kirschenweg 6, killing two people and injuring several others. The cause was attributed to gas installation work.
Kirschenweg 6 · · 💀 Dark history
In 1966, the construction of the new Autobahnbrücke over Töss and Schlosstalstrasse suffered a catastrophic failure when the scaffolding collapsed, taking the newly built structure with it.
Autobahnbrücke Töss · · 💀 Dark history
In Winterthur's Neuburg neighborhood, the annual 'Fassdaubenrennen' was held since 1953, with participants wearing wooden barrels on their feet; by 1953, the event had already become a local traditio…
Neuburg · · 🤯 Weird
A 23-year-old woman was driven to suicide after being arrested for throwing a yogurt cup full of paint at a freshly renovated church wall in Winterthur.
Winterthur Church · · 💀 Dark history
The Winterthur police used a sewage truck to spray protesters with sewage water during the 1981 W81 arms exhibition protest.
Eulachhalle · · 💀 Dark history
A homemade bomb was placed on the windowsill of Federal Councillor Rudolf Friedrich's home in Winterthur, as part of the youth unrest protests.
Rudolf Friedrich's Home · · 💀 Dark history
Gabi, a young woman involved in the Winterthur youth unrest, took her own life after a 7-hour interrogation by the police, during which only 5 pages of protocol were recorded.
Winterthur Police Station · · 💀 Dark history
The Kunsthaus Zürich has been embroiled in a heated debate over the display of artworks from the collection of Emil G. Bührle, a Swiss arms manufacturer, due to concerns over the provenance of the pi…
Kunsthaus Zürich · · 💀 Dark history
The Ruine Hohenlandenberg, a medieval castle, was destroyed in 1344 by the Zürchers and Habsburgers due to the lord's involvement in robbery and counterfeiting.
Ruine Hohenlandenberg · · 💀 Dark history
A dog led the police on a wild chase on the A1 highway between Winterthur Töss and Wülflingen, evading capture despite a large police deployment.
A1 highway · · 😂 Funny
A 32-year-old man was brutally attacked and set on fire by a group of young men at a bus stop in Winterthur-Seen in 2022.
Winterthur-Seen · · 💀 Dark history
In 2019, a 23-year-old man used a stolen BMW as a 'ramming block' to intentionally hit a cantonal police officer at a roadblock in Winterthur, severely injuring her.
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
Joan Gamper, the founder of FC Barcelona, was born in Winterthur in 1877. He went on to become a successful businessman and sportsman, but his life took a dramatic turn when he committed suicide in 1…
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
Mirin Dajo, a famous Fakir, died in 1948 after a public demonstration of his abilities went wrong. He was known for his unusual performances, including being pierced by swords and nails.
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
Louisa Lamour, a pornographic actor, was born in Winterthur, which might come as a surprise to the city's conservative residents.
Winterthur · · 🤯 Weird
Johann Buchstab, a pedagogue, was born in Winterthur in 1500 and died in Fribourg at the young age of 28, leaving behind a mysterious and untimely death.
Winterthur · · 💀 Dark history
At Technorama in Winterthur, a stunning water exhibit features five tons of water falling from a 9-meter height. See wikipedia for the photograph.
Technorama · 🤯 Weird
The Technorama's outdoor park, 'Technorama Draussen', features a 130-meter-long 'Wunderbrücke' (Wonder Bridge) that has become a new landmark in Winterthur, offering interactive exhibits and stunning…
Technorama Draussen · · 🏛️ Legendary
Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, worked for Sulzer in 1879 and later collaborated with the company to develop the first Sulzer diesel engine in 1898.
Sulzer Factory · · 🏛️ Legendary
The first worker's health insurance in Switzerland was founded by Sulzer in 1845, marking a significant step towards social welfare in the country.
Sulzer AG · · 🏛️ Legendary
Sulzer's first diesel engine, developed in collaboration with Rudolf Diesel, was a groundbreaking innovation in the late 19th century.
Sulzer AG · · 🏛️ Legendary
The company's founder, Johann Jakob Sulzer, built the 'Gebäude 1834' on Zürcherstrasse, which marked the beginning of the Sulzer dynasty and the company's success story.
Gebäude 1834 · · 🏛️ Legendary
The first documented mention of Veltheim dates back to 774, when a wealthy Alemannic family donated properties to the St. Gallen monastery. This historical event marked the beginning of Veltheim's re…
Veltheim · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Schützenwiese stadium in Winterthur has a unique feature - the 'Sirupkurve' - a stands section where fans could enjoy free syrup, making it a one-of-a-kind experience in European football stadium…
Schützenwiese Stadium · 🤯 Weird
The Schützenwiese stadium in Winterthur is home to a unique art gallery, the 'Salon Erika', located within the fan sector, making it a one-of-a-kind feature in European football stadiums.
Schützenwiese Stadium · 🤯 Weird
The Bourbaki-Denkmal Winterthur is a memorial dedicated to the Swiss general Guillaume-Henri Dufour, who led the army that interned the remnants of the Bourbaki army in 1871, marking the end of the F…
Bourbaki-Denkmal Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Kastell Vitudurum was a Roman fort that was built around 290 AD to protect the city from invading tribes. Today, parts of the fort's walls and a semi-circular tower are still visible in the city'…
Kastell Vitudurum · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Lauchetal valley was once home to a thriving textile industry, with the Baumwollspinnerei Lauchetal factory playing a significant role. However, the area's history is also marked by a darker even…
Lauchetal valley · · 💀 Dark history
In 1603, a couple, Jacob Leringerst and his wife, held a second wedding ceremony, inviting the city's dignitaries, despite being poor. The bride wore a maiden's wreath, and the groom wore a garland l…
Basel · · 🤯 Weird
Basel witnessed extremely cheap wine in 1372, with a measure costing only 1 Schilling. The same year, a religious dispute arose, and the Catholic Church complained about the 'Gemahl an Thrine Schmutz…
Basel · · 🤯 Weird
In Aarau, Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich, a Swiss composer, struggled with his life and eventually took his own life on October 16, 1836, due to feelings of isolation and frustration with his career.
Aarau · · 💀 Dark history
Richard Wagner composed parts of his famous opera 'Die Walküre' in a small house near the 'grüner Hügel' in the Enge area, and even dedicated the short prelude to his friend Mathilde Wesendonk with t…
Enge · · 🏛️ Legendary
Mathilde Wesendonk's husband, Otto, gifted Wagner an American gold fountain pen, which Wagner used to write the entire orchestral score of 'Die Walküre', a true masterpiece of calligraphy.
Enge · · 🏛️ Legendary
Wagner played parts of Beethoven's 'Eroica' and 'C-moll-Sinfonie' on a small instrument in a dining room in Brunnen during a joint outing with Mathilde Wesendonk, and greeted her with 'Lohengrin' mel…
Brunnen · · 🏛️ Legendary
In the 16th century, the Effinger family, who lived in Wildegg Castle, experienced a series of tragic events, including the death of Christoff II, who lost his castle to a fire, and the loss of sever…
Wildegg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
During World War II, the city of Winterthur held a unique 1st of August celebration, where the Stadtposaunenchor played a choralspiel on the platform of the Stadtkirche at 6 am, followed by a donatio…
Stadtkirche · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Tössbrücke disaster led to a five-year investigation, resulting in the constructor of the scaffolding being fined, and a monetary damage of approximately 3-3.5 million francs, as well as a one-ye…
Tössbrücke · · 💀 Dark history
Königin Agnes von Ungarn showed no mercy to Rudolf von Wart, a Winterthurer involved in the murder of her father, King Albrecht I., and had him executed by breaking on the wheel in 1308. As of 1308,…
Königin Agnes von Ungarn Strasse · · 💀 Dark history
Aida Stucki, a renowned violinist, fell in her house in Winterthur in 1983 and broke both her wrists, ending her career as a performer but not as a teacher.
Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
The famous violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter began her studies with Aida Stucki in Winterthur at the age of 9.
Winterthur · · 🏛️ Legendary
The US band Pearl Jam played an unplugged concert at the Albani Music Club in 1992, which was later featured on their jubilee work 'Pearl Jam Twenty' in 2010.
Albani Music Club · · 🏛️ Legendary
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Hidden stories of Switzerland beneath your feet
Facts are sourced from various open websites and may have been edited. Copyright of original content belongs to their respective owners.
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