Switzerland's Great Cities

I'M RICK STEVES, BACK WITH MORE OF THE BEST OF EUROPE.

THIS TIME, WE'RE IN SWITZERLAND, ENJOYING NOT ITS MAJESTIC ALPS,

BUT ITS FASCINATING CITIES.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WHETHER ENJOYING ITS TRADITIONAL CULTURE HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS

OR SAVORING THE JOYS OF MODERN LIFE IN ITS GREAT CITIES,

THE SWISS GET IT RIGHT.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE FOCUS ON AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED PART

OF SWITZERLAND -- ITS URBAN CHARM.

WE'LL GET SOME EASY EXERCISE FLOATING WITH LOCALS

AND RING ONE VERY BIG BELL.

[ BELL TOLLS ]

WE'LL ENJOY A VARIETY OF ART,

FROM STAINED GLASS BY MARC CHAGALL

TO BOLD WORKS BY ARTISTS CONSIDERED INSANE.

WE'LL SEE HOW THE SWISS USE BLUE LIGHTS

AS PART OF A CREATIVE DRUG POLICY

AND EXPLORE A SECRET UNDERGROUND FORTRESS

BUILT AS A DEFENSE AGAINST THE NAZIS.

AND WE'LL EXPERIENCE THAT INCOMPARABLE

SWISS NATURAL BEAUTY WITH A CRUISE

ON A ROMANTIC PADDLE-WHEELER.

NESTLED IN THE CENTER OF EUROPE IS SWITZERLAND.

WHILE MUCH OF THE COUNTRY IS DOMINATED BY THE ALPS,

MOST OF ITS POPULATION IS IN THE NORTHWEST,

A GENTLER LAND OF LAKES AND CITIES.

FROM ZURICH, WE TRAVEL TO LUZERN,

BERN, AND LAUSANNE.

LIKE MANY VISITS TO SWITZERLAND,

OURS STARTS IN ITS BIGGEST CITY, ZURICH.

WHILE IT'S A MAJOR TRANSPORTATION HUB

AND MANY JUST PASS THROUGH,

IT'S A POWERHOUSE CITY AND WELL WORTH A LOOK.

THE SWISS JOKE THAT ZURICH IS ZU REICH AND ZU RUHIG.

THAT'S A PLAY ON GERMAN WORDS FOR "TOO RICH" AND "TOO QUIET."

SURE, IT'S RICH, AND THERE ARE LIVELIER PLACES,

BUT ZURICH IS COMFORTABLE, AND IT CONSISTENTLY RANKS

AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST LIVABLE CITIES.

ZURICH'S HISTORY GOES BACK TO ROMAN TIMES.

BY THE 19th CENTURY, IT WAS A LEADING EUROPEAN

FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CENTER.

ITS PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR WEALTH

AND FOR WORKING HARD TO EARN IT.

LIKE MOST SWISS CITIES, IT EMBRACES ITS RIVER OR LAKE

IN A FUN-LOVING WAY.

THE LAKEFRONT IS A SPRINGBOARD FOR ROMANTIC WALKS,

BIKE RIDES, AND CRUISES.

A GREAT WAY TO GLIDE ACROSS TOWN IS TO CATCH THE RIVERBOAT,

WHICH FUNCTIONS LIKE A CITY BUS,

AND JUST ENJOY THE VIEW.

ITS OLD TOWN IS LIVELY DAY AND NIGHT,

WITH CAFES, GALLERIES,

AND A COLORFUL, COBBLED AMBIENCE.

ZURICH'S MAIN DRAG, BAHNHOFSTRASSE, IS FAMOUS

FOR ITS ELEGANT SHOPS.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FANCY WATCH,

STUNNING JEWELRY,

OR A $1,000 SWEATER,

THIS IS THE PLACE.

FOR MORE AFFORDABLE EXTRAVAGANCE,

THESE DELIGHTFUL MINI-MACAROONS, A LOCAL FAVORITE,

MAY BE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY WON'T BREAK THE BANK.

YES, VERY SPECIAL.

THANK YOU.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

BYE-BYE.

THE CITY'S ART TREASURE IS IN ITS FRAUMUNSTER, OR "CHURCH OF OUR LADY" --

A SET OF FIVE TOWERING STAINED GLASS WINDOWS

BY MARC CHAGALL.

HIS INIMITABLE PAINTING STYLE --

DEEP COLORS, SIMPLE FIGURES,

AND SHARD-LIKE CUBISM -- IS PERFECTLY SUITED

FOR THE MEDIUM OF STAINED GLASS.

THE WINDOWS DEPICT BIBLE SCENES.

HERE, JACOB DREAMS OF HIS LADDER,

THE TRAFFIC OF ANGELS SYMBOLIZING

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GOD ABOVE

AND JACOB'S DESCENDENTS -- THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL -- BELOW.

OLD TESTAMENT IMAGES -- KING DAVID WITH HIS HARP,

MOSES WITH THE 10 COMMANDMENTS,

AND THE ANGEL BLOWING THE RAM'S HORN

TO ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF A NEW JERUSALEM --

ALL CREATE A COHESIVE MESSAGE,

DRAWING YOU TO THE CENTRAL WINDOW.

HERE, A JUMBLE OF EVENTS FROM CHRIST'S LIFE

LEADS TO THE CENTRAL FIGURE IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION --

A CRUCIFIED, YET ASCENDANT, JESUS CHRIST.

BUT NEARBY, THE MOST ENTERTAINING

HEAVENLY CHARACTER IN ZURICH IS ITS GUARDIAN ANGEL.

HOVERING ABOVE THE MAIN HALL IN THE CENTRAL TRAIN STATION,

SHE PROTECTS

ALL TRAVELERS AND ADDS TO THE ENERGY

OF THE STATION.

SITUATED AT THE CENTER OF WESTERN EUROPE,

THIS MAJOR EUROPEAN TRANSPORTATION HUB HANDLES

2,000 TRAINS A DAY, ZIPPING PEOPLE

ALL OVER EUROPE.

SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING ZURICH,

THE TRAIN RIDE BECOMES A SCENIC JOYRIDE.

AND 30 MINUTES LATER, WE PULL INTO LUZERN.

SINCE THE ROMANTIC ERA IN 19th CENTURY,

LUZERN HAS BEEN A REGULAR STOP

ON THE GRAND TOUR ROUTE OF EUROPE.

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

ITS INVITING LAKEFRONT NOW INCLUDES

A MODERN CONCERT HALL,

WHICH INCORPORATES THE LAKE INTO ITS DESIGN.

THE OLD TOWN, WITH A PAIR

OF PICTURE-PERFECT WOODEN BRIDGES,

STRADDLES THE REUSS RIVER,

WHERE IT TUMBLES OUT OF LAKE LUZERN.

THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT AT AN ANGLE IN THE 14th CENTURY

TO CONNECT THE TOWN'S MEDIEVAL FORTIFICATIONS.

TODAY, IT SERVES STROLLERS, RATHER THAN SOLDIERS,

AS A PEACEFUL WAY TO CONNECT TWO SIDES OF TOWN.

MANY ARE OBLIVIOUS

TO THE FASCINATING ART JUST OVERHEAD.

UNDER THE RAFTERS HANG ABOUT 100

COLORFUL 17th-CENTURY PAINTINGS

SHOWING SCENES FROM LUZERN AND ITS HISTORY.

THIS LEGENDARY GIANT DATES TO THE MIDDLE AGES,

WHEN LOCALS DISCOVERED MAMMOTH BONES,

WHICH THEY MISTAKENLY THOUGHT WERE THE BONES

OF A HUMAN GIANT.

HERE'S LUZERN IN ABOUT 1400,

THE BRIDGE ALREADY PART OF THE CITY FORTIFICATIONS.

AND LUZERN LOOKED LIKE THIS IN 1630.

LUZERN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTROLLING THE LAKE LEVEL.

BY REGULATING THE FLOW OF WATER OUT OF ITS LAKE,

THE CITY PREVENTS THE FLOODING OF LAKESIDE VILLAGES

WHEN THE SNOW MELTS.

IN THE MID-19th CENTURY, THE CITY DEVISED AND BUILT

THIS EXTENDABLE DAM.

BY ADDING AND TAKING AWAY THESE WOODEN SLATS,

THEY COULD CONTROL THE LEVEL OF THE LAKE.

SWANS ARE A FIXTURE ON THE RIVER TODAY.

LOCALS SAY THEY ARRIVED IN THE 17th CENTURY

AS A GIFT FROM THE FRENCH KING,

LOUIS XIV, IN APPRECIATION

FOR THE PROTECTION HIS SWISS GUARDS GAVE HIM.

SWITZERLAND HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING

STRONG AND LOYAL WARRIORS TO FOREIGN POWERS.

THE CITY'S FAMOUS LION MONUMENT RECALLS THE HEROISM

OF MORE SWISS MERCENARIES.

THE MIGHTY LION RESTS HIS PAWS ON A FRENCH SHIELD.

TEARS STREAM DOWN HIS CHEEKS.

THE BROKEN-OFF END OF A SPEAR

IS SLOWLY KILLING THE NOBLE BEAST.

THE SAD LION IS A MEMORIAL TO OVER 700

SWISS MERCENARIES WHO WERE KILLED,

DEFENDING MARIE ANTOINETTE AND LOUIS XVI

DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

THE PEOPLE OF LUZERN TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE

OF THEIR DELIGHTFUL RIVER WITH A VARIETY

OF CAFES AND RESTAURANTS ALONG ITS BANKS.

THIS EVENING, WE'RE ENJOYING THE SETTING AS MUCH AS THE FOOD.

I'M HAVING THE LOCAL PORK.

MY PRODUCER, SIMON,

IS HAVING EEL, FRESH FROM THE RIVER.

WITH A PICTURESQUE SETTING LIKE THIS,

THE DINING EXPERIENCE MAKES FOR

A WONDERFUL MEMORY.

BOATS CONNECT TOWNS AROUND LAKE LUZERN.

THAT'S ITS ENGLISH NAME, BUT THE SWISS CALL IT

THE VIERWALDSTATTERSEE -- LITERALLY,

"LAKE OF THE FOUR FOREST CANTONS."

THAT'S BECAUSE IT LIES AT THE INTERSECTION

OF FOUR OF SWITZERLAND'S CANTONS, OR STATES.

ROMANTICS WILL WANT TO RIDE

ONE OF THE CLASSIC PADDLE BOAT STEAMERS.

A SHORT RIDE DROPS YOU AT ANY NUMBER OF INTERESTING SITES,

ONE OF WHICH COMES WITH A SURPRISE.

IMAGINE IT'S 1941.

YOU'RE SWISS.

YOUR COUNTRY IS SURROUNDED BY HITLER AND MUSSOLINI.

THE NAZIS ARE ON THE MOVE.

WHAT TO DO?

[ BANGING ]

TURN YOUR MOUNTAINS INTO A HIDDEN FORTRESS.

THE SWISS MANAGED TO MAKE THEIR RUGGED MOUNTAINS

AN EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE BARRIER.

HOW?

BY LOTS OF STRATEGIC TUNNELING.

ONE EXAMPLE, THE FORTRESS FURIGEN,

HAS DONE ITS DUTY.

RECENTLY DECOMMISSIONED, IT NOW WELCOMES VISITORS

INTERESTED IN SWITZERLAND'S SECRET DEFENSES.

IN CENTRAL SWITZERLAND,

WE HAVE NOW NINE FORTS LIKE THIS --

BIGGER ONES AND SMALLER ONES.

THERE ARE INSTALLED, I THINK,

IN TOTAL, 44 CANNONS.

Steves: THE SWISS IMPLEMENTED A PLAN TO RETREAT

INTO THE MOUNTAINOUS HEART OF THE COUNTRY

AND DEFEND THEMSELVES

WITH A SERIES OF HIDDEN FORTRESSES

DUG INTO THE MOUNTAINSIDES,

LIKE THIS ONE.

HERE WE ENTER INTO BUNKER NUMBER 2.

YOU SEE HERE THE CANNON.

YOU CAN TURN IT --

THE ELEVATION --

Steves: SO I CAN SIT HERE ON THE GUN?

CAN I SIT ON THIS?

JA, YOU CAN.

PUSH THIS DOWN?

62, AND THEN I WANT TO GO TO 21.

Man: FINE, YES.

YOU DO IT RIGHT, YES.

WOW, THERE IT IS, 62-21.

THE TOP OF THE PEAK.

[ Laughing ] AND FIRE.

Steves: WITH THE ADVENT OF THE COLD WAR IN THE 1950s,

THE FORTRESS WAS RETOOLED FOR THE THREAT OF THE USSR.

THE SWISS HAVE SINCE FOUND DOCUMENTS

INDICATING THAT BOTH THE NAZIS AND THE SOVIETS

ACTUALLY HAD PLANS TO INVADE SWITZERLAND.

Man: THIS IS THE BEDROOM FOR 100 SOLDIERS.

50 BEDS -- THEY HAVE TO SHARE IT, BECAUSE

THEY HAVE TO WORK IN SHIFTS.

THIS IS THE DINING ROOM, AND OVER HERE, THE KITCHEN.

AND ALL THESE ROOMS AND OTHER FORTS

HAVE BEEN BUILT FOR SURVIVAL OF SWITZERLAND.

HITLER TOOK BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS,

AND WE HAD THE FEELING WE ARE NEXT.

Steves: WANDERING THROUGH THIS HIDDEN FORTRESS,

YOU'RE REMINDED HOW PERILOUS SWITZERLAND'S POSITION WAS

IN THE 20th CENTURY AND HOW COMMITTED THE SWISS WERE

TO DEFENDING THEIR FREEDOM.

SWITZERLAND IS LACED TOGETHER

BY AN EFFICIENT TRAIN SYSTEM.

ITS TRAINS ARE FAST, FREQUENT,

AND EASY TO USE,

TAKING YOU EFFORTLESSLY AND SCENICALLY

FROM DOWNTOWN

TO DOWNTOWN.

OUR NEXT STOP -- THE CAPITAL CITY, BERN.

THE CITY OF BERN IS BUILT ON A PENINSULA

CREATED BY A HAIRPIN TURN OF THE AARE RIVER.

ITS POINTY TOWERS

AND ARCADED STREETS MAKE IT ONE OF EUROPE'S

FINEST SURVIVING MEDIEVAL TOWNS.

BERN IS STATELY BUT ACCESSIBLE,

CLASSY BUT FUN.

THE CITY, FOUNDED IN 1191,

HAS MANAGED TO AVOID WAR DAMAGE

AND HASN'T BURNED DOWN SINCE 1405.

AFTER THAT FIRE, WOODEN BUILDINGS WERE DISCOURAGED

AND BERN GAINED ITS GRAY-GREEN SANDSTONE COMPLEXION.

COLORFUL 16th-CENTURY FOUNTAINS ARE BERN'S TRADEMARK.

THEY WERE COMMISSIONED TO BRIGHTEN UP THE STONY CITYSCAPE,

TO SHOW OFF THE TOWN'S WEALTH,

AND TO REMIND CITIZENS OF LOCAL HEROES AND EVENTS.

THE CITY IS NAMED FOR ITS MASCOT, A BEAR,

AND BEARS ARE A REOCCURRING THEME ALL OVER TOWN.

THIS FAMOUS CLOCK TOWER WAS PART OF THE MAIN GATE

OF THE ORIGINAL TOWN WALL.

ONE SIDE OF IT HAS A PLAYFUL MECHANICAL SHOW,

APPROPRIATE IN THIS COUNTRY SO FAMOUS FOR ITS TIMEPIECES.

THE CLOCK, WHICH DATES BACK TO 1530,

STILL PERFORMS EACH HOUR.

[ BELLS DINGING ]

WHILE YOU CAN SEE THE MEDIEVAL CLOCK MECHANISM

FROM INSIDE -- FASCINATING IN THIS LAND

OF CLOCK AND WATCHMAKERS --

MOST PEOPLE ENJOY THE SHOW FROM OUTSIDE.

[ ROOSTER CROWS ]

AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR,

THE ROOSTER CROWS,

THE BEARS PROMENADE,

AS THE HAPPY JESTER COMES TO LIFE.

FATHER TIME TURNS HIS HOURGLASS.

AND THE ROOSTER CROWS ONCE MORE,

AS HE HAS FOR ABOUT 500 YEARS.

IN ITS DAY, THIS WAS A HIGH-TECH MARVEL.

IN THIS ELEGANT CITY,

YOU MAY BRUSH ELBOWS WITH SOME HIGH-POWERED LEGISLATORS,

BUT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT.

EVERYTHING FEELS CASUAL FOR A NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE SWISS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE

WITH THEIR OWN STYLE OF DEMOCRACY.

THE SWISS GOVERNMENT IS A BICAMERAL SYSTEM,

ACTUALLY INSPIRED BY THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION,

WITH ONE BIG DIFFERENCE --

EXECUTIVE POWER IS SHARED

BY A COMMITTEE OF SEVEN

WITH A ROTATING CEREMONIAL PRESIDENT

AND A PASSION FOR CONSENSUS.

THIS IS A MECHANISM TO AVOID A POWER GRAB

BY A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL --

A SAFEGUARD THE SWISS BELIEVE

STRENGTHENS AND PROTECTS THEIR DEMOCRACY.

OBSERVANT TRAVELERS WILL NOTICE HOW THE SWISS GOVERNMENT DEALS

WITH ITS SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITH PRAGMATISM AND INNOVATION.

TOO MANY CARS AND CHRONICALLY UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE?

CREATE A PROGRAM PROVIDING FREE LOANER BIKES,

RUN BY PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE

BE COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

LIKE THE UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND'S DEALING

WITH A PERSISTENT DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM.

THE SWISS BELIEVE THE PURPOSE OF A NATION'S DRUG POLICY

SHOULD BE TO REDUCE THE HARM DRUGS CAUSE THEIR SOCIETY.

LIKE MANY EUROPEANS, THEY TREAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

MORE AS A HEALTH PROBLEM THAN A CRIMINAL PROBLEM.

RATHER THAN FILL THEIR JAILS, THE SWISS EMPLOY METHODS

THEY FIND ARE BOTH MORE COMPASSIONATE

AND MORE PRAGMATIC.

FOR INSTANCE,

TO HELP FIGHT THE SPREAD OF AIDS

AND OTHER DISEASES, STREET-SIDE VENDING MACHINES

DISPENSE GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDIZED NEEDLES, CHEAP AND SAFE.

THERE ARE NEEDLE-DISPOSAL BOXES.

MANY PUBLIC TOILETS ARE LIT BY BLUE LIGHTS.

IF USERS CAN'T FIND THEIR VEINS, THEY'LL SHOOT UP ELSEWHERE --

IT'S HOPED AT HEROIN MAINTENANCE CENTERS,

WHICH PROVIDE ADDICTS

WITH COUNSELING, CLEAN NEEDLES,

AND A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO THE STREETS.

AND CASUAL USE OF MARIJUANA IS TOLERATED.

LOCALS PASS JOINTS WITH NO APPARENT WORRIES

IN THE SHADOW OF THE CATHEDRAL,

IGNORED BY OTHERS WHO SIMPLY ENJOY LIFE

IN A SOCIETY THAT BELIEVES

TOLERATING ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES

MAKES MORE SENSE THAN BUILDING MORE PRISONS.

BERN'S CATHEDRAL IS CAPPED WITH A 330-FOOT-TALL TOWER,

THE HIGHEST IN SWITZERLAND.

WHILE IT WAS BUILT AS A CATHOLIC CHURCH,

LATER, IN THE 16th CENTURY, WITH THE REFORMATION,

IT BECAME PROTESTANT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO SPARSELY DECORATED.

THE SWISS PROTESTANTS WERE ICONOCLASTS.

THEY CONSIDERED STATUES OF SAINTS AND CATHOLIC ART

TO BE FALSE IDOLS, DISTRACTIONS FROM GOD,

AND DESTROYED THEM.

THIS CHURCH WAS ORIGINALLY ADORNED

WITH 26 DIFFERENT LITTLE CHAPELS AND ALTARS,

EACH DEDICATED TO A DIFFERENT SAINT

OR THE VIRGIN MARY.

WHEN THE REFORMATION

CAME TO TOWN IN 1528,

ALL THAT WAS SWEPT AWAY.

THE FOCUS WAS SHIFTED AWAY FROM IMAGES

AND TO THE PULPIT, FROM WHERE PROTESTANT PREACHERS

SHARED THE WORD OF GOD, NOT IN LATIN,

BUT IN THE PEOPLE'S LANGUAGE.

[ ORGAN PLAYING ]

BROWSING THROUGH THIS BARREN PLACE OF WORSHIP,

YOU CAN SENSE

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE MAN PREACHING FROM THE PULPIT

TO AN UNDISTRACTED CONGREGATION.

CLIMBING THE SPIRE, YOU'LL SEE

PROTESTANTS HAD ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH GREAT BELLS.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST BELL OF SWITZERLAND.

AND IT'S OVER 10 TONS.

AND WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE

THE HIGHEST TOWER OF SWITZERLAND.

IT'S OVER 100 METERS.

EXACTLY 101 METERS.

[ BELL TOLLS ]

Steves: ART LOVERS ENJOY BERN'S PAUL KLEE CENTER.

WITH ITS WAVY BUILDING MIRRORING

THE WAVY LANDSCAPE,

ITALIAN ARCHITECT RENZO PIANO'S BUILDING

CELEBRATES THE CREATIVE SPIRIT

OF THE SWISS-BORN ARTIST, PAUL KLEE.

WHILE FAMOUS AS A PAINTER,

KLEE EMBRACED ALL FORMS OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION.

THE CENTER, WHICH FOSTERS MUSIC AND THEATER,

AS WELL AS THE VISUAL ARTS,

HAS A MISSION --

TO BRING ART TO THE PEOPLE.

A GENEROUS ZONE IS DEVOTED TO A CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP.

KIDS LOVE PAUL KLEE, AND KIDS ALWAYS

TEACH THE ART SNOBS A THING OR TWO

WITH THEIR INTERPRETATIONS.

THE SHADOW THEATER SPARKS YOUNG IMAGINATIONS.

ARTISTICALLY, YOU JUST CAN'T PUT KLEE IN A BOX.

HIS PAINTINGS, MOSTLY FROM THE 1920s AND '30s,

ARE PLAYFUL,

YET ENIGMATIC.

AUDIO GUIDES LET YOU ENJOY KLEE'S FAVORITE MUSIC

AS YOU WANDER THROUGH HIS PAINTINGS.

HE EXPERIMENTED IN POINTILLISM,

AS YOU SEE IN AD PARNASSUM.

HIS ART IS FULL OF SYMBOLISM --

OR MAYBE WE JUST THINK SO.

INSULA DULCAMARA -- LITERALLY, "BITTERSWEET ISLAND" --

IS A GOOD EXAMPLE

OF KLEE'S ABSTRACT HIEROGLYPH STYLE.

IT'S A PUZZLE.

HE PAIRS OPPOSITES.

MAN, WOMAN.

AIR, WATER.

IT'S 1938.

IS THAT A SUBMARINE ON THE HORIZON,

EVOKING THE RISE OF FASCISM?

PERHAPS THE BLACK FIGURES ARE DEATH,

IN A SPRING-LIKE LANDSCAPE, WHICH IS ETERNAL.

AND WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT, IT SEEMS

EVERYONE'S HEADING FOR THE BANKS OF THE AARE RIVER.

THE RIVERSIDE PARK IS

A LIVELY PLAYGROUND.

THE BERNESE, PROUD OF THEIR VERY CLEAN RIVER

AND THEIR BASIC RUDDINESS, HAVE A TRADITION --

SORT OF A WET PASEO.

ON SUMMER DAYS, THEY HIKE UPSTREAM,

THEN FLOAT BACK INTO TOWN.

[ WHOOPING ]

[ LAUGHING ]

FOR SOMETHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT,

JOIN THE LOCALS AND THE TROUT

IN A FLOAT DOWN THE RIVER.

OUR FINAL BIG CITY VISIT

IS ANOTHER HOUR AWAY BY TRAIN.

LAUSANNE PERCHES ELEGANTLY, OVERLOOKING LAKE GENEVA.

THE CITY IS MADE OF TWO CHARMING ZONES --

THE IDYLLIC WATERFRONT

AND THE TANGLED HISTORIC OLD TOWN.

LOCALS NICKNAMED THEIR TOWN

"THE SAN FRANCISCO OF SWITZERLAND,"

FOR ALL ITS HILLS.

THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE IT WITHOUT LOTS OF CLIMBING.

LAUSANNE'S PEDESTRIANIZED RUE DE BOURG

HAS THE FINEST SHOPS.

BY THE WAY,

BE CAREFUL WITH THE PRONUNCIATION.

MANY CONFUSE LAUSANNE WITH LUZERN.

LAUSANNE'S COLLECTION OF FRINGE ART,

OR ART BRUT, FILLS ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING ART GALLERIES.

IT PRESENTS WORKS BY SELF-TAUGHT CREATORS

WHO, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, ESCAPED CULTURAL CONDITIONING

AND SOCIAL CONFORMITY.

THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS ART WERE COMPLETELY UNTRAINED,

AS FREE-SPIRITED AS ARTISTS CAN BE.

THESE PIECES WERE CREATED

BY AMATEUR ARTISTS, MANY WHO WERE LABELED

AND EVEN LOCKED UP

BY SOCIETY AS INSANE

OR EVEN CRIMINALLY INSANE.

THUMBNAIL BIOGRAPHIES OF THESE OUTSIDERS

PERSONALIZE THEIR WORK.

IN THE 1940s, THE ARTIST JEAN DUBUFFET

BEGAN COLLECTING ART PRODUCED

BY PEOPLE HE CALLED "FREE FROM ARTISTIC CULTURE

AND FREE FROM FASHION TENDENCIES."

DUBUFFET SAID, "THE ART DOES NOT LIE

"IN BEDS READY MADE FOR IT.

IT RUNS AWAY WHEN ITS NAME IS CALLED.

"IT WANTS TO BE INCOGNITO.

"ITS BEST MOMENTS ARE WHEN IT FORGETS

WHAT IT'S CALLED."

THERE'S NOTHING INCOGNITO ABOUT LAUSANNE'S CATHEDRAL --

THE BIGGEST CHURCH IN SWITZERLAND.

THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A SWISS PROTESTANT CHURCH.

ONCE AGAIN,

IT WAS BUILT CATHOLIC AND DEDICATED TO MARY.

BUT WHEN THE REFORMATION HIT,

SWISS REFORMERS PURGED IT

OF RELIGIOUS ORNAMENTATION.

COLORFULLY FRESCOED WALLS WERE WHITEWASHED,

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS TRASHED,

STATUES OF MARY AND THE SAINTS SMASHED.

TODAY, THE CHURCH REMAINS CLEAN OF IMAGES,

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN EXTRAVAGANT PIPE ORGAN,

ITS 7,000 PIPES EVOKING THE TRUMPETS OF JERICHO

AND THE WINGS OF ANGELS.

[ MAN CALLING OUT IN FRENCH ]

FOR SIX CENTURIES, A WATCHMAN

HAS CALLED THE CHURCH'S TOWER HOME --

HIS JOB TO WATCH FOR FIRES

AND TO CALL OUT THE HOURS.

SINCE THE LAST BIG FIRE, A WATCHMAN HAS MANNED THIS POST,

THE LAST ONE OF ITS KIND IN SWITZERLAND.

EACH NIGHT, HE STEPS OUT ONTO HIS BALCONY

AND HOLLERS THE HOUR.

[ CALLING OUT IN FRENCH ]

THE REAL CHARM OF LAUSANNE LIES ON ITS LAKEFRONT,

A DISTRICT CALLED OUCHY.

WHAT WAS ONCE AN ARISTOCRATIC PROMENADE

IS NOW THE HAPPY DOMAIN

OF COMMONERS, OFFICE WORKERS,

AND ROLLER SKATERS STRUTTING THEIR STUFF.

ROMANTIC OLD-TIME STEAMERS CONNECT TRAVELERS SCENICALLY

TO POINTS ALL AROUND LAKE GENEVA.

ON A CRISP DAY, YOU CAN SEE THE FRENCH ALPS.

CHAMONIX AND MONT BLANC ARE JUST OUT OF SIGHT.

OUCHY'S SIGHTSEEING HIGHLIGHT IS A FINE PARK AND MUSEUM

DEVOTED TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

THIS MUSEUM CELEBRATES

THE COLORFUL HISTORY OF THE OLYMPICS

AND THE FOUNDER OF THE MODERN GAMES --

PIERRE DE COUBERTIN.

IN 1896, AFTER A 1,500-YEAR LAPSE,

AND IN THE SPIRIT OF WORLD PEACE,

HE RESTARTED THE GAMES.

THE EXHIBIT TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE OLYMPICS.

ARTIFACTS RECALL ITS ORIGINAL

ANCIENT GREEK BEGINNINGS.

A CENTURY'S WORTH OF CEREMONIAL TORCHES

SPEAKS TO THE RESILIENT MAJESTY

OF AN EVENT THAT ENDEAVORS

TO BRING THE WORLD TOGETHER.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAST OLYMPIADS

REKINDLE THE THRILL OF THESE QUADRENNIAL GAMES.

A SECTION DEDICATED TO THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

CELEBRATES RECENT INCLUSIVITY.

SPORTS FANS ENJOY RECALLING THEIR HEROES --

FROM THE TRACK SHOES CARL LEWIS USED IN THE 1984 L.A. GAMES

TO THE SKATES OF SONJA HENIE,

THE 13-YEAR-OLD NORWEGIAN ICE QUEEN.

SURVEYING GEAR FROM EACH SPORT,

YOU CAN FOLLOW

THE EVOLUTION OF EQUIPMENT THAT WAS CLEARLY

STATE OF THE ART IN ITS DAY.

AND YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR TOUR WITH A LOOK

AT HOW THE BRONZE, SILVER, AND GOLD MEDALS

HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.

FROM THE ELEGANT EXTRAVAGANCE OF ZURICH

TO LUZERN, WITH ITS ICONIC WOODEN BRIDGES,

AND FROM BERN, THE COUNTRY'S FUN-LOVING CAPITAL,

TO LAUSANNE, WITH ITS GORGEOUS LAKESIDE SETTING,

SWISS CITIES ARE A TREAT TO VISIT.

AS WE'VE SEEN, THERE'S FAR MORE TO THIS COUNTRY

THAN ITS TOWERING ALPINE PEAKS.

NO TRIP TO SWITZERLAND IS REALLY COMPLETE

WITHOUT SAMPLING ITS URBAN CHARMS, AS WELL.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I'M RICK STEVES.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP ON TRAVELING.

AUF WIEDERSEHEN.