Tourist Attractions & Monuments Geneva

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been mandated by the United Nations to find solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, migrants, stateless persons and other persons of concern, currently more than 36 million people. It is a non-political and humanitarian organization established in 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The Visitors' Centre is located opposite the main UNHCR building.

The mini-train «Trains Tours-Parks and Residences» you will discover the shores of Lake Geneva, its parks and gardens. From 1 March to 31 October, departure every 45 minutes from the Mont Blanc Rotunda. Duration 35 minutes. Only the weekend is in November and December.

They are unavoidable in big cities: these very typical little trains. Here they are called Trolleys. They also take us to discover Geneva with different circuits: one through international Geneva and NGOs, with a ride in the hills to admire the magnificent view of the city and the lake. The other through streets and alleys to discover the old town which has 2,000 years of history. 3 open-air itineraries. Let's go ahead and discover the city at a pace that makes it easy to take photos!

It's a real pleasure for young and old alike to climb aboard this adorable little red train, which runs on solar and electric power. It's like being back in the days of the steam locomotive, but on a pollution-free train. There's a lovely walk along the left bank of the lake, from the Jardin Anglais to the Parc des Eaux Vives. From March to the end of December, the tourist office also offers a minitrain tour of the old town, from Quai des Bergues to Place du Bourg de Four via the Rath Museum.

A place of worship, a refuge, a forge for the artillery, Calvin's auditorium, located behind St. Peter's Cathedral, welcomed, as early as 1555, John Calvin, Theodore de Bèze, John Knox and their successors. They taught the new Protestant religion there, and John Calvin encouraged the celebration of services in the mother tongue of the Protestant refugees. John Knox was the instigator of the printing of the first Bible in English. The auditorium is best known as the "base camp" from which the new religion spread throughout the world.

A team of people who are passionate about Geneva's cultural heritage. The guides reveal unique anecdotes about the history, urbanism and literature of Geneva. We offer a wide range of themed tours in addition to the famous "must-see" tours. You will also have the choice between unusual tours or tours focused on art and archaeology, women, architecture and urbanism, literature, with themes such as "Frankenstein's Geneva" (Mary Shelley wrote her work in Geneva) and many others!

Today, it remains the head of this stone stone buried during work in the 1968 th century and rediscovered in during the development of the crossroads that bears its name today. This-metre long oval and oval stone was probably already in prehistory and then had to play a role in the Celtic era. Legend wants the devil to turn it on herself at midnight in the Christmas night.

This park is a jewel. Alongside the lake, it offers a unique perspective on the Mont Blanc massif, the Salève, the harbour and the left bank. This splendid place was once the property of the banker Francois Bartholoni. The eponymous villa, built in 1825, houses the Science Museum. The park got its name from the enthusiastic cries of the wife of the former owner when she discovered the viewpoint: "It is the pearl of the lake! In summer, the unmissable Cinétransat is held here, offering free film screenings under the stars. A must-see.

Important monument and symbol of the attachment of the city to the Swiss Confederation 1815. Located at the entrance of the Mont-Blanc bridge, in the English Garden, the two young women in bronze dress, carrying sword and shield, stand proudly on their pedestal looking towards the country. One represents the Republic of Geneva (crenellated headdress), the other, Helvetia (laurel crown). This national monument was inaugurated in 1869. For the anecdote it seems that the sculptor Robert Dorer took for models two Savoyard ladies.

It can be spotted from afar, especially when the sun shines on its nine superb steeples with golden bulbs. This Orthodox church offers an atypical image in the Geneva urban landscape. In 1847, the new Constitution of Geneva advocated freedom of worship and religious tolerance. From then on, the authorities allocated land - corresponding to the line of the old fortifications - to the various religious denominations to build places of worship. A Catholic church, an Anglican church, a Masonic temple, a synagogue... Finally, in 1866, the Russian Orthodox Church was built, with an architecture inspired by Byzantine art and by the Moscow style of the 16th-18th centuries. Thanks to the financial contribution of the Russian diaspora, the community grew with the arrival of members of the imperial family, aristocrats, high-ranking officials, engineers and tourists who came to take the waters in the thermal spas, many students and finally revolutionaries. From 1917, after the Bolshevik revolution, the emigration of Russians to Geneva intensified. The church then represented a very strong link - and the only one - between the new residents and their former mother country. Today, there are 200,000 Orthodox believers in Switzerland and about a thousand in Geneva. This church is reputed to be more independent and more free of expression than the one in Chêne-Bougeries, under the direct authority of the Patriarch of Moscow. A church which deserves a small visit.

Located on the western edge of the town, this property belonged to Edmond Vaucher. In 1887, he founded the former horticultural school. One of the city's finest rose gardens was established here in 1946, with over 7,000 plants, most of them from the international new roses competition, an arboretum of rare species and a small botanical garden. The 5.5-hectare park also features a large playground with a paddling pool and skateboard track. The park's green spaces and environment department has also established a wetland biotope.

Quite simply superb, in the park extension of the pearl of the lake. Once the countryside of Geneva, the ^18th century left its romantic mark by naming this verdant setting "Parc Mon Repos". The famous writer Lamartine enjoyed quietly contemplating the ever-changing landscape of the lake. A magnificent 4-hectare park with enchanting trees, lush green expanses and carefully orchestrated multicolored flowers and exotic plants and trees such as pomegranates and bananas, both in summer and winter. The botanical garden is not far away, and it shows. At the edge of town, close to the international organizations, Parc Mon-Repos is ideally situated on the lakefront, extending the Wilson quays in the direction of Lausanne. A playground and a paddling pool keep the little ones happy all summer long. Whether on foot, bike or skates, you can cross the harbor by seagull from the Perle du Lac landing stage to the Parc des Eaux-Vives opposite. In 1898, the Plantamour family donated the park to the city, making it the first public park on the lakeshore.

The Pavillon de l'Orangerie, illuminated by the City of Geneva, glows in the night along the lakeshore, enhancing the evening stroll.

Plantamour pavilion - La Libellule nature center from 1pm to 5pm.

Asignposted park forpedestrians and cyclists : a route has been laid out to encourage two-wheeled mobility.

A little unpublished and secret. Not far from the residential area of Champel, near the Arve, guess what you can guess below when you listen? We discover a small park hidden behind buildings. The place turns out to be a peaceful playground for children, a place to walk dogs on a leash, but above all, the whole Geneva countryside from Vessy au Salève offers you an unobstructed view, a unique postcard in the heart of the city. Beautiful attractions for multi-function outdoor games (swings, wooden games).

The Florissant district boasts a majestic green expanse. Parc Bertrand is reminiscent of Central Park, with its large lawn, stream and trees, some of them very old. A bucolic atmosphere, in the shade of which it's pleasant to lie down. In summer, the large paddling pool is a delight for parents, who can keep an eye on their toddlers from their deckchairs loaned by the city. There's also a large play area for the little ones and a paddling pool in summer. Dogs can also roam freely in the dog run.

Nice welcome upon arrival. The C.A.R. (Coordination Accueil et Renseignements pour les jeunes) welcomes visitors as they get off the train, in a bus parked just below the station, in the pedestrian zone of the rue du Mont-Blanc. Although his advice is aimed primarily at young people, it can also be of use to those who are not so young and who are looking for good, friendly and inexpensive deals in Geneva. Accommodation, restaurants, bars, outings, concerts, museums, excursions, and even French courses for those who fall in love with the city.

The association Dimanche à pied promotes walking in the canton of Geneva and organizes accompanied walks and cultural excursions. The walks are guided by passionate people and do not exceed 4 km and 2 hours. They are scheduled from April to November. If you are with your family, visit www.genevefamille.ch/N173923/dimanche-a-pied.html. This, in addition to the Sunday walks, is an excellent source of information for hikes, activities and cultural outings with children.

What is the impact of photography on society as a whole? The center focuses on documentary style and asks new questions about the role of the image and photography today. The exhibitions evoke really interesting, multicultural, cross-border themes. For example: how can the work of a photographer help scientific research on environmental protection? Global social themes also provide subjects.

A visit not to be missed, it's an excellent concept. The "Sciences Gateway" designed by CERN has just opened its doors. The idea? The aim of this center for scientific education and culture is to bring the nature of CERN's research within the reach of the general public, and to inspire new vocations in young people! Everything is designed to enable visitors to conduct their own physics experiments. There's nothing quite like the grounds.

Designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano, the structure of this new museum may seem strange at first glance. It's made up of three pavilions, two giant "tubes" and a long glass walkway connecting the two. When you're inside one of them, the idea is to recreate the same kind of atmosphere as if you were inside the LHC. These gigantic tubes are the image of the LHC, the famous particle gas pedal, consisting of an underground ring 27 km in circumference, installed 100 m underground. This increases the speed of the particles (ions and protons belonging to the Hadron group) circulating within it. These particles travel at close to the speed of light, and are split into two beams in opposite directions. These beams are then triggered to collide in the control center, at four points in the system - the particle detectors ATLAS, CMS, Alice and LHcb. In this way, for example, one of these "experiments" can recreate a situation that occurred just after the famous Big Bang.

The bridge between the two enormous tubes symbolizes the link between science and society. As CERN's Director so aptly explains, the aim is "to make CERN's research known to the public, to show the importance of fundamental research and its applications to society, and above all, to arouse the interest of all visitors and encourage young people to pursue careers in science... a place where scientists and the public can interact on a daily basis". A winning bet!

You'll be able to do hands-on experiments - numerous workshops for children and adults, led by CERN scientists, and guided tours, are organized every day. You can attend scientific shows, immerse yourself in immersive environments and engage in interactive activities.

A modular amphitheater hosts conferences for scientists, schools and the general public, as well as temporary exhibitions.

The center is organized around three main themes:

Discovering the Universe, Exploring the Unknown and Back to the Big Bang. This first exhibition is fascinating, as are the rest. Go back in time... Start with the film showing the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago. Great unknowns remain. What was there before the Big Bang? Why did it happen? What is the dark matter that makes up 27% of our universe? What about 'dark energy', which makes up 68% of our universe? Are there any parallel universes? What about the journey of these particles, which form the basis of our constitution? Did you know that we are made up of stardust?

In this exhibition, you can discover the subtleties of star nucleosynthesis, create your own star and launch it into the universe (in this case, it will simply be projected onto a wall, and your imagination will do the rest), and understand its life cycle. Other experiments let you play with antimatter and discover the various phases in the evolution of the universe....

Discover CERN You're in the thick of things, as you discover how the LHC works. accelerate' and 'Experiment'. Two life-size models, with a working gas pedal, and "experiment" with a particle detector cross-section. How do particles collide? These exhibits provide a better understanding of the LHC at work underground - the site is not open to the public - and how it was set up How are the results of the famous 'experiments' analyzed when the particles collide? How does the control room work? (you can also visit it on a guided tour) The presence of scientists is of the utmost importance. Ask them questions! You'll get a better understanding of how the LHC works by exploring the famous tunnel or... playing soccer with protons.

The world of quantum physics Introduce yourself to quantum physics... Don't miss the famous "initiation" and explanatory tour. Equipped with goggles, you can step into the shoes of a... particle... It's a brilliant idea, but if some aspects of it still seem obscure, there's nothing like immersing yourself in a book like "Quantum Physics for Dummies". It's fascinating! You'll discover the world seen on the scale of the smallest elementary particles. Remember the story of Schrödinger's famous cat, the physicist who, in 1935, theorized in his box about what is both dead and alive? In a nutshell, it's a science that seeks to explain the behavior of atoms and particles, i.e. matter on an atomic scale, and to understand electromagnetic radiation. Try your hand at experiments, and you'll understand much better!

In the past, it was a bastion that belonged to the city's fortresses. In 1585, it guarded the port of Geneva. It was then used to build and repair ships, then served as a quarantine warehouse, before taking the name of Rousseau Island in 1834 in homage to the famous Genevan man of letters. His statue stands in the center of the island, which has since become a place for walking. It is a pleasant stop on the lake, and you can, while admiring the famous ducks and swans, take a break and eat in the kiosk.

Place de Neuve or Place Neuve? For "real" Genevans, it's Place Neuve, the official name being Place de Neuve... The square stands on the site of the Porte de Neuve, built in 1564 as part of the medieval city walls. A cultural mecca dotted with ^18th-century townhouses, the Conservatoire de Musique, built in 1835, the imposing Grand Théâtre and the Musée Rath, inaugurated in 1826. The Grand Théâtre was built in 1874-1879 by Jacques-Olivier-Goss, inspired by the construction of the Opéra Garnier in Paris at the same time.

This basilica is the main sanctuary of the city's Roman Catholic Church. It was built between 1852 and 1857 on the bastion of Cornavin. It is inspired by the great Gothic cathedrals of the 13th century, such as those of Beauvais or Amiens. It is however built in molasse. Inside, you can admire, in the central chapel of the ambulatory, a statue of the Virgin, offered to the Catholics of the city in 1860 by Pope Pius IX. It is a stage of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

On the right bank of the Rhône, at the end of the Seujet quay, after the Underground Bridge, the garden of the former priory of Saint-Jean, leads to the Saint-Jean cliff path. A tree-lined walk on the ruins of the Benedictine monastery which controlled the whole plateau. Only the ruins remain, which were uncovered in 1969 during work on the Underground Bridge. According to the life of the Jura fathers, Saint Romain would have cured two lepers here who lived in a nearby cave.

If you are an art lover and especially of works by contemporary artists, the Bel-Air Fine Art gallery's selection will enchant you! Throughout the year, works, paintings and sculptures of modern and contemporary masters such as Braque, Dali, Arman, Klein, Cesar, Botero, Hiquily, Polles, Patrick Hugues, Corda, Borghi, etc., as well as confirmed artists such as Sportes, Inis, Cipre, Döring, Tolla, Bombardieri, etc., are exhibited. François Chabanian also participates in important international art fairs.