Switzerland Lake Thun. Thun – city and lake in Switzerland
Thun is a charming Swiss town on the northwestern tip of Lake Thun (Thunersee). At this place the Aare River flows out of the lake, and the city of Thun settled on the banks of the lake and on both sides of the river. The city was first mentioned in chronicles of the 7th century, although a settlement arose here much earlier.
The closest city to Thun is Bern. From Bern to Thun it takes 20 minutes by train. See the schedule and ticket prices at https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html (the ticket price appears only after clicking the “Buy” button and filling out your full name).
We drove from Zermatt, set off around 6 am and at about 8 am we were already leaving the small station building in the city of Thun.
There is a tourism office at the station. Unfortunately, at 8 am it was still closed, so we took a map later, and our route was guided by diagrams and posters that we met along the way. Tourist card Tuna is in A4 format, very clear, with numbered objects and a drawn route, suggesting an acquaintance with all the sights of Thun. It's a pity that we weren't armed with it from the start.
Along with the map, they issue a brochure that describes the history of Thun, its attractions, museums, hotels, shops, etc.
To get into historical Center, you need to walk from the station along Vokzalnaya street (Bahnhofstrasse) - it is almost perpendicular railway tracks. Station Street leads to a bridge over one of the branches of the rapid Aare. We cross the river over a bridge and find ourselves on the long, narrow island of Balliz. There is only one street on the island, and Belize is known primarily for its shops, which are located on it. The guidebook says that Balliz Island is a shopping island.
There we also came across a nice building signed “Rosengarden”. It was closed, otherwise they might have taken a walk through the rose garden.
The island of Belize is narrow: as soon as we set foot on it, we immediately passed right through it and came to another bridge. And from this point we started to like Tun.
Firstly, along the opposite embankment there was a low fence decorated with pots of flowers.
Directly opposite “our bridge,” the Aare River was crossed by a wooden crooked bridge-gallery with a roof (similar to the wooden bridges in Lucerne). And if along the embankment pots with flowers hung scattered, then along the bridge the flowers stretched like a fluffy bright ribbon.
And this glorious bridge began right behind the Alte Oele theater.
On the left is the Alte Oele theater
Hotel Freienhof on the other side of the bridge
We also saw that the waters of Aare have an amazing greenish, emerald-tinged hue. The river is fast, the water is clear, and the fish are clearly visible: trout or, maybe, tuna - Lake Tuna (this is a joke, otherwise they have already started explaining to me that tuna is a sea fish).
Fish in the Aare River
Having crossed the river, we found ourselves on Obere Gauptgasse. It runs parallel to the river, rising to Town Hall Square.
Town Hall Square was completely deserted at this hour. It looks respectable, like a burgher: a nice town hall, as strong as a boletus mushroom. And the houses around are nice and neat. There is a fountain in the center.
We go out to Town Hall Square
To the left of the Town Hall is the Hotel Crone.
And in the alley there is a view of a fairy-tale knight's castle.
And we walked through the quiet, neat town. In front of each property there certainly hung some kind of monogram, or a clock, or an animal, such as a bear or a deer.
On the street Obere Gauptgasse
Bear and lion with long tongues
We went up to the intersection, at the corner of which stands the two-story Emmental Hotel, notable for its carved wooden loggias.
Hotel Emmental
And at the level of Emmental there is already a fortress wall built around Thun Castle. And in front of the fortress, in the middle of a flowerbed, stands this horror story with a noble posture:
A steep staircase along the wall led us to a narrow terrace with a park laid out at the foot of the castle.
And again the stairs. Yes, the benches here come in handy.
Elegant turret on the fortress wall
We cross the ditch
and we find ourselves in the courtyard of Thun Castle. Oh, and handsome! It resembles Neuschwanstein, however, it was built much earlier, in 1190 - the Duke of Soeringen took a fancy to the hill above the river and lake and built a castle in good location. Built a family nest.
Our Swiss Card entitles you to a half-price ticket. But the castle - and now it is located in Thun Castle Historical Museum– will open only in 40 minutes.
We walked around the castle courtyard. By the way, the yard has a strong slope, and in its center there is a well 31.6 m deep.
We hear voices in one of the rooms. They knocked. A woman, a museum worker, came out to us. We explain to her that there is little time, there is no time to wait for the opening, but I really want to see your wonderful castle. The woman was not surprised, she led us into the museum from a side passage, and Masha and I walked slowly through the castle, from hall to hall, rising higher and higher.
To be honest, I was surprised by such informal behavior of a museum worker. She calmly let us in ahead of schedule, didn’t follow our steps, everything was done with complete trust.
Knight's Hall
Above the large Knight's Hall there was a spacious room, similar to an attic.
From the attic, a staircase led us to an observation tower.
Friends, I highly recommend that you visit Thun Castle - mainly for the views of Thun and Lake Thun from the tower. The town is small, there are a lot of modern buildings, but the historical center is good. The town hall stands like a toy. Light stone houses with tiled roofs are surrounded by greenery.
View of the Town Hall
And the best view is of the city church tower, Lake Thun and the Bernese Alps in the background. Unfortunately, there were clouds hanging over the mountains, so we were not able to enjoy the views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch.
Church, city gate and park
After leaving Thun Castle, we went to the main city church, the Stadtkirche, whose tower was so adorning the landscape. Reformed Church (population of Thun is ~ 43 thousand people, of which 61% are Protestants, 14% are Catholics).
On the way to the Stadtkirche
The Stadtkirche is literally a five-minute walk from the castle. As befits a Reformed church, it is austere and with its neat rows of benches it reminded me of a lecture hall.
Behind the church there is an ancient city gate - Burgtor.
Old city gate
Outside the gate, the road descends sharply, and houses surrounded by greenery begin.
We again go to the Aare River.
We move to the island, to its very “nose”, directed towards the lake.
From the tip of the island to the left bank there is another wooden covered bridge-gallery, the so-called Obere Schleuse, Upper Lock. The water below him rushes rapidly, with breakers.
Gateway bridge
And we walked along the shore of the Aare towards the lake through a quiet, overgrown park, in which villas were located here and there. They looked very romantic, somehow even Italian.
There are private berths with boats on the narrow bay (or canal?). And the color of the water was still striking with its emerald tint. As the trees approached the water itself, it became even richer.
However, we had to return. We turned towards the station and came out to a narrow bay of the lake, in which there was a long white ship. It’s an amazing sight to see a ship standing in the middle of the city, almost next to the station. You come closer and you see a narrow bay.
Ship near the railway tracks
Museums in Thun
We overlooked the beautiful Tun. I especially feel sorry for Schadaupark. It is located on south coast rivers at the very source of the Aare. And there are two museums in this park.
- Almost at the very arrow stands Schadau Castle, which now houses the Swiss Museum of Gastronomy (Seestrasse 45). Open Tuesday-Thursday from 14:00 to 17:00
- In the depths of the park is the Thun Panorama - one of the oldest circular panoramas that has survived to this day. The artist Markar Vaucher painted it over the course of two years (until 1808) from the city roofs, depicting the early morning in Thun and the townspeople immersed in the everyday life (about 300 characters were drawn on the city streets). The panorama was restored in 1961 and placed in a rotunda building specially built for it. The canvas itself has a length of 38 m and a width of 8.5 m. Tun-panorama is open Tue-Sun, from 11 to 17 o’clock, entrance – 8 CHF. Combined ticket (including a visit to the Kunstmuseum) – 15 CHF.
- The Kunstmuseum (art museum) is located on the other side of the river - on the one where Thun Castle is, you just need to walk from the castle along the river towards the lake. The exact address– Hofstettenstrasse 14. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 to 17 hours, on Wednesdays - until 19.
- Next to Thun Castle (Burgstrasse 15) there is a toy museum (Wednesday-Sunday, from 14 to 17). Judging by the reviews, it is intended more for girls, there are a lot of dolls, doll furniture, clothes, but there are also soldiers with cars, as well as unisex toys and games, such as cubes, action games, pulling fish with a magnetized hook.
By the way, there were also toys in Thun Castle itself.
Wooden bicycle
But I sincerely advise - if you are a big fan of toys (or even a very small one, like me, for example), go to Nuremberg, go to the toy museum there - you won’t regret it. I resisted, didn’t want to go, then they barely took me out of there. 4 floors of children's delight.
There are also museums of crafts and weapons in Thun. So it’s quite possible to alternate walking around the surrounding area and enjoying the natural beauty with visiting museums.
From a series famous people who visited Thun, I would like to separately mention two.
When composer Felix Mendelssohn died, Johannes Brahms's star was still rising. Brahms was called Mendelssohn's successor.
In a strange way, the Swiss city of Thun was woven into the fate of both composers. Mendelssohn came to Thun several times and even spent a whole summer here. Brahms liked this Alpine town so much that he lived here for three summer seasons in a row, wrote the Thun Sonata. And in Thun now one of the embankments bears the name of Brahms.
Universal SIM card, one for all countries -
Railway and bus tickets in Europe - and
Rental of bicycles, scooters, ATVs and motorcycles -
If you would like to receive notifications when new stories appear on the site, you can subscribe.
Lake Thun(Thuner See in German - Thunersee) stretches in the very center of Switzerland, between the cities of Thun and Interlaken. Situated at an altitude of 560 m above sea level, it is connected to the neighboring Lake Brienz by the Aare River. Along the southern shore of Lake Thun goes Railway from Bern to Interlaken. Throughout the year, cruise ships circulate on Lake Thun. Thanks to nearby high mountains Lake Thun is considered one of the most beautiful large lakes in Switzerland.
The Lake Thun cruise from Thun to Interlaken West takes 2 hours 9 minutes. Cruises operate all year round (see schedule and prices below). In winter - only once a day (departure at 11:40 from to).
Attractions around Lake Thun:
Oberhofen Castle- one of the most picturesque castles in Switzerland. Closed in winter.
- beautiful caves discovered in the 6th century by the monk Beatus. Caves with stalactites and stalagmites, a cave museum and a restaurant with stunning views of Lake Thun. Visiting the cave in groups only, departures approximately every 30 minutes. Since 2015, it has become possible to visit the caves individually, without a guide. Visit time is approximately 75 minutes. Photography and video filming in the cave are now permitted, but tripods are prohibited. Opening hours: every day 9:45 - 17:00, from March 19 to November 13, 2016. Closed in winter. Ticket - CHF 18 (CHF 16 with Berner-Oberland Visitors Card), children CHF 10, museum - CHF 6. Website
Lake Thun and swimming season:
You can swim in Lake Thun, but it is still quite cold - in summer the temperature reaches about 20.8°C. But you can swim with a view of Lake Thun in one of the pools:
Strandban Thun— the swimming season in the outdoor pool lasts from early May to mid-September. In 2016: from May 7 to September 18. Login to paid beach- 6 francs. Address: Strandbadweg 10, 3604 Thun, Switzerland, there is parking nearby. Web site .
Freibad Spiez— swimming pools with a water temperature of about 25 degrees. Season from May to September, ticket 6 francs. Address: Schachenstrasse 19, 3700 Spiez. Web site .
Lake Thun Cruises:
Lake Thun is navigable, and cruises are available all year round, unlike its neighbor, where navigation stops in winter. There are many themed cruises, such as gourmet lunch/dinner cruises, fondue cruises, Christmas cruises and so on. Naturally, in this case the price is noticeably higher. For example, the cost of a ticket for a “Christmas cruise” per adult is 130 CHF, a cruise with fondue is 36 CHF per ticket + 41 CHF for fondue.
On the northern edge of the Alps, in the middle of the Bernese Highlands, Lake Thun is surrounded by a fabulous mountain landscape, many cozy villages and the charming towns of Thun and Interlaken.
Lake Thun provides a harmonious combination of mountains and water. It has an area of 48 sq. km, length 17.5 km, and its maximum depth 217 m. The lake was named after the city of Thun, located on the northern shore. The reservoir is fed by water from Lake Brienz, which is located in the southeast. It was formed after the last ice age. In the distant past, Thun and Brienz were one.
Thun was first mentioned in historical records from the 7th century, but the area is believed to have been inhabited as early as 2500 BC. In 1033 it was under the rule of the Roman Empire. Its name comes from the Celtic word dunum, meaning fortified city.
The small town of Thun at the western end of the lake is the gateway to the Bernese Oberland. It boasts a medieval Old Town, a mighty castle and an attractive pedestrian area. At the upper end of the reservoir, at the foot of the Jungfrau, lies Interlaken - an ideal starting point for excursions in the Bernese Oberland.
Ships cross the lake under sail all year round. In the summer, the beautifully restored historic steamship circles the pond. Subtropical vegetation flourishes on the sunny, south-facing slopes between Thun and Merligen, giving the area the nickname “Lake Thun Riviera.” The opposite side, in the Bay of Spiez, above which rises beautiful castle, covered with small vineyards, coastline dotted with 1,200-year-old Romanesque churches.
Attractions around Lake Thun
Old Town Thun. Here you can leisurely walk along the narrow alleys with historical monuments nobility and the mansions of wealthy burghers, visit the magnificent 12th-century castle with an imposing tower and four corner turrets. As well as the museum, the castle has a Romanesque tower which offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
Panorama Wocher. The oldest known surviving panoramic painting is on display at Schadau Castle. This panoramic view of the city is the work of artist Marquard Wocher, created between 1809 and 1814. The panorama is interesting not only for its size, but also for its charm, depicting a morning in the Swiss city of Thun. Even today, his unusual perspective provides viewers with an intimate look at living rooms, living rooms and streets. Like a giant picture book, about 7.5 meters high and 38 meters long, the painting depicts the morning hustle and bustle in great detail.
Spiez Castle. Situated on a rocky spur on the shore of a lake, Spiez Castle and its early Romanesque church testify to the transition from medieval castle to an impressive 17th-18th century patrician residence. Examples of the Romanesque style are the frescoes, the high altar and the crypt. The castle consists of a kitchen, a fortified tower and magnificent Gothic rooms. The banquet hall amazes with its exquisite stucco moldings, paintings and furniture. The castle hosts annual exhibitions, concerts, and also has a café and a beautifully landscaped garden.
Caves St. Beatus. 35 minutes from the city of Thun is the first and only underground cave- the museum is exciting and safe. Those interested can explore the mysterious labyrinth of stalactites, stalagmites, lakes and waterfalls at a depth of 3000 meters. Situated on the shore of a lake, it can be reached by ship, car, bus or on foot along the historic pilgrimage route.
Niederhorn (1950 m)- a tourist and ski area with beautiful panoramic views of lakes Thun and Brienz, and the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains. You can get there from the Beatenbucht pier by cable car or bus. The mountain is one of the most popular viewpoints in the Bernese Oberland. Plus she's great for winter species sports during the winter months, and also has several walking paths during the winter and summer.
Niesen (2362 m). From Muelenen in the Kandera River valley, on the southern shore of the lake, to observation deck On Mount Niesen you can ride the cable car with the longest staircase in the world (11,674 steps). The site offers a breathtaking 360° panoramic view of the Bernese Alps, Lake Thun and Brienz and all the way to the Jura. Niesen also offers an extensive network of hiking trails, a restaurant and a mountain lodge. This mountain is often called the Swiss Pyramid and was the subject of many paintings by artist Paul Klee.
Oberhofen Castle. A romantic castle on the lake with beautiful views of the Alps, where there is an interesting exhibition of Bernese home furnishings from the 16th to the 19th century. Don't miss the Turkish smoking room and the medieval chapel.
Justistal is a prominent valley on the north shore, a popular tourist area famous for the large-scale annual "Chästeilet" where cheeses produced during the Alpine summer are distributed to farmers.
Around Lake Thun there are several quite famous museums, such as Heritage, Wine Museum, Museum fine arts and the Swiss Army Museum.
The building of the Wine Museum was completed in 1728. The museum features a traditional grape press, farmhouse and granary, immersing you in the atmosphere of a typical Swiss farm, with living rooms and kitchen. There are stands about work on the farm and vineyard, as well as a newsreel local history, and its connection with viticulture.
For a family trip it would be interesting to visit glass factory Sarner Cristal AG, in the town of Uetendorf near Thun. Here you can watch qualified glassblowers at work. The production formula is kept secret, but you will be able to find out everything else about glass production. There is also an exhibit on the production of glass and glass products.
Another pleasant family choice is the country's first observatory, Planetarium Sternwarte. This is a workshop, museum and school all in one, where you can watch the sun from the terrace through a direct projector.
Leisure
Niesen (2362 m), Stockhorn (2190 m) and Niederhorn (1950 m) are famous panoramic mountains around the lake. They are achieved cable cars and are starting points for beautiful walking routes, challenging cycling and paragliding activities.
Summer sports on Lake Thun include cycling and hiking. A bike tour around the pond embraces all the beauty of nature. There are 360 km of marked routes with detailed maps region and special trails for downhill cycling. This extreme view The sport gives an unforgettable adrenaline rush, especially if you decide to ride a bike down the steep Wiriehorn mountain.
Water sports include sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, wakeboarding, diving and, of course, swimming. The lake offers excellent wind conditions and all sailors know this. For those interested in swimming, almost every village around the reservoir has outdoor and indoor swimming pools, as well as many public beaches.
For those who crave something more extreme, canyoning and rafting are suitable activities active rest. You can choose between adventurous rafting on the Simme or on the calmer Aare River from Thun to Bern. The world of canyoning offers spectacular waterfalls, hidden pools, deep winding gorges and much more. The best canyons in Switzerland are waiting to be discovered!
Lake Thun and the ever-white peaks of the Jungfrau, Monck and Eiger provide a fantastic backdrop to the winter landscape. The region offers interesting winter tours hiking at higher elevations above fog and well maintained ski slopes. Ski resorts Heimenschwand, Beatenberg/Niederhorn, Goldiwil/Heiligenschwendi, Aeschi and Innereriz offer excellent ski slopes and snowboard trails.
The ski resort Aeschi/Aeschiried-Krattigen is small but beautiful, offering scenic view on Aaretal, with an easy route and inexpensive services. These factors make it ideal for hobbyists and families. Visitors craving an idyllic experience of countryside and nature will find the secluded, cross-country winter hiking around the lake simply wonderful.
How to get to Lake Thun
The closest city to the lake is Thun, located in Central Switzerland, in the district of Thun, canton of Bern. 157 km from Zurich, the nearby airport, 167 km from Geneva and 37 km from Bern. Travel time from Zurich is 90 minutes by car and 2 hours by train. The city is easily accessible by train from Bern and on the way to Interlaken.
The town is located on both banks of the Aare River, in the place where the river flows from Lake Thun.
The store at the station was open. But inside part of the trading floor was barricaded and there was a sign like this: You can’t go there, only for staff, because according to some stupid law on Sunday trade area should be no more than 120 m2. Quiet horror, how did smart Swiss legislators come up with such an idiotic law?
.
The spillway from Lake Thun is controlled by two sluices. Thanks to the gateways, it is possible to ensure, to some extent, the uniformity of the Aare's flow. The photo shows the upper airlock.
There is a church on the hill. The city was practically empty.
Interesting architecture.
White Swan.
A white castle from the 12th century rises above the city. Its architecture is simple but expressive - it is a harsh Norman style. Round pointed turrets covered with red tiles. And not a soul around :)
The wide shopping Oberhauptgasse is another attraction of Thun. The projecting terraces of its houses serve as pavements, meaning you will walk directly over the roofs of the shops located under the arcades of the lower floor. There are also very wide canopies near the houses.
Ducks of unprecedented color live here.
There are a lot of ducks and serious battles break out over a few pieces of bread thrown into the water. Everyone wants to eat.
The lower gateway is also a covered pedestrian bridge.
The water in Aare has an unusual emerald color. The river is very clean and transparent. A little further downstream, closer to the hydroelectric power station, part of the Aare riverbed is used as a reservoir for open air.
Restaurants with terraces. Nice place, in the summer it’s probably lively here.
I liked it very much central square in front of the town hall. I walked along it completely alone, which allowed me to feel the spirit of the place :) On the left there are flags: Switzerland and the flag of the canton of Bern with a bear, to which Thun belongs. In general, the Swiss seem to be very patriotic, Swiss flags are hung everywhere.
And from a slightly different angle. The houses all have wide canopies and arcades, and there is a castle on the mountain. 
It is worth walking towards Lake Thun; the historical core of the city is located at some distance from it. There, Schadau Castle with a park and a high-speed railway are of interest :)
And also from the shore of the lake there is a magnificent panorama of the Bernese Alps. Visibility, of course, was rather poor, but even so, the snowy mountains make an indelible impression.
And here is the Schadau castle itself. It is located almost on the shore of the lake (I stand with my back to the water). Decorated in pink tones, the castle looked light and elegant - turrets, cone-shaped and pyramidal domes, balconies. This is just pure France - like the castles of the Loire with elements of English style. Schadau was built in 1846-1854 by the Parisian architect Dasillon. Nowadays the castle houses an elite restaurant and a gastronomic museum with a unique library containing more than 5,000 books in several languages and many rarities dating back to the 16th century. But I didn’t go inside, I didn’t have time.
Bernese Alps. A beautiful sight. Among the peaks of the Bernese Alps there are nine four-thousanders. Unfortunately, the most famous Alpine trio: - Eiger (3970 m), Mönch (4099 m) and Jungfrau (4158 m) were hidden by clouds.
Steamships and motor ships are waiting for the opening of navigation. Although the lake doesn’t freeze, ships still don’t sail in winter
Very nice quiet town. I remember it because there is a lot of water and few people. It is a pleasure to walk along it.
Lake Thun is considered one of the most visited places in Switzerland. Excellent conditions have been created here for lovers aquatic species sports: water skiing, windsurfing, sailing.
By mountain paths laid here tourist routes, and you can take a walk or climb one of the mountain peaks– Stockhorn, Niesen, Brienzer Rothorn and Niederhorn.
Lakes Brienz and Thun, located almost in the heart of the country, - perfect place for relaxation against the backdrop of the mesmerizing beauty of the Alpine mountains, away from the sweltering heat and city noise. Diverse rich nature, splendid mountain landscapes, mild climate make the region of two lakes great place for relaxation in the summer months.
Lake Thun Photo
In addition to the beautiful nature, here you can get acquainted with the history of the country by visiting architectural and historical sights. In towns along the shores of Lake Thun it prevails architectural style baroque. There are many ancient churches and castles, forts and farmhouses. You can take a fascinating walk on the lake on a boat that departs every hour from the city of Thun to Interlaken. The town is famous for its museum, the exhibition of which is dedicated to the most unusual, mysterious and inexplicable phenomena on the planet - “Mystery Adventure Park”. In the vicinity of Interlaken you can also visit the villages of Wengen, located at an altitude of 1274 meters and Mürren - at an altitude of 1650 meters above sea level. The latter is famous for being a “car-free” resort. It is here that meetings of amateur athletes of the extreme game Inferno are held annually. The villages have long been independent luxury resorts.
Lake Brienz is famous not only for its famous Giessbach waterfall, which cascades directly from the glaciers themselves, but also for the peak of the Brienzer Rothorn mountain, as well as an open-air museum called Ballenberg. Here tourists are given a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the medieval life and ancient traditions of the Swiss.
