History Attractions in Lausanne

The beginnings of Lausanne started on the Lake Geneva shore with the Romans which called their town Losanna. The ruins are still there and there is museum (that you will find on the Top 10 Museums). Lausanne as it is today began construction around the 12th century and these old orginal building are still there. A good walk is to start at the fountain of the Place de la Palud where the City Hall (Hotel de la Ville) stands in a large plaza. After watch the clock do its little dance on the hour, go up the street to vist the St Laurent Church and then back to the plaza to take the Medieval Wooden Stairs up to visit the Cathedral and enjoy the view.

Behind the Cathedral is the impressive Castle St. Marie which now houses the city officials.

Go back by the Cathedral and down to the street where you will find an enormous imposing building which is the back of the Palais de Rumine, former library of the old university. Go down the stairs on the side to Place de la Riponne and admire the Palais which is still a branch of the library but also the Lausanne Museum of Fine Arts.

Return to the main boulevard leading to the Place St. François, a giant bustling crossroads of the city with several large Belle Epoque buildings that are mostly banks. Stop in for a visit of the Church of St. Francis and then have a coffee at the Nespresso Boutique.

Place de la Palud

place de la Palud

Plaza and cobblestone pedestrian area in the heart of the Old Town...
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City Hall

Place de la Palud

Town Hall in Place de la Palud...
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Medieval Wooden Stairs

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Place de la Palud

12th century covered wooden stairs up to the Cathedral...
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St. Laurent Church

place Chaudron

Church Dating to the 10th Century!...
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Lausanne Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Lausanne)

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Rue Vuillermet 6
Place de la Cathédrale

Converted Catholic cathedral into a Protestant church. Classical Concerts are oftentimes given in the cathedral...
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Castle St. Marie

rue de la Barre 5

Historic Castle in the Old Town...
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Place de la Riponne

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Place de la Riponne

Enormous plaza in front of the ancient buildings of the original Universtiy of Lausanne...
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Palais de Rumine

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Place de la Riponne 6

A Spectacular Building Worth Visiting...
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Place St. François

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place Saint François

Large Plaza Outside of Saint François Church. The main center of Lausanne where all of the trams and buses connect...
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Church of St. Francis

place Saint-François

Historical Church in St François Square...
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