- Location: Aussersihl (4th district of Zurich)
- Website: www.langstrassenfest.ch
By European standards, Zurich is a relatively small city, but on the scale of its state is considered the largest. Swiss Zurich perfectly fits in itself significant financial, commercial, industrial, cultural objects. However, in the midst of this well-being, there is a small place that excellently undermines the city's excellent reputation with impeccable laws, traditions, and everyday life. Let's talk more about it.
Area with a bad name
Langstrasse - one of the residential areas of Zurich, which is notorious not only in the tourist environment, but also among the local population. For many years this place in the city was the most dangerous, since the crime rate in it was much higher than in other areas. In 2001, at the initiative of the authorities of Zurich, the Langstrasse Plus program was launched, the purpose of which was to restore order in the streets and to improve them. Since then, in Langstrasse began to appear concept-art galleries and art galleries, representing the creations of novice designers. Today it has become safer here than it was before, but against the backdrop of visible prosperity, brothels, brothels, taverns continue to exist, and drug trafficking flourishes.
What is famous for Langstrasse?
Langstrasse in Zurich is popular with photographers who want to depict in their works a life without embellishments, such as it sometimes happens. Not all tourists like to visit this part of Switzerland , often because of the negative opinion of the local population. In the afternoon, this urban area is quite safe for holidaymakers, which can not be said of the dark time of the day when most of the crimes are committed. Although, many Russian tourists who have visited Langstrasse, assure that this place is very similar to the usual areas of Russian cities.
In Langstrasse there are many cabarets, the dancers of which earn quite decent amounts of money. The fact is that this kind of entertainment fell in favor of the wealthy inhabitants of Zurich, rushing to these cheap establishments, to drink strange drinks and talk frankly with the girls who allow themselves much more than ordinary dancers.
The area is full of bars, snack bars, benches, discos with striptease. These institutions are very similar to those that are so often found in megacities. The residents of the local streets are alarming: young people drinking beer, punks surrounded by pets, beggars begging for alms. Shops Langstrasse specialize in the sale of porn, sex toys, counterfeit toilets from Chanel and Dior.
Festivals of a restless place
Once the district was inhabited by factory workers with families. These people were poor, among them there were often conflicts on the basis of social disagreements. Every year, residents of poor neighborhoods became participants in the May Day demonstration, which since 1996 grew into a festival of street music. The festivities take place on weekends, and the main festivities are celebrated in the square of the Helvetia Quarter. Local residents at this time use all sorts of alcoholic beverages, play musical instruments or just make noise in their homes and in the streets of the district.
The festival Langstrassefest is considered not only a holiday of one district, but of all Zurich. It is held every 2 years and alternates with the Longstreet carnival (a similar holiday that the immigrants came up with and organized). In addition, Langstrasse in Zurich since 1995 takes the festival of Kalente, the largest latina festival in Europe.
How to get there?
You can get to Langstrasse by tram, following the route number 8. You need a stop - Helvetiaplatz. In addition, in this direction, buses No. 31, 32, stopping at Militär- / Langstrasse. Always at your service taxi.
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