Happy TravellerWelcome to Rapperswil, a picturesque town located on the northern shore of Lake Zurich in Switzerland. Formerly a municipality, Rapperswil is now part of the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen. The town is situated between Obersee and the main part of Lake Zurich and is known for its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and cultural heritage.
Geographically, Rapperswil is located on the northern shore of Lake Zurich at the point where the lake is cut in two by the Seedamm isthmus, which is an ice age moraine. The upper (or eastern) part of Lake Zurich is called Obersee. Part of the old town, the castle, and monastery are situated on a peninsula.
The town’s main sights are concentrated in the Altstadt of Rapperswil and can be seen while strolling through the medieval alleys. The main sights of Rapperswil are its rose gardens, Rapperswil Castle, the reconstructed wooden bridge to Hurden with its bridge chapel Heilig Hüsli located at Seedamm, the Kapuzinerkloster (Capuchins monastery), the remains of the Middle Ages fortifications located on Lake Zurich, Lindenhof hill, Herrenberg, Engelplatz, Hauptplatz, Bühlerallee, and Fischmarktplatz at Rapperswil harbor. Rapperswil is often referred to as the town of roses (Rosenstadt) because of its extensive displays of roses in three designated parks. No less than 15,000 plants of 600 different kinds may be viewed between June and October. There is also a rose garden in the town center, accessible to blind and disabled people.
The old town (Altstadt) is dominated by the Schloss Rapperswil located at the peninsula called Endingen, Lindenhof, and Herrenberg on Lake Zurich perched atop this rocky hill at the bay of Kempraten. The castle dates back to the early 13th century (first mentioned in 1229). In 1350, it was destroyed by Rudolf Brun, the mayor of Zurich, and was rebuilt in 1352/54 by Albrecht II, Duke of Austria. Deer inhabit lands surrounding the castle. Since 1870, the castle has
