Town
La Chaux-de-Fonds
The capital of the watchmaking industry and the birthplace of Le Corbusier.
La Chaux-de-Fonds. © Aline Henchoz
Situated at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, built as regularly as a chessboard, this city is marked by its unique watchmaking industry and tradition which is listed as UNESCO World Heritage site.
Incomparable
The city nestled in the Neuchâtel Mountains, unlike any other, is considered one of the highest located in Europe. Surrounded by fields and forests, it was built almost entirely by and for the watchmaking industry. You will find rectilinear roads throughout the city, which give it its unique appearance. If you climb up to the Espacité Tower or participate in a guided tour, you can appreciate this special chessboard design even better.
Watchmaking and UNESCO
The urban structure of the watchmakers’ town of La Chaux-de-Fonds has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage since 2009, and it is best explained at the Espace de l'Urbanisme horloger. It takes special understanding to grasp the meaning of a place which breathes in the rhythm of its watches. The superb Musée international d'horlogerie with more than 4,000 exceptional pieces from sundials to atomic clocks will doubtlessly enchant you.
Art Nouveau
La Chaux-de-Fonds is also famous for its importance in the world of Art Nouveau in Switzerland, and it has its own style, the 'Pine Tree' style. Decorations are subtly integrated into buildings or building complexes such as the crematory, and will be discovered during a guided tour on this topic.
Le Corbusier, native of La Chaux-de-Fonds
His real name was Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, and he was born in this town. As a young man, Le Corbusier realised several of his works here, among others the White House, La maison blanche. This avant-garde building is open to the public on weekends.
A cultural sprawl
La Chaux-de-Fonds boasts a rich cultural offer thanks to a neo-Baroque Italian-style theatre, a music hall with exceptional acoustics, cafés and bistros with a unique ambiance, a street festival famous in the whole region, and remarkable museums.
Incomparable
The city nestled in the Neuchâtel Mountains, unlike any other, is considered one of the highest located in Europe. Surrounded by fields and forests, it was built almost entirely by and for the watchmaking industry. You will find rectilinear roads throughout the city, which give it its unique appearance. If you climb up to the Espacité Tower or participate in a guided tour, you can appreciate this special chessboard design even better.
Watchmaking and UNESCO
The urban structure of the watchmakers’ town of La Chaux-de-Fonds has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage since 2009, and it is best explained at the Espace de l'Urbanisme horloger. It takes special understanding to grasp the meaning of a place which breathes in the rhythm of its watches. The superb Musée international d'horlogerie with more than 4,000 exceptional pieces from sundials to atomic clocks will doubtlessly enchant you.
Art Nouveau
La Chaux-de-Fonds is also famous for its importance in the world of Art Nouveau in Switzerland, and it has its own style, the 'Pine Tree' style. Decorations are subtly integrated into buildings or building complexes such as the crematory, and will be discovered during a guided tour on this topic.
Le Corbusier, native of La Chaux-de-Fonds
His real name was Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, and he was born in this town. As a young man, Le Corbusier realised several of his works here, among others the White House, La maison blanche. This avant-garde building is open to the public on weekends.
A cultural sprawl
La Chaux-de-Fonds boasts a rich cultural offer thanks to a neo-Baroque Italian-style theatre, a music hall with exceptional acoustics, cafés and bistros with a unique ambiance, a street festival famous in the whole region, and remarkable museums.
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