The story
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1291 is the year this site first appeared in the written record. At that time, Marktgasse served as the city's commercial hub, known then as the Alte Markt, or Old Market. The two buildings that now form the hotel behind you were already established landmarks in the Niederdorf district, providing lodging for the merchants and tradespeople who navigated these narrow, cobbled passages.
While the city's main market eventually moved to a newer site, these structures continued their tradition of hospitality for centuries. A written record from 1425 specifically identifies the site as a guesthouse. The architecture you see today still carries these medieval origins, though a restoration between 2013 and 2015 introduced a modern minimalist aesthetic influenced by Scandinavian and Japanese design. Inside, the floors remain slightly uneven, and heritage-protected elements like exposed stone columns and 15th-century frescoes were carefully preserved.
This street remains a central artery for the city’s movement; the Rathaus tram stop sits almost directly in front of the hotel entrance. Just around the corner, you will find Schwarzenbach, a specialist shop that has sold teas and coffees in this neighborhood for generations. As you continue down Marktgasse toward the Limmat river, look for the small lattice windows on the upper stories of the historic buildings, a design detail that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.
That was Marktgasse, Zürich. Avsha tells a story like this about wherever you are — any street, in your language.
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