Hottingen – an area with an eventful history

From farmstead to city district

Until the mid-19th century, Hottingen was a rural suburb of Zurich dotted with farms and the occasional elegant country residence. The Römer family and their farmstead later gave their name to the district’s main square. Hottingen eventually succumbed to the increasing urbanisation of the area and the accompanying population growth, and the traditional, largely agricultural population was joined by a new urban class. For them, Hottingen was no longer the centre of their lives; it was now just the place where they lived. Hottingen was incorporated into Greater Zurich in 1893 – and so this small farmers’ village became a chic, bustling city district.

 

  • Zeltweg as it appeared in 1779
  • Hottinger Pörtli, part of the original fortifications (1834)
  • The old Kreuzkirche at Kreuzplatz in 1838 (on the right side the first post office with sign)
  • Apening up the Adlisberghang with Dolderbahn (around 1900)
  • The legendary Wirtschaft Römerhof in 1896
  • The Dolder Railway valley station in 1896
  • The legendary Wirtschaft Römerhof guesthouse was renamed the Römerhof in 1899.
  • In 1899, the Römerhof was turned into a residential building and hotel.
  • The Zurich Playhouse was built as a popular theatre in 1892 (image from around 1900).
  • St. Anton’s Church, offering views towards Römerhof und Zürichberg (1902)
  • The Kreuzkirche, depicted on a postcard dating from 1902
  • Already in 1905 the Kreuzplatz was an important junction for Hottingen
  • Kreuzplatz offering views towards Zeltweg around 1910
  • The first hotel building, the ‘Waldhaus Dolder’, opened for business in 1895 (image: 1915).
  • The Dolder tram operated from 1899 to 1930 (image: 1911).

A history in pictures

Originally one of Zurich’s rural suburbs, Hottingen transformed in the 19th century into a city district with enduring appeal – and has close ties to the Dolder Waldhaus.