Events

What exactly happened on the night of 11-12 December 1602?

Let’s travel back to 17th century Geneva and relive this story which has marked the identity of the Republic. Follow Catherine along the dark streets of the Old City to meet the main characters of this historical event and trace their footsteps as the plot unfolds. A night to remember !

Starts at the Place de la Madeleine – Ends at the Escalade fountain at the Rue de la Cité

What exactly happened on the night of 11-12 December 1602?

Starts at the Place de la Madeleine – Ends at the Escalade fountain at the Rue de la Cité

Austerity is what comes to mind when the City of Calvin is evoked. But the people of Geneva and the many visitors to the city have never stopped indulging in all types of activities, even when forbidden.

Let’s take the side streets through different neighbourhoods in search of places of pleasure and vice, discreet or out in the open depending on the period.

This two hour walk through several centuries will take us from the traditional working-class neighbourhoods of Pâquis and Saint Gervais, along the chic lake-front promenades, to the city’s historical centres in the Rues Basses down-town and up in the Old City.

Along the way, we will pass through present and past red light districts, former casinos and gambling places, cabarets … and more.

Geneva is known for its lake and the jet d’eau (140 m high fountain), the flower clock and luxury watches and its historical Old Town. But do you know the stories behind these landmarks and places? And did you ever wonder how this little city-state at the tip of the lake become the smallest of the world’s major international cities?

Let’s travel together through 2000 years of history along the waterfront where the first inhabitants settled, through the medieval commercial center of the lower city and up the cobbled streets to the heart of the Old town.

You will be captivated by this cultural and historical tour as you relive the religious, political and economic chapters of the Geneva story.

Sign up for a guided tour on the path that has shaped the destiny of the city and the world. This story has two main characters: the small city-canton of Geneva and major world events that continue to influence international relations. Where they meet is what is known as International Geneva.

Between the Palais Wilson and the Palais des Nations, you will immerse yourself in a multilateral ecosystem and discover how Geneva, at the center of international diplomacy and cooperation, continues to adapt to global issues and emerging challenges.

50 years of women’s suffrage, 40 years of gender equality in the Swiss Constitution and 30 years since the very first women’s strike.

This is an opportunity to set the record straight: women have always played an essential role in the functioning of society and the prosperity of Geneva. In addition to personalities, there are thousands of anonymous and unknown women who have also nourished and enriched the city and its history.

Sign up for a guided walk with a feminine touch from the Ile Rousseau to the Old Town. Let’s bring back to life a small selection of women, in their context and their time period, from the 15th century to the present day, and discover the extraordinary diversity of their work, talent and commitment.

50 years of women’s suffrage, 40 years of gender equality in the Swiss Constitution and 30 years since the very first women’s strike.

The Geneva summits : Reagan-Gorbatchev in November 1985 and Biden-Putin in June 2021. Geneva has been hosting international conferences and high-level talks for over a century. Did you ever wonder why?

Immerse yourself in the Old Town.