Kreis 4

From “Chreis Cheib” to Trend Quarter

Hardly any neighbourhood has transformed itself like District 4. Aussersihl was a working-class and immigrant quarter – when it was incorporated into Zurich in 1893, it had more inhabitants than the city itself. Locals now wear its nickname “Chreis Cheib” with pride. The once disreputable quarter has become Zurich’s trend district: more than 100 nationalities live here, galleries and studios are moving in, and between Turkish snack bars, Portuguese bars and new cafés pulses the real, unvarnished Zurich.

Langstrasse: the Neighbourhood That Never Quite Sleeps

Langstrasse is Zurich’s best-known nightlife mile – bars like Olé Olé (an institution for almost 50 years), clubs like Zukunft and Gonzo, and in between restaurants from Anatolian to Vietnamese. Bankers and artists, students and night owls all meet here. If you prefer it quieter, slip into the side streets – enjoy an apéro in a courtyard while the party carries on two corners away. And in summer, the short hop across the tracks is well worth it: at Frau Gerolds Garten in neighbouring District 5 you sit, eat and drink in the open air among urban gardens, shipping containers and the Freitag tower.

Helvetiaplatz: Markets, Cinema, Culture

The neighbourhood’s civic heart beats at Helvetiaplatz: every Tuesday and Friday morning the weekly market offers vegetables, cheese, fish and flowers. On Saturdays, the flea market on the Kanzlei grounds tempts with up to 300 stalls – one of the largest in Switzerland. On the same grounds, Kino Xenix has been showing curated arthouse cinema since 1984, the Volkshaus hosts concerts, and every summer the Caliente festival – Europe’s biggest Latin festival – turns the neighbourhood into an open-air dance floor. And when you need to catch your breath, there’s the Bäckeranlage, the green living room of District 4.

The Volkshaus at Helvetiaplatz – concerts, restaurant and neighbourhood history.

Badenerstrasse and the Iconic Lochergut

Badenerstrasse runs through all of District 4 as its lifeline, with trams 2 and 3 running right along it. Halfway along stands the Lochergut of 1966 – Zurich’s most famous high-rise estate, once a controversial experiment, today a cult address with a Coop supermarket at its base. Even Max Frisch lived here. Around Lochergut and Albisriederplatz, District 4 shows its everyday side: neighbourhood taverns, bakeries and small shops instead of tourist crowds.

The Lochergut – built in 1966, an icon of the neighbourhood today.

Letzigrund: the Stadium on the Doorstep

At the western end of Badenerstrasse, right on the border with Altstetten, stands Letzigrund stadium – home of FC Zürich and GC, stage for Weltklasse Zürich and, with over 50,000 seats at open-air concerts, Switzerland’s largest event venue. Our apartments on Badenerstrasse are just a few minutes’ walk away – for concert and match visitors there is hardly a more convenient location.

Concerts, football and athletics – Letzigrund is right on the doorstep.

Europaallee: the Direct Route to the Main Station

At the eastern edge of the neighbourhood, the Europaallee connects Langstrasse directly with the main station – shopping, dining and modern architecture included. From the eastern part of District 4 you can walk to the main station; from the west, trams 2, 3 and 8 take you anywhere within minutes, with tram 8 linking Helvetiaplatz directly to Hardbrücke station.

The Europaallee – from District 4 straight to the main station.

Living in District 4

Living here means loving urban Zurich: period buildings with high ceilings and character, everything you need within walking distance, and a neighbourhood that keeps reinventing itself. Our furnished apartments on Badenerstrasse are in the quieter west of District 4 near the Letzigrund – in the middle of it all, yet calm enough to sleep. For shorter visits we offer short-term rentals and temporary housing.

Perfect for: Anyone who values authenticity, wants nightlife on the doorstep – or is looking for a bed within walking distance of the concert.

Character

• Atmosphere: Multicultural, creative, vibrant
• Restaurants: Every cuisine in the world, often affordable
• Shopping: Vintage, markets, Europaallee
• Nightlife: Bars, clubs, live music – legendary
• Quietness: Loud on Langstrasse, quieter towards Letzigrund

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Image credits: Langstrasse – Martin E. Walder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Volkshaus – Sonnenstaub42, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lochergut – Dodo von den Bergen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Letzigrund – Seasider53, CC BY 4.0 · Europaallee – Daniel Reust, CC BY-SA 4.0, all via Wikimedia Commons.