Zurich, birth place of controversial Dada Movement

When I first heard that I was moving to Zurich, I started my due diligence and stocked every single site I could find about what was to become my new home. I was excited but also scared about beginning this new adventure in a place I knew very little about.

What I found were countless articles and discussions about the obvious – a nation where cheese and chocolate occupy 2/3 of the supermarket aisles. A nation where people take Efficiency and Perfectionism, timed by precision watches very seriously. I also learned that laws and rules are created to be followed, scrupulously!

So you can imagine my shock when I learned that Zurich, of all places, was the birth-place of the avant-garde and controversial art movement of Dada! It began in 1916 as a negative reaction to World War I. Artists rejected the concepts of reason and logic, and embraced a feeling of irrationality and nonsense to create art in various mediums. They gathered at the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub where all artists and performers were welcomed to share their work in an environment that celebrated this anarchic art movement. Cabaret Voltaire is still pumping and showcases great events in the evenings. You can also pop in for a coffee and a snack during the day.

And if you’re still craving more Dada, book a stay at the Hotel Limmatblick where all of the rooms are individually decorated in Dada style.