{"id":131977,"date":"2022-04-23T20:33:14","date_gmt":"2022-04-23T20:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/sechselauten-la-festa-di-primavera-zurighese\/"},"modified":"2022-04-23T20:42:04","modified_gmt":"2022-04-23T20:42:04","slug":"sechselauten-zurichs-spring-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/sechselauten-zurichs-spring-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Sechsel\u00e4uten – Zurich’s spring festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sechsel\u00e4uten – Zurich’s spring festival<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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Sechsel\u00e4uten (S\u00e4chsil\u00fc\u00fcte in Zurich German) is a festival with a 100-year tradition celebrating the beginning of spring in Zurich, held every year in mid to late April. In addition to guild members in historical costumes, the event features marching bands, horses, flowers, flags and the “B\u00f6\u00f6gg”.<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n
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Sechsel\u00e4uten \u00a9Z\u00fcrich Tourism<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Monday afternoon, the procession of the Company for the Constaffel and the 25 Zurich guilds takes place. Around 3,500 guild members in their traditional costumes, dresses and uniforms, their guests of honour, over 350 horsemen, around 50 exclusively horse-drawn carriages and around 30 music groups march in counter march through Bahnhofstrasse and Limmatquai to Sechsel\u00e4utenplatz near Bellevue. The order of the processions is decided each year in November by delegates of the Central Committee of the Zurich Corporations (ZZZ). The guilds “zum Weggen”, “zum K\u00e4mbel” and “Wiedikon” are placed first and last respectively in the procession because of their large groups of riders in a defined rotation mode. The guilds’ procession is led by the Zurich city police, the ZZZ and the banners of the host municipalities and cantons. The guild members and guests of honour are presented with flowers and kisses by the spectators.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sechselaeuten \u00a9Z\u00fcrich Tourism<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today’s Sechsel\u00e4uten can be traced back to three different roots:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. The first root to the Zurich guilds, which, as political, military, social and commercial institutions, have guided and determined the fate of the city for over 450 years. They are the sponsors of the Zurich Spring Festival. The old trade regulations of the guilds determined the working hours of the craftsmen.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. The second root of the Sechsel\u00e4uten is related to the fact that in summer, the “six o’clock bell” signalled the end of working hours, while in winter, due to light conditions, work could only be done until five o’clock.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The third root is a pagan custom, i.e. burning the winter as a symbol of the beginning of the warmer seasons.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    History of the festival<\/span><\/h2>\n

    In the 16th century, the Zurich Council, which at that time consisted exclusively of guild members, decreed that the end of working hours in summer should be one hour later than in winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

    On the first Monday after the equinox, to mark the beginning of spring, the second largest church bell in Grossm\u00fcnster tolled 6 p.m. on time. From that day until late autumn, people worked an extra hour. Since then, the ‘S\u00e4chsil\u00fc\u00fcte’ (six o’clock tolling) has always been celebrated.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    <\/span> The former Grossm\u00fcnster cathedral in Zurich\u00a0<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    The B\u00f6\u00f6gg<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The real star of the festival is the ‘B\u00f6\u00f6gg<\/em>‘, which means ‘masked and hooded figure<\/em>‘ (cf. ‘Fasnacht B\u00f6gg’): it is an artificial snowman filled with wood wool and firecrackers, symbolising winter. When the church in Grossm\u00fcnster rings six o’clock, it is set on fire and it is said that the sooner the head full of fireworks explodes, the more beautiful the summer will be. A duration of 5 to 12 minutes indicates a sunny and warm summer. Beyond this time frame, the summer months are likely to be rather rainy.<\/span><\/p>\n

    On the Monday of the event, at 6 p.m. sharp, it is set on fire on Sechsel\u00e4utenplatz. As a symbol of winter, the bonfire is meant to welcome spring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n

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    B\u00f6\u00f6gg<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Incidents and special events:<\/span><\/h3>\n