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City map | Video
The city of Lausanne, located
in French-speaking Switzerland, lies on the shores of Lake Geneva, 60
km northeast of the Geneva airport. It is situated in the midst of vineyards
and is well known for its regional wines.
History
Built in the 4th century before Christ as a Roman military
camp, Lausanne was, after the fall of the Roman Empire, ruled by the Dukes
of Savoy, the Bishop of Lausanne and, finally, by the city of Berne. It
became part of the Swiss Federation in 1803, after the Napoleonic Wars.
Culture
Lausanne offers a rich cultural and musical life, organizing various
festivals every year. The «Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne»
and the «Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne»; the City Theatre, the
«Théâtre de Beaulieu» and the «Théâtre
de Vidy», as well as numerous museums are to be found here, e. g.
the Olympic Museum.
Economy
Although not a large city or the most important business area in Switzerland,
Lausanne offers all the facilities of a metropole with highly educated inhabitants,
used to speak different languages. The region with approx. 250’000
inhabitants has brought up companies with international reputation: Nestlé,
the world’s largest agro-food company, has its headquarters at 20
kilometres of Lausanne. Philipp Morris’ international management is
operating here, and Edipresse, one of the major Swiss publishers, owning
more than 70 newspapers in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Poland and Romania,
is also headquartered in Lausanne.
 Furthermore,
Lausanne is home to the Ecole polytechnique fédérale (EPFL),
the Federal Polytechnic Institute. The strategic orientation of this institution
towards bio-technology and its collaboration with both, the University
of Lausanne (UNIL) and the research team at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
Vaudois (CHUV), the University Hospital Centre, have led to the creation
and establishment of several companies operating in this sector.
Medicine
The University of Lausanne with its faculties of biology and medicine and
the University Hospital Centre assume an important role as a major centre
for medical education in the French speaking part of Switzerland. These
institutions collaborate closely in the areas of research and teaching.
Lausanne also hosts the «Ecole la Source» (the Swiss Red Cross School
of Nursing).
Sightseeing
Lausanne’s most famous building is the Cathedral. This initially
Catholic Cathedral was inaugurated in 1275 by Pope Gregorius X. In 1536
it became protestant during the reformation. The longstanding watchman
tradition at the Cathedral still continues today. Each evening a man stands
watch at the Cathedral and between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. announces
each hour. The Castle Saint-Maire right next to it was built in the 11th
century as domicile of bishops and dukes.
 Lausanne
has been the home of the federal supreme court of Switzerland since 1875.
The court is located in a beautiful neoclassic building.
Lausanne has achieved international recognition for hosting the headquarters
of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Its Olympic Museum attracts
more than 200’000 visitors each year.
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