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stairs to la collégiale
On the Prison Tower
Esplanade Leopold-Robert
Maison des Halles, detail of the facadeThe Town
Neuchatel's atmospheric Old Town is extremely attractive, and random wanderings through its steep alleys are as good a way as any to appreciate the golden beauty of the architecture, as well as the 140-odd street fountains, a handful of which date from the sixteenth century. From the rather anonymous Place Pury - hub of buses and shoppers alike - with the main artery of Rue du Seyon leading northwards, alleys to the west bring you to Place des Halles, perpetually filled with talkers and drinkers spilling out of a handful of cafes. The square itself is overlooked by fine Louis XIV architecture - shuttered facades and the turreted orioles of the sixteenth-century Maison des Halles. You'll find informal lunchtime boules sessions on the nearby Rue du Coq d'Inde, a broad, tranquil courtyard away from the bustle. A two-minute walk east, on Rue de l'Hopital, is the grand 1790 Hotel de Ville (Town Hall), designed by Louis XVI's chief architect Pierre-Adrien Paris.
The highlights of the Old Town are poised on the very top of the hill, accessed by the steeply winding Rue du Chateau. The Collegiale church, begun in 1185 and consecrated in 1276, is a graceful example of early Gothic. Stairs from Rue du Chateau bring you up to the east end of the church, with its three Norman apses. Beside the church is the imposing Chateau, begun in the twelfth century and still in use as the offices of the cantonal government: entry is only on guided tours, which start from the signposted Door no. 1. The nearby turreted Tour des Prisons, remains of a medieval bastion, has panoramic views over the town, along with interesting models of Neuch?tel in different eras.
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