Cows everywhere, Zürich

Cities all over the world host Cow Parades. Artists create life-sized fiberglass cow sculptures that are displayed throughout the city.

Zurich was the first city to have the Cows, in the summer of 1998. The city had over 800 of them displayed on sidewalks, in parks, and next to buildings.These life-sized cows were then auctioned off for charity.

A Chicago business man on vacation in Zurich, liked the idea, and brought it back to the US. Chicago had a Cow Parade for the summer of 1999, and it just hasn't stopped!

After the bright red swiss flag, the swiss army knives and cuckoo clocks, it seems the symbol of all things swiss is the cow. I chanced upon a few painted cows during my walks round the city. There was one near the harbour on top of the ticket kiosk, one near the Quai bridge on top of a boat rental and the colourful blue one on a balcony overlooking a restaurant in the old town (complete with name and other details). I even found a camouflage cow poster on one of the shops selling Swiss army knifes along the Limmatquai. If you are a cowmaniac then don't forget to try out the Crazy Cow restaurant and hotel in Leonhardstrasse!!!