Albert Einstein (1879-1955) rented an apartment in Bern from 1903 to 1905.
It is furnished in the style of the time. The house shows how he and his family lived and the environment in which he wrote his most important scientific works.
(Source and further information: www.einstein-bern.ch).
Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel has a history dating back to the first inn in the 11th century when the Münster was built.
Not much is known about this first inn, not even whether its location corresponds precisely to the current position of the hotel. The hotel was first mentioned in documents in 1681: Gasthof zu den Drei Königen (Inn of the Three Kings).
However, the three kings on the vestibule were not installed until the 18th century. During this period, the inn increasingly took on the appearance and function of a hotel. Famous visitors, such as Napoleon, members of the Austrian imperial family, and, for example, Goethe, spent the night there.
The French Revolution and occupation did not go unnoticed by the hotel either, and the French name Gasthaus Aux Trois Magots originates from these days. After all, kings were not done in these revolutionary days until Napoleon became emperor and his family members kings.
The iconic photograph of Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) was taken from the balcony of this hotel in 1901. The name also changed to Hotel Drei Könige am Rhein. The name is now again Hotel Les Trois Rois.
The lake of Neuchâtel was in the nineteenth century very popular. Many (English) tourists appreciated the view of the Alps and, after the construction of the railway, the excellent accessibility.
The Grand Hotels are a reminder of this ‘belle époque’ of the canton and the city. The industry (including watchmaking, asphalt, absinthe, tourism, services) and its favourable location created wealth and prosperity.
The Jura mountains, the Alps and the Three Lakes region (Drei-Seen-Land/Pays des Trois-Lacs) made Neuchâtel an attractive location for people and industry.
The Mönch, Jungfrau, Eiger, the Mont Blanc and Les Dents du Midi were and are the (far away) witnesses.
