Albishochwacht

Between 1624 and 1798, the Albishochwacht formed part of Zurich’s alarm system, which comprised 23 watchtowers. In 1792, one of the first panoramic views of the Alps was drawn from this spot.

As part of the modernisation and reorganisation of Zurich’s defence system during the Thirty Years’ War, a warning network comprising 23 watchtowers was established from 1624 onwards. Messages and signals were relayed between the watchtowers by means of fire or smoke signals, as well as by gun salutes. All the watchtowers were situated on hilltops with good views and were equipped with piles of easily ignitable wood, iron pans for resin or pitch, mortar cannons, a sighting device and a guardhouse. From the Albishochwacht, 14 other watchtowers could be observed. The system remained in place until 1798.
The Albishochwacht also gained significance in the tourism sector at a very early stage. In 1792, Johann Gottfried Ebel drew one of the first Alpine panoramas here, which was published in 1793 in the travel guide "Anleitung auf die nützlichste Art in der Schweiz zu reisen" (A Guide to Travelling in Switzerland in the Most Useful Way). Further panoramic drawings by Heinrich Keller and Caspar Huber followed later.