As you walk down the hill from the Lindenhof into the Altstadt and it's jumble of little streets you are confronted by the women of Zürich, marching back up again. Switzerland has a reputation for the patriarchal nature of society, but women have been playing their part for a while.

In 1292 as the city came under siege from Hapsburg forces, and the menfolk were elsewhere, the women got themselves up in whatever armour and weaponry they could find and marched to the top of the Lindenhof. The story has it that the Hapsburg army took this to be reinforcements and had second thoughts. There is still a tradition of decorating houses with paintings and murals in Switzerland, and here in Zurich. They must be constantly maintained or replaced I guess. I find this one particularly attractive, with the vertical emphasis of the design and the blue and white colours of Zurich. I always find the term "Zürcherinnen" much more effective than "Women of Zürich" - seems more evocative.

Zeltweg is an unassuming street leading from Zurich Kunsthaus. There is a profusion of blue plaques. Many of the buildings are residential Biedermeier style from the mid 18th century, although a lot are converted for office use.

Not a blue plaque, but a big solid grey slate commemorating Johanna Spyri of Heidi fame. I don't know how many people have read the book. I've always thought it was rather good, but the name has been co-opted as a bit of a caricature of Swiss-ness, or at any rate the idealism of alpine life. Even the Swiss are at it with the self-styled "Heidi-land" region near Zurich. Don't be too alarmed - thankfully it's not a theme park.

Maybe not the most interesting building in the world (click for a larger view), but as you walk along this residential street near the centre of Zurich it is the sculptures in the alcoves that catch your eye. Not exactly out of place, but unusual - sort of thing you expect on a church.

Reading the plaque explains the reason - the decorative nature of the facade was intended as an advertisement for the sculptor, Louis Wethli, whose home and studio it contained. Although protected, the building has a dusty and rather uncared for look. Not helped by the permanent rubbish bins stationed outside.

A fine collection of windows arranged on this old facade. I've no idea how much is original, like many such buildings it will have been modified many times over the years. The "Denkmal" plaque gives a bit of history.

I've always been a bit confused about the term "Amsthaus" but I think it relates to some kind of fiscal or tax collecting function, often attached to an ecclesiastical institution. The ties remain here, as far as I can make out the building is currently used by the Reformed Church