The Bruno Weber Park – A walk between sculptures and dreams
Grüezi,
We are back in Switzerland and today I want to take you to a place that amazed me and that I am telling you about today.
We will be traveling together to Dietikon, a town in northern Switzerland. It is located in the Limmat Valley near Zurich.
Why are we visiting Dietikon near Zurich?
At first glance, this tranquil town in the heart of the valley and on the outskirts of Zurich appears relatively inconspicuous in the shadow of the important and well-known Swiss city.
But this place has something special, something unique that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
It is home to Bruno Weber Park, a special open-air museum that we are visiting today.
Who was Bruno Weber?
Bruno Weber was a Swiss artist from Dietikon and Spreitenbach, whose work is known and appreciated far beyond the borders of Switzerland.
He was a man who used his art to create a world in which fantasy and nature became one.
The sculptures created by Bruno Weber sparkle with life and magic, inspired by animals, dreams and a deep connection to nature.
But his work was more than just art – it was an invitation to see the world with new eyes.
He was born in Dietikon in 1931 and began building his home and the park in 1962.
He not only designed his own home here according to his own ideas, but also created new sculptures in his creativity and, together with his wife Maria Anna and his two daughters Rebecca and Mireille, gave the park an ever broader picture of his vision of a dream world over the course of time.
This vision and his home continued to evolve over the years until the artist’s death in 2011.
The last element was completed in 2012 and brought Bruno Weber’s work to an end, which is considered to have been created and completed with his death.
Trip to Bruno Weber Park
The park is well marked on Google Maps and is easy to reach via the highways in the Zurich area.
Once you have reached Dietikon, you will pass the Stadthalle Dietikon on your way to Bruno Weber’s sculpture park.
I also recommend the official website:
Park in the parking lot of the Stadthalle and walk the rest of the way if you are there by car.
According to my impression on site, this is a good and quiet place to park.
But don’t forget to get a parking ticket.
The fee is not limited to working days and, according to the machine itself, also applies at weekends.
At the time of my visit, they only took cash. So have a few CHF with you.
From the parking lot, the route climbs up a hill with a reasonable gradient, but the entire route is well paved.
So you earn your own personal view of what is to come.
The Bruno Weber Park in Switzerland
Bruno Weber Park is the largest sculpture park in Switzerland, an open-air place full of mythical creatures that you can actually touch.
When you turn the corner, you immediately notice the first works of art, which made me stop for a moment.
It starts at the Bird Gate, which forms the entrance to the park, before the path continues up the hill through Hirschallee to the ticket office.
There are painters who paint with colors, and there are those who create entire mystical worlds with their imagination.
Bruno Weber was undoubtedly one of the latter.
For him, the world was not simply a place to be inhabited, but a stage that had to be filled with the fantasy of his dream world.
The Hirschallee and the Theaterplatz
This is exactly the impression these huge deer made on me as I made my way up the trail. Every step reveals more and more of the many pieces that you gradually experience and where you can always discover something new.
I find it very practical to walk up the hill in this context. For me, it started at the parking lot. Every step uphill increased my curiosity and interest.
And when you arrive at the ticket office on Theaterplatz, with the deer sculptures behind you, the large concrete sculptures to the left and right, and the residential building straight ahead, which looks like something out of a famous fairy tale, you are almost overwhelmed with impressions.
I found the work of Bruno Weber, his family and the many helpers and supporters gigantic right at the entrance and it is rare for me to gain such an impression so early on.
And even that was just the beginning of a special and unexpected day.
The day and night gate and the residential building
If you continue straight ahead along Theaterplatz, you will pass through the Day and Night Gate.
At first you don’t notice this gate directly, apart from the fact that it is a gate, a closure to another area. I think it’s only when you look closely that you can gather the smaller impressions as well as the larger ones.
The impressions and subtle nuances that you only see at second glance. And there are so many of them here that I can’t fully convey them in this article, neither through my words nor through my pictures and videos.
You stop almost every moment because you have discovered something new again. Even if it’s just because the changing light and the elements put you in a completely different mood.
As you step through the gate, your gaze falls on the pavilion on your right. For me, this area is proof that this is not just about concrete sculptures.
No, you also play with different materials here, which I think is good.
The pavilion is also the place where the artists, indeed the creators of this Gesamtkunstwerk, worked. So this is where the magic happened that we can now admire together.
Directly opposite the pavilion is the Gathering of the Wise. A row of seated sculptures which, I think, provide a little oasis of calm after the many impressions next to and behind you. Just like Bruno Weber’s first outdoor sculpture, the Spring Goddess, which is right next to it.
This area is dominated by its sheer size, but first and foremost by the residential building, which, as I mentioned earlier, is reminiscent of a fairytale.
Here you immediately notice how differently it is designed. It’s not just angled and unusually designed. No, no two windows are the same, even if it looks that way from a distance.
There are many different decorations, figures and pictures that made me scan the whole house with my eyes and camera like a scanner so as not to miss a single detail.
This house is also a special artistic building that will not only amaze architecture enthusiasts and art lovers.
The magical pond and the forest full of art
We walk on, leaving the house on our right and heading towards the ponds behind it.
As we step to the right and greet the frogs standing on the right as we pass, we reach the pond, the so-called Hausweiher.
The first thing you notice on the way to the pond is the large bridge that crosses it, the Snake Bridge.
I’ve seen this bridge now in the fall, but I’ve also seen pictures online of snowy winter and spring. Again, pictures don’t do justice to reality. The bridge made a completely different impression on me than I expected.
When you see the picture, you think of something very large and sweeping. It’s certainly not a small bridge, but when I looked at it, I had no sense of size.
It was the filigree, the nuances that I found exciting about the bridge and that attracted me.
I didn’t take many photos this time, but paused and simply looked at the bridge and the whole atmosphere of the pond and let it work its magic on me.
If I add the dolphin fountain on the right, I get a monumental impression all of its own.
I had the feeling that there was a deliberate symbiosis between art, culture and nature.
The whole picture of the pond and the works of art on it looked like a picture, as if it was meant to be one. Not like something that had been introduced into nature, but as belonging to it.
It doesn’t look so elaborate or exaggerated, which art sometimes tends to do. No, in my opinion it is simply coherent as a picture.
A very harmonious arrangement by the Swiss artist Bruno Weber.
When you leave the timeless atmosphere of the pond, you enter the forest and onto a forest path that leads to the forest gate to the north.
Anyone who thinks this is a simple forest or forest trail is mistaken.
This area is so much more than that.
On the one hand, you get an impression of how extensive the grounds actually are. At the entrance to the house, everything seems a little more crowded compared to the forest, despite its clever and beautiful layout.
Here in the forest, you have the feeling of entering a special piece of nature, which is intended to convey a completely different impression than the area around the house.
During the transition, I had the feeling that the transition here was deliberate and into a completely different topic.
We stroll north through the forest and another work of art awaits us at the crossing.
The Alpgeist, created for the EXPO 1992 in Seville, simply stands here by the wayside.
This is also a special work of art in my eyes, as it simply blends into the forest despite its striking color. As if it had always been its home.
Well, maybe it is, with the exception of his stay in Spain to soak up some sun. It is even supposed to be playable as an alphorn, but I haven’t tried it out.
As we continue north through the forest, the whole area seems peaceful. You can simply let your mind wander.
I was quite surprised, because Zurich itself, the highways and the business parks are not far away. But here you have the feeling of being somewhat detached and removed from everything.
I also imagine it to be very relaxing.
When you live in this special house like Bruno Weber and simply go for a walk in the morning or evening and let your mind wander.
This special mood that I fell into on my way through this forest is ultimately the reason for the title of my article. Because that’s exactly how you feel here.
The center and its sunken treasures of art
At the forest gate in the north, we turn southwest again along the long path into the middle of the forest.
The first thing you notice on the beautiful natural path are huge fingers sticking out of the ground. Yes, fingers indeed. They are called finger lions and are another work of art in this park.
The first thought that went through my mind was that a giant was sleeping under the park and penetrating the earth with his fingers to test the surface.
When we reach the center, we are surrounded by a wealth of beautiful works of art, each with its own character.
I was directly impressed by one of the artist’s later works, the Unicorn with Birdman. A sculpture that stands to one side in its own area.
It also follows the character that it stands directly where it belongs, even if, when you look at it, it gives the impression that it comes from a fairy tale.
As if the rider and animal had landed and stayed in this place straight out of a legend.
We remain in the world of animals and legends when we see the cow and bull pavilion to our right.
In addition to the impressive work of architecture itself, which is intended to symbolize the balance of the sexes, it is also the memorial to Bruno Weber.
A memorial in a place that is not immediately visible. An impressively designed work that symbolizes balance.
The focus here is on the work and the vision that Bruno Weber wanted to convey with his creations. But it is also a warm and friendly reminder of the person.
As already mentioned, this area of Bruno Weber Park is so rich in large and small works of art that I can’t even describe them all.
No. I’m telling you, come into this imaginative environment and experience it.
There are large and small works of art everywhere. I took a very close look at the whole area. But I think when I come here again, which will happen, I’ll still find nuances that I didn’t see the first time.
However, I also think that the season plays an important role in this open-air museum. I had the full colors of autumn during my visit on one of the last sunny days of the year.
However, there is one work of art that I found very impressive that I will visit with you before we head off to the grand finale.
When we step through the bull gate, this sculpture shines on the right-hand side. During my visit, I was lucky enough to have the sun perfectly aligned with the sculpture, which made it appear bright and radiant.
In this atmosphere, the three-horned winged bull looked to me like a symbiotic celestial figure. Like a connection between animal and human, an animal angel.
Its position is perfectly chosen and also gives it a majestic and peaceful appearance due to its location. A magnificent work of art that has remained in my memory the most.
If we now leave it alone again, we will come to the impressive end of our tour, the water garden.
The water garden and the double-winged dog sculpture
Here, at the end of our tour together, I find it difficult to describe the impressions I have gained from this Gesamtkunstwerk.
It’s not impressive. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it or will see anything like it anywhere else.
When you enter the water garden, the first thing you notice is the huge winged dog, over 100 m long and also accessible from above, which stands around the pool that forms the water garden like a giant protector or spectator.
At first you feel like you’re in one of the ancient theaters I know from Italy and Greece. Yes, like in a theater, even if there is no stage in the middle, but a pool.
To the side are other small and large works of art, such as dragon sculptures, which add even more shapes and colors to the whole setting. Everything is artfully arranged in the water.
Here, too, you will find many more details every few meters, e.g. artfully designed seating areas, and there are also other works of art on the side behind the dog.
In addition to all the impressions, there are two things I would like to point out to you.
If possible, climb onto the dog’s back.
The area is not so easy to walk in, but the view is fantastic over the whole southern area if you look carefully where you step.
You can even have the experience of sneaking through its snout here.
On the opposite side is the Haus der Wandlung with the water garden hall of Bruno Weber Park and the sanitary facilities.
Which made me smile.
Even the sanitary facilities are artistically designed on the walls in bright colors and mosaic art. So, even the quiet place is worth a visit. Whether you need it or not.
My thoughts on the Swiss Sculpture Park
First of all, I can only say that visiting this park was a special day in my life. It gave me a lot to visit this place and I hope many other people will feel the same way in the future.
You read a lot in the press about discussions on financing and the foundation.
I’m not at all interested in evaluations.
As a moved visitor to the Bruno Weber Park, however, I ask that this monument to the Dietiker artist Bruno Weber and his family be preserved.
With this article, I would like to thank you for this experience and this place of inspiration, where the power of his imagination was made visible through the collaboration of people.
It not only represents half a century of work and design.
In my opinion, Bruno Weber’s sculptural landscape is a place of contemplation and nature that offers a small haven of peace in today’s fast-paced urban world of technology and commerce.
It is not just a tourist attraction or a destination for family outings, this largest sculpture park in Switzerland above Dietikon is much more.
It is a colorful place that I personally believe is needed far beyond Zurich and Switzerland itself.
Here is also the link to the park’s website for more information:
I hope you enjoyed this article, check out my other articles full of travel tips and exciting places to visit.
I am always happy to receive comments and feedback. What inspires you when you travel? Which places attract you?
Thank you for your attention and happy traveling
Wishes you
Florian
Look around and follow me
My social media presence, my ebook and interesting facts about me
