History
In the course of the 15th century, people began to use this quiet place in the Zurich Oberland for bathing; the Gyrenbad was first mentioned in 1464. The oldest bathing regulations date from 1602. At that time, bourgeois society from the city was among the best customers. In the 1620s, the owner at the time, Ulrich Bosshard, built what is now the main house as a half-timbered building, but even then the property consisted of several buildings.
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In 1777, the Zurich pastor Johann Rudolf Schinz (1745-1790) described 54 bathing boxes for 84 people in the Gyrenbad. In the early 19th century, the bath was given a new look for tourists: In 1826 the west wing was built with guest rooms and a bath house for water and whey cures, which were offered until 1968. In 1844, the access road to the baths was redesigned by the canton, and at the same time the Gyrenbad landlord built what is now the east wing with the viewing terrace in front. This was given a large dining room as well as common rooms, such as the elegant ladies’ room, which was preserved in its original condition, and guest rooms on the upper floor. The garden parterre led to a park-like area on the side, which breathed a touch of romance with its exotic trees and invited to stroll. The furniture in the Gyrenbad testifies to this lively spirit of the Belle Epoque, as suggested to potential guests in the brochures of the time. After the end of bathing operations, the Kunz family worked out a comprehensive renovation concept, which has been implemented in stages since 1990 with the support of monument preservation. The guest room, dining room and ladies’ salon, terrace and park garden have been preserved in their traditional form, historical furniture bears witness to a past of hospitality and last but not least the external, familiar face of the Gyrenbad has been preserved even after the comprehensive overall renovation. In 1997, the Gasthof Gyrenbad received the Historical Hotel of the Year award from Icomos Switzerland, which was presented for the first time. The former Kurhaus has been a member of Swiss Historic Hotels since 2005.
