Switzerland in miniature

Since first arriving in Switzerland so long ago, it’s taken me over eighteen years to get around to visiting Swissminiatur in canton Ticino. I love miniatures and, in particular, those which represent scenes or buildings which actually exist. (This being said, I’m not quite sure why it’s taken me so long to get there…)

I finally made it to the park at Melide, in the south of Switzerland, last weekend and loved it: from the large concrete mound formed to represent the Swiss alpine peaks of Titlis and Schilthorn, to the detailed buildings and charming rail and road network weaving between the individual features.

Although I enjoyed all of the scenes, my favourites were of the Zytglogge clock tower (from Bern, including the pissoir), the motorway services at Würenlos (including cars passing back and forth along the motorway), and the trans-alpine transport at the foot of the large mountain sculpture.

I also particularly liked that because some of the models are being (or soon will be) repaired and updated, those which need improvement feature miniature repair work details, like men with diggers or tiny sets of scaffolding.