Geneva is the third largest city in Switzerland, located in the southwest corner of Lake Geneva. The big fountain on the lake is the symbol of Geneva. Geneva is attractive all year round, and it is also an international city where international institutions gather. Geneva is famous for its profound humanitarian tradition, colorful cultural activities, large-scale conferences and exhibitions, mouth-watering food, fresh suburban scenery and numerous sightseeing projects and sports facilities. Geneva is also the clock capital of the world, and the watch industry and banking industry have become the two spiritual pillars of Geneva.
The land belongs to the north temperate zone, and it is affected by the alternation of marine climate and continental climate, and the climate changes greatly.
Geneva is a famous tourist destination in Switzerland, with many places of interest. There are the famous International Religious Reform Monument, Saint Pierre Cathedral, Grand Theatre, Museum of Art and History, Geneva University and so on. Many museums in Geneva have precious cultural relics of ancient countries such as China, Japanese, Greek and Rome, and the history of people's efforts to find time can be found in the clock museum. Attractions: Clock Museum, Palais des Nations, Saint Pierre Cathedral, Diabre, Grand Fountain, Big Flower Clock, Saint Guas, Lisbanes in the east of China, Ariane Museum.
Geneva is located on the picturesque Lemmon Lake, bordering France on the south, east and west. The tranquil Rhone River runs through the city. At the intersection of the lake and the river, several bridges connect the old city and the new city on the north and south sides. People in Geneva say that if facing the direction of France (that is, the west), the left side of the lake is called the left bank and the right side is called the right bank. This unique name is because Geneva started with banking. The left bank is a collection of commercial activities in this city, from shops, department stores and banks to the old city, important attractions, cafes and restaurants, which are mostly located in this area. As for international organizations, hotels, airports, railway stations, etc. They are important members of the right bank. According to the data, as early as 10000-20000 BC, that is, after the ice age, human beings lived on both sides of the Rhone River estuary which flowed into the present-day Lake Geneva. In the 1st century A.D., Geneva was already an important commercial center, and it was not until the Swiss Union was reorganized for a period of time that it brought knowledge industry and wealth to Geneva. 1536 Before Switzerland declared its Republic, Savoy forces invaded the city continuously. 1602 Duke Chavez tried to capture Geneva, but the legendary citizens resisted fiercely, even the cooking pots and kettles were spared.
Many museums in Geneva have precious cultural relics of ancient countries such as China, Japanese, Greek and Rome, and the history of people's efforts to find time can be found in the clock museum. Geneva is also the center of major cultural performances. International artists often perform music and opera in major theaters, and Quai du Mont Blanc in Grand Casina is a place to try their hand. There is no doubt about Geneva's international financial status. Due to the stable political situation, international institutions gather here, and the European headquarters of the United Nations is engaged in rewriting modern history every day in Geneva.
Switzerland's rich products make it a paradise for shopping. In most shops and department stores, the price of exquisite watches is generally lower than that of other countries. There are many kinds of chocolates, with different sizes, styles and tastes. Goods worth buying in Switzerland include textiles, embroidery, exquisite handkerchiefs, linen products, precision instruments, cartographers, Swiss army knives, music boxes, wood carvings, ceramics and other handicrafts, as well as lacquerware and art albums. Shops are usually open from 9 am to 6: 30 pm and from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday.
wine
Geneva's wine is a must, and it is a big producing area in Europe. Its vineyard area ranks third in the country, and Geneva has a long history of winemaking, which has lasted for many centuries. Compared with other local wines, local wines are not inferior and the prices are reasonable.
Chocolate
Swiss chocolate is world-famous. Switzerland has also turned chocolate making into a coveted art.
Brand goods
A modern metropolis, of course, is full of dazzling high-grade goods from local and international. The main shopping area in Geneva is the famous Rue du Rhone, which extends from the old city to the south bank of the Rhone River.
There is no doubt that world-renowned auction houses such as Christie's and Sotheby's chose to operate in Geneva for a reason. Antiquorum, an expert in antique clocks and watches, and other shops directly quoted that precious antiques, cultural relics, watches and jewellery all flowed into this metropolis. Famous watches such as Audemars Piguet, Boucher, Bulgari, Cartier, Chopin, Frank Mueller, Gubyrin, Les Ambassadeurs, Earl, Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin all gathered in Geneva, marking the city's distinguished position in precious cultural relics, jewels and clocks. David Duff's shop in Rue Rive Street is a must-see for cigar fans all over the world. For those who collect all kinds of souvenirs, L'Ours de Berne can't be missed. Many fine products that are hard to find elsewhere can be found here.
Geneva is also the hometown of traditional women's wear and accessories. Well-known brands such as Burberry, Celine, Chanel, Dior, Dunhill, Gucci, Hermes and Louis Vuitton have opened stores in Longhe Street to show tourists the elaborate designs of famous teachers. Apart from the jewellery, watches and jewelry provided by the above-mentioned famous shops, antique shops, handmade chocolates and flea markets have all added rare shopping pleasure to Geneva.
Souvenir collectors can visit Feng Street on the right bank and sell special handicrafts along the way. From traditional bronze cowbells to handmade Swiss pottery, any souvenirs and antique treasures that can be thought of can be found.
Neva's society is rich in cultural and sports activities, so as long as a person has time and energy, he will not be bored in his spare time. It is an ideal place to hold various activities, with large and small art festivals, cultural festivals, plays, dances, classical music and modern music, jazz and open-air movies by the lake alternately. Throughout the summer, classical concerts are often held in the city hall compound, and jazz bands and brass bands add vitality to parks and lakes.
Various wonderful trade fairs and exhibitions run through the year, such as auto show, new technology and invention show, international book show, advanced watch show, etc.
Sports and nature
The leisure time of Geneva people has a lot to do with their geographical environment. In mountainous areas, there are hiking, mountain climbing, skiing and other activities; If there is more water, there will be boating and sampan sports; The scenery is beautiful, and tourism is popular everywhere.
Geneva pays attention to nature and blends in with the environment.
There are many ways to carry out sports activities in nature: playing and relaxing on the Rhone River and Lake Lemmon; Riding a horse, riding a bike or walking in the suburbs; Skiing in the nearby Alps or Jura Mountain and so on. Many sports competitions are very popular, attracting sports fans from all over the world. Whether climbing cliffs, soaring in the air or swimming in the lake, Geneva is really an ideal place for people who love nature and sports.
The annual "Golden Bowl Cup" regatta has gone through more than half a century. Every June, more than 600 sailboats and their crew gather in Geneva. At the beginning of August, the music fireworks of the famous Geneva Music Festival attracted thousands of audiences all over the world. It's still going on.
In 65438+February, during the "Dengcheng Festival", people marched in the old city wearing17th century costumes to commemorate the historic victory of the Geneva people in 1602+05438+0 1 night.
Major festivals
New Year's Day (65438+ 10/and 65438+1 0.2)
Good Friday
Monday after Easter
Jesus ascensiontide.
The day after Pentecost
Swiss National Day (August 1)
Halloween (1 65438+1October1)
Christmas Day (65438+February 25th)
Boxing Day (65438+February 26th)
According to some dietary guidelines, Geneva has the largest number of restaurants per capita in the world. In this famous international city, there are more than 1 100 restaurants with different styles and unique tastes. In the downtown area, you can feast your eyes and taste the delicious food from all over the world without walking far. Of course, please don't forget to go to the downtown restaurants, country hotels and lakeside luxury hotels, and taste the local four-season specialties with Geneva wine.
Swiss white wine is not only mellow, but also distinctive. There are also alcoholic fruit drinks, such as Marc, Kirsch, Pflumli and Williamine.
Due to cultural differences, Switzerland provides you with unusual cooking. In the Franco-German-Italian area, Franco-German-Italian has great influence, but the quality is good. Each region has its own characteristics; French-speaking cheese fondue and small pies; Sausages, barbecues and baked potato cakes in German-speaking areas; Air-dried beef slices and ham in Grau, Pennsylvania; And the Italian characteristics of Danchino. Swiss cakes and sweets are world-famous. Swiss grapes are very good, especially when you want to drink wine in grape-rich areas-always ask for local wine. Swiss beer is also first-class. Hard liquor tastes good, but its alcohol content is high, such as Marc, Kirsch, Pflumli and Williamine.
[Edit this paragraph] Folk customs are interesting.
It is stipulated by the Swiss government that the renovation of new houses must be applied to the government, neighbors should decorate and everyone should decorate together. Therefore, many families have to wait a year and a half to decorate after applying.
Local specialty food:
Cheese produced by Fondue and Raclette-Emmental `Appenzell`Jura is dissolved in white wine, then dipped in bread and eaten with a long fork.
Sausage and veal sausage mixed potato cake.
Bundnerfleisch-This is a special beef jerky in Grison.
Bourguignonne hot pot-put a large piece of beef on the barbecue fork and roast it with oil moxibustion. You can dip in all kinds of sauces when eating.
Sliced veal with mushrooms topped with a sauce made of cream and white wine.
Pasta, pizza and corn porridge (a kind of corn food) can be found everywhere in Switzerland, but the Italian-speaking town of Ticino in the south is the most famous.
The cakes, chocolates and desserts produced in Switzerland are world-famous.
Telephone:
0.6 per minute. You can use 1 CHF or CHF 5 coins or calling cards (available at any post office) to make international calls directly from the telephone booth.
Postage:
Postcards under 20g: European and Mediterranean countries-1. 10 Swiss francs (first class mail), 0.90 Swiss francs (second class mail).
Other countries: 1.80 Swiss francs (first class mail), 1. 10 Swiss francs (second class mail)
If you want to surf the Internet in Switzerland, you can buy a BLUEWIN CD in the computer mall and provide local Internet connection in Switzerland after installation. You can surf the internet for free, unlimited time, just pay the phone bill. The CD is 10 Swiss francs.
The Geneva government stipulates that the height of downtown buildings is limited to 37.5m (this is the height of St. Pierre's Church built 100 years ago), and no one can violate it.
Canton of Geneva; (fagenève； Genf； Genevra is a romantic language, which is a state in southwest Switzerland. Its borders are connected with France except Swiss territory in the northeast and Lake Geneva.
[Edit this paragraph] International organizations
Geneva, Switzerland is the city with the largest number of international organizations, among which the Palais des Nations, the United Nations office in Europe, is the most famous. In addition to the United Nations Office in Europe, there are more than 840 international organizations and various representative offices in Geneva, such as the World Health Organization, the International Red Cross, the World Meteorological Organization, the Universal Postal Union and the International Labour Organization.
[Edit this paragraph] International treaties
Geneva Convention
Geneva Conventions are the general name of a series of international conventions for the protection of civilians and war victims concluded in Geneva, Switzerland from 1864 to 1949. 1862, Swiss Henri Dunant described the horrors of the French-Italian war against Austria in 1859, in order to arouse the world's attention to the problem of rescuing the wounded and sick in wartime and advocate the establishment of rescue groups in various countries. 1863 Geneva international conference organized by the red cross, hoping to "neutralize" the wounded and medical staff. 1864 On August 22nd, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and other countries 12 signed the Geneva Convention for Improving the Situation of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field in Geneva. The Convention stipulates the neutrality of military hospitals and medical personnel, and wounded soldiers should be received and cared for regardless of their nationality.
The above-mentioned conventions were revised and supplemented twice in 1906 and 1929, forming the Geneva Convention for the Improvement of the Treatment of the Wounded and Sick in Time of War and the Geneva Convention for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. 1949, 12 In August, representatives of 63 countries expanded the original two conventions into four conventions at a meeting held in Geneva. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (Geneva Convention 1), Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked in Armed Forces at Sea (Geneva Convention II), Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (Geneva Convention III) and Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (Geneva Convention IV).
By the end of 1994, * * 187 countries and regions had become parties to the Geneva Conventions in different ways. The Convention is regarded as an important part of international humanitarian law and an authoritative legal document that binds the rules of conduct of the opposing sides in wars and conflicts. China joined the Convention on 1956, and made four reservations to the Convention: the substitution of the protecting country must be agreed by the protected person's home country; After a prisoner of war or a civilian is handed over to another country, the responsibility of the original detaining country should not be exempted; Civilians outside the occupied areas should also be protected by the Convention; War criminals are not allowed to enjoy the status of prisoners of war.
The Geneva Conventions entered into force on June 52004. The two Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions were signed in Geneva on June 1977 and came into force on February 7, 1978.
On the basis of 1864 Geneva Convention, 1906, 1929 and 1949 Geneva Convention has been revised and supplemented for many times and developed into 1949 Geneva Convention, namely:
-Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, the Fourth Geneva Convention. 1949;
* * * There are 64 articles in the text, with 2 annexes, the main contents of which are: to confirm the principle that the wounded and sick on both sides of the enemy should be treated humanely without distinction under any circumstances; It is forbidden to inflict any harm or violence on the life and person of the wounded and sick, especially to prohibit murder, torture, conducting biological experiments or deliberately failing to give medical assistance and care; Medical units and their buildings, equipment and personnel are inviolable, but there should be obvious signs of the Red Cross or Red Crescent, red lions on a white background and the sun.
-Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, namely 1949;
* * * Article 63, annex 1, is a revision and supplement to The Hague Convention 1907. It is exactly the same as Convention 10. 1 in terms of scope of application, protected objects, basic principles, etc. Only by combining the characteristics of naval warfare, special principles and rules for protecting the wounded and sick, hospital ships and their personnel in naval warfare are stipulated. The Convention only applies to the troops on board, and the principles and rules stipulated in the Geneva Convention 1 still apply to the landing troops.
-Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, namely 1949 Third Geneva Convention;
* * * The text 143, with five annexes, is a revision and supplement to the Convention of the same name 1929. It expands the scope of application and the object of protection of the Convention. The main contents are as follows: the prisoner of war is under the jurisdiction of the enemy country, not the individual or military unit that captured him, so the detaining country should be responsible for the prisoner of war and give others humane treatment and protection; Personal belongings of prisoners of war, except weapons, horses, military equipment and military documents, should still be kept by prisoners of war; Accommodation, food and health care for prisoners should be guaranteed; Prisoners of war can be detained, but unless they are subject to criminal and disciplinary sanctions; Prisoners of war shall not be ordered to engage in dangerous and humiliating work; After the war stops, prisoners of war should be released or repatriated immediately without delay; Under no circumstances can prisoners of war give up part or all of the rights conferred by the Convention; In case of doubt about a person's status as a prisoner of war, he shall enjoy the protection of this Convention before the competent court makes a decision.
-Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, namely 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention.
* * * Text 159, Annex 3. The annexes of Hague Convention No.2 1899 and Hague Convention No.4 1907 (see The Hague Convention) only contain some scattered provisions on the protection of civilians. The Convention is a supplement and development to these provisions. Its main contents are: enemy civilians under the power of one party to the conflict should be protected and treated humanely, including being allowed to leave the country safely and ensuring the basic rights of civilians who have not been repatriated; It is forbidden to destroy undefended towns and villages; Killing, coercion, ill-treatment and expulsion of peaceful residents are prohibited; Prohibition of corporal punishment and torture; The person, family, honor, property, religious beliefs and customs of peaceful residents should be respected; Collective punishment and hostage-taking are prohibited.
The above four conventions were signed by China, the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, France and other 6/kloc-0 countries in August 1949, and came into force in August 1950, 10, 2 1 year. As of August, 1994, * * 187 countries and regions have become contracting parties to the Geneva Conventions through ratification, accession or notification.
[Edit this paragraph] Culture
Landmarks and landscapes
Famous attractions in Geneva include the Flower Clock, the Museum of Art and History, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and the Palais des Nations (the European headquarters of the United Nations).
The most striking symbol of this city is a fountain in Lake Geneva. You can see140m high water column from many places in the city. Tourists can rent a boat by the lake to visit.
The old town of Geneva is also a tourist attraction with unique flavor. You can stroll in the narrow streets or visit St. Peter's Cathedral.
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The main newspaper in this city is the Geneva Tribune, which was founded by James T Bates on 1 February 8791day and has about 187000 readers. Founded in 1868, Le Courrier was originally run by Catholicism, but it has been completely independent since 1996. The Courier, which is mainly concentrated in Geneva, also tries to expand to other French-speaking states in Switzerland. Swiss Times (headquartered in Geneva) and Swiss French Morning Post have many readers in Geneva.
Geneva is covered by the French broadcasting network of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, including French radio stations in Switzerland. These broadcasting networks cover the whole French-speaking area of Switzerland, but during special events such as elections, some special programs are occasionally broadcast on local channels. Other local radio stations only cover the city and its surrounding areas, such as RadioLac(FM 9 1.8 MHz), Radio Cité (Christian Radio, FM 92.2 MHz), OneFM(FM 107.0 MHz, also broadcast in Vaud), and Geneva World Radio (FM 88.4 MHz), the only English radio station in Switzerland.
The TV channels mainly covering Geneva are Swiss French TV station TSR；; Although headquartered in Geneva, it can be seen everywhere in the French-speaking areas of Switzerland. Léman Bleu is a local TV station, which was built in 1996 and broadcast by cable. Being close to France, you can watch French TV channels at any time in Geneva.
sports
The main sports team in Geneva is Servette FC, which belongs to a football club and was founded in 1890. Sevitt is the only Swiss football club that has been in the top league since 1960s and has never been relegated. In 2005, due to management problems, the parent company went bankrupt, so that the club was divided into two teams, and the newly established team needed to return to the first division.
There is also a hockey club in Geneva-Geneva Sevitt Hockey Club (Genève-Servette HC), which plays for the Swiss National Ice Hockey League (Nationalliga A).
[Edit this paragraph] "Geneva, China"-Zhanjiang
Ma 'er Lake, Huguangyan Lake, the first volcanic lake in China, "It is still warm in winter, like summer in autumn, and the breeze is inflamed. Twenty thousand years later, the volcano erupted, leaving a green and famous lake. I will also say. In another ten years, people and rivers and mountains will be difficult to draw. " This is the second half sentence of the poem "Red Leizhou Peninsula in the Manjiang River" written by Chen Yi, Vice Premier and Foreign Minister of the State Council, during his inspection tour in Zhanjiang.
Beautiful Jinshawan Sea View Corridor 1963 In February, Chen Yi visited Zhanjiang. After he arrived at the airport, he took a bus to the seaside guest house and praised the dazzling scenery along the way. He immediately unpacked his luggage and visited Zhanjiang with great interest. Chen Yi, known as the "general poet", was elated by Zhanjiang's pleasant climate, charming scenery and excellent greening, and he wrote poems from time to time, which also reminded him of Geneva, where he went abroad for a meeting six months ago.
1962 On July 16, Foreign Minister Chen Yi led a Chinese delegation to attend the meeting in Geneva and stayed in Geneva for a week. Geneva is a famous tourist city in Switzerland, with charming lakes and mountains. It is called "World Garden" and many international conferences are held here. The beauty of Geneva left an unforgettable impression on Chen Yi. But Zhanjiang has a unique tropical scenery in the north, and there are many places comparable to Geneva. He praised Zhanjiang for many times as "Geneva of China" and planted trees in seaside parks and river bottom reservoirs, adding greenery and brilliance to "Geneva of China".
The title of "Geneva, China" soon spread all over the motherland, even being wrongly classified as the right wing, and Ai Qing, the leading poet in Xinjiang, also turned pale. 1979 On the twentieth day after his rehabilitation in February, he went to Zhanjiang to collect wind. What he saw and heard in Zhanjiang made him very happy. He said happily, "I really saw the magnificent scenery of Geneva, China." And in the future prose "Zhanjiang, oleander" is reflected. Zhanjiang's reputation as "Geneva, China" was silent for ten years during the Cultural Revolution, and it was recommended by Ai Qing to show to the world again.