14 April 2008
Every
3rd Monday of April,
Zürich
is
host to Sechseläuten - the ushering in of Spring. The
procession of the 25 Guilds through the city of
Zürich
culminates
in the burning of the Böögg at Sechselaeutenplatz.
According to local lore, the quicker the Böögg burns,
the hotter and longer the summer will be and, conversly, the
longer the Böögg takes to burn the wetter summer
will be.
In the days before Sechseleuten, the streets of Zürich are decorated with flags both of Zürich, Switzerland, the Guilds of Zürich and, in some places, flags of the Guest Canton. Each year for Sechselaeuten another Canton is invited to process with the Zürcher Guilds from Bürkliplatz, down the prestigous Bahnhofstrasse and, on the other side of the Limmat, back to Bellevue to witness the burning of Mister Winter personified in the Böögg.
The
bells of St Peters Church rang at 6 O'Clock signalling that
the the pyre under the Böögg was to be lit. The key
time is the time between the pyre being lit and the head of
the Böögg finally explodes in an almighty bang. Ten
to twelve minutes for a warm summer. This year the Böögg
burnt for 26 minutes and 1 second. Looks like we're in for
a trying summer.
