Bahnhofstrasse (Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈbaːnhoːfˌʃtraːsɛ] , lit. 'Railway Station Street'), is the main downtown street of Zurich, Switzerland, and one of the world's most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues. In 2011, a study named Bahnhofstrasse the most expensive street for retail property in Europe, and the third-most-expensive worldwide. In 2016, the street ranked ninth.
History
Bahnhofstrasse came into existence when the city fortifications were demolished in 1864 and the ditch in front of the walls was filled in. Until that time, the name of the location had been Fröschengraben (lit. 'Ditch of the Frogs'), which then was changed to Bahnhofstrasse.
Layout
At its northern end, Bahnhofstrasse starts at Bahnhofplatz (lit. 'train station square') in front of the station building of Zürich Hauptbahnhof, the city's main railway station (47°22′40″N 8°32′25″E), and fountain with the statue of Alfred Escher.