ANATOLY IVANOV / PHOTOGRAPHY / MIXTURE /   <      >  

Lausanne before sunset

Lausanne, a city in the heart of western Switzerland situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, is the capital of the Canton of Vaud. It is the World Olympic Capital since 1994 and seat of the International Olympic Committee since 1915, as well as headquarters of a great number of International Sports Federations.<br /><br />From Lousonna of the Roman era to Lausanne, the modern European city, it has always been a key point on the North-South route from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Its “city”, dominated by the 13th century Gothic cathedral (4 spires and 105 stained-glass windows), was built in the Middle Ages.<br /><br />To this day, it remains a magnificent architectural and artistic heritage with its paved roads and period houses sporting their shop signs and housing craftsmen’s workshops and cozy pubs.