In 2018/2019, the 80 years old street art pioneer Harald Naegeli (*1939) sprayed his last public artwork, the ‘Totentanz Cycle’ (Dance of Death), inside the Grossmünster. While he already had the idea 10 years earlier, he has only recently received the green light by the authorities.
Harald Naegeli started work on the Dance of Death end of November 2018 – free of charge. Soon the work came to a halt – Naegeli had sprayed slightly beyond the contractually agreed scope, which was enforced to the disappointment of the artist.
Naegeli called the artwork a gift to his hometown, from which the later celebrated artist once fled to Germany. About 40 years ago, he was arrested in Zürich and sentenced. For years, the street art pioneer had spent nights incognito spraying mythical creatures and other shapes on public and private walls.
(Source: NZZ, 19.06.2020)
The artwork in the Karlsturm are publicly accessible. The sprayings in the bell tower can only be viewed during special guided tours.
Summer | 1 March – 31 October
Mon–Sat, 10 am – 5.30 pm, Sun 12.30 pm – 5.30 pm
Winter | 1 November – 28 February
Mon–Sat, 10 am – 4.30 pm, Sun 12.30 pm – 4.30 pm
Admission fee: Adults CHF 5.–
No lift available
(187 steep steps up a narrow staircase)