ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich's main building is a Neorennaissance structure completed in 1864 by Gottfried Semper, perched on the Zürichberg hillside with a sweeping view over the old town and, on clear days, the Alps. Semper designed it shortly before his move to Vienna, where he went on to shape the Ringstrasse; the ETH building is considered one of his most intact surviving works. Albert Einstein enrolled here in 1896 after famously failing his first entrance exam — a detail commemorated by a small plaque in the foyer. Since the university's founding in 1855, 21 affiliated researchers have received Nobel Prizes, making it one of the most decorated institutions per capita in the world. The publicly accessible rooftop terrace is one of Zurich's quieter panoramic spots, offering views from the medieval Altstadt to the Glarner Alps.

Main building by Gottfried Semper, the Polyterrasse with city + lake views, 22 Nobel laureates.