Copyright: Ennio Bettinelli

The historical city of Neuchâtel is the capital of the Canton of Neuchâtel. It is situated in the western, French-speaking part of Switzerland. Despite its small size (32 600 inhabitants), the city is famous for its watch industry, whilst it has positioned itself as the heart of high-tech industry, in particular in the micro-technology sector.The city is located on the shore of the lake Neuchâtel, which is the biggest lake that is entirely within Swiss territory. The view of the Alps mirroring in the lake in combination with the vineyards and the forest that are surrounding the city give to Neuchâtel an incomparable beauty. The final touch is added by the Château (the Castle), an impressive monument dating back to the 12th century. The castle once housed the lords of Neuchâtel and it is still nowadays the seat of the Cantonal Government.

The ELMC Neuchâtel Regional Final 2013 will take place at the Château de Neuchâtel (the Castle) and at the premises of the Hotel de Ville (the Town Hall). The Town Hall is a massive neo-classical building, erected between 1784 and 1790 in the heart of the old town, that is the seat of the municipality and of the court of first instance (Tribunal du Littoral et du Val-de-Travers). 

Want to find out more about the city? Go to: www.neuchatelville.ch/