We had set out for the First Cliff Walk by Tissot, a metal walkway that clings to the mountainside and suspends visitors over a dizzying drop with panoramic views of the Eiger. It’s the kind of attraction made for Instagram—arms outstretched, smiles frozen over the void.
I wasn’t smiling.
Created by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, she has floated above Zurich’s station since 1997—golden-winged, radiant, joyful. A figure from the artist’s “Nana” series, designed to offer protection and warmth to travelers. She holds two silver pitchers connected by red-lit wires—lifelines, the artist suggests—echoing the balance and patience of the Temperance Tarot card. In that busy hall, her presence was mythic and maternal.
