On the western side of the Limmat river lies the Lindenhof quarter, the other part of the old town. Right in it’s centre, on a small hill, Lindenhofplatz gives you excellent views over Niederdorf. Zurich’s citizens held their meetings here in mediaeval times. The alleys and streets near here abound with shops of all kinds and some restaurants and bars. Towards the west, Bahnhofstrasse - one of the world’s most famous shopping streets - marks the border of the Lindenhof district, and on the other side, the so-called City includes Paradeplatz and the financial and business district, spreading out towards the lake. The City is delimited by the Schanzengraben, an artificial moat from the lake to the river Sihl, built in the 17th and 18th century to protect the citizens from all kind of attacks. These days things are more relaxed and you can stroll along the Schanzengraben, mostly on wooden footbridges or stone ledges just by the waterside.