Neuchâtel, with about 45,000 inhabitants, is the third largest city in French-speaking Switzerland after Geneva and Lausanne. South of the city, along a long promenade, is Lake Neuchâtel. It is the largest lake located entirely in Switzerland. The medieval old town, a church and the castle from the 12th century are special attractions of the city. As a cultural and university city, Neuchâtel also has several nationally important museums. These include the Museum of Art and History in the Palace of Fine Arts, which contains four thematically separate collections. The largest archaeological museum in Switzerland is the Laténium. It displays finds from over 50,000 years of regional history. Friedrich Dürrenmatt lived in a house in Neuchâtel until his death in 1990. It has been converted into a museum and displays his drawings and paintings
