First Legal Brothel Opens In Switzerland

Switzerland’s first legal brothel opened its doors Wednesday after years of court and financial battles.

The Petite Fleur, in a three-story building in suburban Zurich, rented half its 30 rooms the first day - not bad considering advertising only began last week, manager Hans Berchtold said.

The brothel is intended for use only by men and women who don’t ply their trade on the streets. It doesn’t itself employ prostitutes; rooms are rented to them only by the day, at a rate of $138.

Brothels were legalized in Switzerland in October 1992. Since then legal and financial obstacles threatened to delay the opening of the first one.

In 1897, Zurich’s voters - at the time, all men - voted in a referendum to close down the city’s officially tolerated - but illegal - brothels, estimated to number around 24.