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Zurich (‹See Tfd› German: Zürich; Alemannic German: Züri) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, [ 5 ] at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich .
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Zürich, largest city of Switzerland and capital of the canton of Zürich. Located in an Alpine setting at the northwestern end of Lake Zürich, this financial, cultural, and industrial centre stretches out between two forested chains of hills, about 40 miles (60 km) from the northern foothills of the Alps. Two rivers, the Limmat and Sihl, run through...
The first inhabitants of the region were the prehistoric peoples whose hut dwellings rose from pile foundations driven into the shores of the lake. The Celtic Helvetii founded a community on the right bank of the Limmat River; when the Romans conquered this area about 58 bce, they made the settlement, which they called Turicum, a customs post. Under Roman rule, Zürich grew into a small army stronghold with an adjacent vicus, or Roman village. After the collapse of Rome, the community fell first to the Alemanni, a Germanic people from the north, and later to the Franks, who made it a royal residence.
The community began to flourish as traders settled in the town and took advantage of its position straddling European trade routes. In 1218 Zürich became an imperial free city, and in 1351 it joined the Swiss Confederation, a coalition of cantons that were opposed to the Austrian Habsburgs. In 1336 the citizens accepted a constitution that, based democratically on the guild system, balanced the power of the various crafts, the trades, and the nobility. As the guilds became more powerful, the city was able to purchase its freedom from the emperor in 1400, and tax obligations were lifted. Zürich became embroiled in conflicts with neighbouring territories, but economic growth continued relatively unimpeded. Staging repeated successful forays into the surrounding countryside, the city began controlling an even larger part of it; moreover, Zürich profited from being conveniently located on both the southbound trade route, centred on the St. Gotthard Pass, and the east-west route from the Rhône River to the Danube.
In 1519 Huldrych Zwingli, a priest at the Grossmünster (“Great Minster”), began to preach a series of sermons that initiated the Swiss Protestant Reformation and transformed the character of Zürich itself. It turned into an industrious puritanical city maintaining lively business relations and an exchange of ideas with other Protestant cities, notably Bern and Geneva. During the Counter-Reformation, the city offered asylum to many refugees from northern Italy and France, and the new residents further stimulated cultural and economic growth.
Napoleon’s occupation of Switzerland in 1798 ended the old political order, and Zürich was reorganized under the Helvetic Republic, which tried to form a unitary Swiss state. Zürich residents did not like the centralized control imposed by the new republic, and years of conflict between the city, the surrounding countryside, and the other cantons ensued. The disputes ended in 1803 when Napoleon mediated, and the canton of Zürich, dominated by the city, became a sovereign member of a new Swiss Confederation. The political rule exerted by the aristocratic ancien régime was replaced by a liberal democratic order by 1816.
The 1830 July Revolution in Paris sparked similar revolutions in Swiss cantons, including Zürich canton, which gave way to liberal reform. The cantons’ citizenry was able to elect and exercise strong control over the legislature (Gemeinderat) as well as the executive branch of government (Stadtrat). A new canton constitution was drafted in 1831. Under the Swiss constitution of 1848, the autonomous cantons became federal states, each with its own constitution. The people of Zürich adopted a new constitution in 1869, which included mandatory referendums, direct election of cantonal government by the citizens, and limits on presidential terms. This democratic constitution served as a model for other Swiss cities and influenced the revision of Switzerland’s national constitution in 1874.
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Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland with a population of over 428'700, an increase of 19'500 since year 2000. 1,4 million people live in Zürich agglomeration.
Jul 7, 2023 · Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, is a vibrant and cosmopolitan destination that seamlessly blends modernity with rich history. Nestled on the banks of the Limmat River and overlooking Lake Zürich, this picturesque city offers breathtaking views, world-class architecture, and a plethora of cultural experiences.
- Dimitri Burkhard
- There are more than 1200 public water fountains in Zürich. Anyone who has been to Switzerland knows that buying bottled water is a waste of money. Switzerland has some of the cleanest drinking water, whether from the tap or from public fountains.
- The Dada movement was born at Cabaret Voltaire in Zürich. During World War I, it is no coincidence that a number of artists, poets, philosophers and revolutionaries found refuge in neutral Switzerland.
- Zürich is a hot spot for research and development. Thanks to the superb quality of life and the proximity to ETH Zürich, many international corporations have branches in Zürich.
- In 1997, a major heist went down in downtown Zürich. The centrally located post office at Fraumünster was once the scene of a Hollywood worthy heist. On the morning of September 1, 1997, a day after the tragic car accident of Lady Diana, five robbers breached the security of the post office.
It is the country's largest city and home to an internationally reputed financial centre as well as being the focus of an economic region which acts as the motor of Switzerland, and along with Geneva is the most important gateway to the country.
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Zurich is in the North of Switzerland, and it is 408 m (1,339 ft) above sea level. It is at the northern end of Lake Zurich and is surrounded by hills; at the left side of the lake, there is the Albis mountain range, including the Felsenegg (accessible by Zurich's only cable car) and Zurich’s "house mountain" Uetliberg.
