Zurich

Zurich(German:Zürich;Alemannic German:Züri) is thelargest cityinSwitzerlandand the capital of thecanton of Zurich. It is located in north-central Switzerland,at the northwestern tip ofLake Zurich. As of January 2023, the municipality had 443,037 inhabitants,theurban area1.315 million (2009),and theZurich metropolitan area1.83 million (2011).Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. BothZurich AirportandZurich's main railway stationare the largest and busiest in the country.
Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zurich was founded by theRomans, who called itTuricum. However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6,400 years (although this only indicates human presence in the area and not the presence of a town that early).During the Middle Ages, Zurich gained the independent and privileged status ofimperial immediacyand, in 1519, became a primary centre of theProtestant Reformationin Europe under the leadership ofHuldrych Zwingli.
The official language of Zurich is German,but the main spoken language isZurich German, the local variant of theAlemannicSwiss Germandialect.
As one of Switzerland's primary financial centres, Zurich is home to many financial institutions and banking companies.Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including theSwiss National MuseumandKunsthaus.Schauspielhaus Zürichis generally considered to be one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.
The name is traditionally written in English asZurich, without theumlaut. It is pronounced/ˈzjʊərɪk/ZURE-ik.
In German, the city name is writtenZürichand pronounced[ˈtsyːrɪç]. Inthe local dialect, the name is pronounced without the final consonant and with two short vowels, asZüri[ˈtsyri], although the demonym remainsZürcher(in). The city is calledZurich[zyʁik]in French,Zurigo[dzuˈriːɡo]in Italian, andTuritg[tuˈritɕ]inRomansh.
The earliest known form of the city's name isTuricum, attested on atombstoneof the late 2nd century AD in the formSTA(tio) TURICEN(sis)("Turicum customs post"). The name is interpreted as a derivation from a given name, possibly theGaulishpersonal nameTūros. The toponym*Turīconwould then mean "belonging to Tūros", "place of Tūros".The Latin stress on the long vowel of the Gaulish name,[tʊˈriːkõː], was lost in German[ˈtsyːrɪç]but is preserved in Italian[dzuˈriːɡo]and in Romansh[tuˈritɕ].
The first development towards its laterGermanicform is attested as early asc.680–700 with the formZiurichi.From the 9th century onward, the name is established in anOld High GermanformZuri(c)h(857in villa Zurih, 924in Zurich curtem, 1416Zürich Stadt).
InNeo-Latintexts dating fromc.1500–1800, Zurich is often referred to asTigurum; seeTigurini.
Settlements of theNeolithicandBronze Agewere found aroundLake Zurich. Traces of pre-Roman CelticLa Tènesettlements were discovered near theLindenhof, amorainichill dominating the SE – NW waterway constituted by Lake Zurich and the riverLimmat.InRoman times, during the conquest of the alpine region in 15 BC, the Romans built acastellumon the Lindenhof.Later here was erectedTuricum(atoponymof clearCelticorigin), a tax-collecting point for goods trafficked on the Limmat, which constituted part of the border betweenGallia Belgica(from AD 90Germania Superior) andRaetia: this customs point developed later into avicus.After EmperorConstantine's reforms in AD 318, the border betweenGauland Italy (two of the fourpraetorian prefecturesof the Roman Empire) was located east of Turicum, crossing the riverLinthbetweenLake Walenand Lake Zurich where a castle and garrison looked over Turicum's safety. The earliest written record of the town dates from the 2nd century, with a tombstone referring to it as theStatio TuricensisQuadragesima Galliarum("Zurich post for collecting the 2.5% value tax of the Galliae"), discovered at theLindenhof.
In the 5th century, the GermanicAlemannitribe settled in theSwiss Plateau. The Roman castle remained standing until the 7th century. ACarolingiancastle, built on the site of the Roman castle by the grandson ofCharlemagne,Louis the German, is mentioned in 835 (in Castro Turicino iuxta fluvium Lindemaci). Louis also founded theFraumünsterabbey in 853 for his daughter Hildegard. He endowed theBenedictineconvent with the lands of Zurich,Uri, and theAlbisforest, and granted the convent immunity, placing it under his direct authority. In 1045, KingHenry IIIgranted the convent the right to hold markets, collect tolls, and mint coins, and thus effectively made the abbess the ruler of the city.
Zurich gainedImperial immediacy(Reichsunmittelbarkeit, becoming anImperial free city) in 1218 with the extinction of the main line of theZähringer familyand attained a status comparable to statehood. During the 1230s, acity wallwas built, enclosing 38 hectares, when the earliest stone houses on the Rennweg were built as well. The Carolingian castle was used as a quarry, as it had started to fall into ruin.
EmperorFrederick IIpromoted the abbess of theFraumünsterto the rank of aduchessin 1234. The abbess nominated the mayor, and she frequently delegated the minting of coins to citizens of the city. The political power of the convent slowly waned in the 14th century, beginning with the establishment of theZunftordnung(guildlaws) in 1336 byRudolf Brun, who also became the first independent mayor, i.e. not nominated by the abbess.
An important event in the early 14th century was the completion of theManesse Codex, a key source of medieval German poetry. The famousilluminated manuscripthas been described as "the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries."It was commissioned by the Manesse family of Zurich, and copied and illustrated in the city at some time between 1304 and 1340. Producing such a work was a highly expensive prestige project, requiring several years of work by highly skilled scribesand miniature painters, and it testifies to the increasing wealth and pride of Zurich citizens in this period. The work contains 6 songs bySüsskind von Trimberg. Von Trimberg may have been Jewish, since the work itself contains reflections on medieval Jewish life, though little is known about him.
The first mention ofJews in Zurichwas in 1273. Sources show that there was a synagogue in Zurich in the 13th century, implying the existence of a Jewish community.With the rise of the Black Death in 1349, Zurich, like most other Swiss cities, responded bypersecuting and burning the local Jews, marking the end of the first Jewish community there. The second Jewish community of Zurich formed towards the end of the 14th century, was short-lived, and Jews were expulsed and banned from the city from 1423 until the 19th century.
A woman who died in about 200 BC was found buried in a carved tree trunk during a construction project at the Kern school complex in March 2017 in Aussersihl. Archaeologists revealed that she was approximately 40 years old when she died and likely carried out little physical labor when she was alive. A sheepskin coat, a belt chain, a fancy wool dress, a scarf, and a pendant made of glass and amber beads were also discovered with the woman.
On 1 May 1351, the citizens of Zurich had to swear allegiance before representatives of the cantons ofLucerne,Schwyz, Uri andUnterwalden, the other members of theSwiss Confederacy. Thus, Zurich became the fifth member of the Confederacy, which was at that time a loose confederation ofde factoindependent states. Zurich was the presiding canton of the Diet from 1468 to 1519. This authority was the executive council and lawmaking body of the confederacy, from the Middle Ages until the establishment of theSwiss federal statein 1848. Zurich was temporarily expelled from the confederacy in 1440 due to a war with the other member states over the territory ofToggenburg(theOld Zurich War). Neither side had attained significant victory when peace was agreed upon in 1446, and Zurich was readmitted to the confederation in 1450.
Zwinglistarted theSwiss Reformationat the time when he was the main preacher at theGrossmünsterin 1519. TheZurich Biblewas printed byChristoph Froschauerin 1531. The Reformation resulted in major changes in state matters and civil life in Zurich, spreading also to several other cantons. Several cantons remained Catholic and became the basis of serious conflicts that eventually led to the outbreak of theWars of Kappel.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Council of Zurich adopted an isolationist attitude, resulting in a second ring of imposing fortifications built in 1624. TheThirty Years' Warwhich raged across Europe motivated the city to build these walls. The fortifications required a lot of resources, which were taken from subject territories without reaching any agreement. The following revolts were crushed brutally. In 1648, Zurich proclaimed itself a republic, shedding its former status of a free imperial city.In this time the political system of Zurich was anoligarchy(Patriziat): the dominant families of the city were the following ones: Bonstetten, Brun, Bürkli, Escher vom Glas, Escher vom Luchs, Hirzel, Jori (or von Jori), Kilchsperger, Landenberg, Manesse, Meiss, Meyer von Knonau, Mülner, von Orelli.
TheHelvetic Revolutionof 1798 saw the fall of theAncien Régime. Zurich lost control of the land and its economic privileges, and the city and the canton separated their possessions between 1803 and 1805. In 1839, the city had to yield to the demands of its urban subjects, following theZüriputschof 6 September. Most of the ramparts built in the 17th century were torn down, without ever having been besieged, to allay rural concerns over the city'shegemony. TheTreaty of Zurichbetween Austria, France, and Sardinia was signed in 1859.
Zurich was the Federal capital for 1839–40, and consequently, the victory of the Conservative party there in 1839 caused a great stir throughout Switzerland. But when in 1845 the Radicals regained power at Zurich, which was again the Federal capital for 1845–46, Zurich took the lead in opposing theSonderbundcantons. Following the Sonderbund War and the formation of the Swiss Federal State, Zurich voted in favor of the Federal constitutions of 1848 and 1874. The enormousimmigrationfrom the country districts into the town from the 1830s onwards created an industrial class which, though "settled" in the town, did not possess the privileges ofburghership, and consequently had no share in the municipal government. First of all in 1860 the town schools, hitherto open to "settlers" only on paying high fees, were made accessible to all, next in 1875 ten years' residenceipso factoconferred the right of burghership, and in 1893 the eleven outlying districts were incorporated within the town proper.
When Jews began to settle in Zurich following their equality in 1862, theIsraelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürichwas founded.
Extensive developments took place during the 19th century. From 1847, theSpanisch-Brötli-Bahn, the first railway on Swiss territory, connected Zurich withBaden, putting theZürich Hauptbahnhofat the origin of theSwiss railnetwork. The present building of theHauptbahnhof(the main railway station) dates to 1871. Zurich'sBahnhofstrasse(Station Street) was laid out in 1867, and theZurich Stock Exchangewas founded in 1877.Industrialisationled to migration into the cities and to rapid population growth, particularly in the suburbs of Zurich.
TheQuaianlagenare an important milestone in the development of the modern city of Zurich, as the construction of the new lakefront transformed Zurich from a small medieval town on the riversLimmatandSihlto a modern city on theZürichseeshore, under the guidance of the city engineerArnold Bürkli.
In 1893, the twelve outlying districts were incorporated into Zurich, including Aussersihl, the workman's quarter on the left bank of the Sihl, and additional land was reclaimed from Lake Zurich.
In 1934, eight additional districts in the north and west of Zurich were incorporated.
Zurich wasaccidentally bombedduring World War II. As persecuted Jews sought refuge in Switzerland, theSIG(Schweizerischer Israelitischer Gemeindebund, Israelite Community of Switzerland) raised financial resources. The Central Committee for Refugee Aid, created in 1933, was located in Zurich.
The canton of Zurich did not recognize the Jewish religious communities as legal entities (and therefore as equal to national churches) until 2005.
Thecoat of armsof Zurich, used by both the city and the canton, consists of a divided field featuring white (argent) and blue (azure). Its origins date back to the 14th century, with the earliest documentation found on a seal of the Imperial Court of Justice from 1384. The shield appeared in colour on a banner in 1437 and a coin around 1417/18.
When the canton of Zurich was established in 1803, it adopted theheraldic achievementthat had been the city's for centuries, and a new version was created for the city by adding amural crownas acrest. There are slight differences between thesupportersof the city and the canton, too: Both have their coats of arms supported by two lions, but the lions of the canton hold a sword and a palm leaf (which belonged to the city before the canton came into existence; see pictures below).
The previous boundaries of the city of Zurich (before 1893) were more or less synonymous with the location of the old town. Two large expansions of the city limits occurred in 1893 and in 1934 when the city of Zürich merged with many surrounding municipalities, that had been growing increasingly together since the 19th century. Today, the city is divided into twelve districts (known asKreisin German), numbered 1 to 12, each one of which contains between one and four neighborhoods:
Most of the district boundaries are fairly similar to the original boundaries of the previously existing municipalities before they were incorporated into the city of Zurich.
The City Council (Stadtrat) constitutes the executive government of the City of Zurich and operates as acollegiate authority. It is composed of nine councilors, each presiding over a department. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the Municipal Council are carried out by the City Council. The regular election of the City Council by any inhabitant valid to vote is held every four years. The mayor (German:Stadtpräsident(in)) is elected as such by a public election by a system ofMajorzwhile the heads of the other departments are assigned by the collegiate. Any resident of Zurich allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the City Council. In the mandate period 2022–2026 (Legislatur) the City Council is presided by mayorCorine Mauch. The executive body holds its meetings in the City Hall (German:Stadthaus), on the left bank of the Limmat. The building was built in 1883 in Renaissance style.
As of May 2023, the Zurich City Council is made up of four representatives of the SP (Social Democratic Party, one of whom is the mayor), two members each of theGreen Partyand the FDP (Free Democratic Party), and one member of GLP (Green Liberal Party), giving the left parties a combined six out of nine seats.The last regular election was held on 13 February 2022.
Claudia Cuche-Curti is Town Chronicler (Stadtschreiberin) since 2012, and Andrea Töndury is Legal Counsel (Rechtskonsulent) since 2020 for the City Council.
The Municipal Council (Gemeinderat) holds thelegislative power. It is made up of 125 members (Gemeindrat / Gemeinderätin), with elections held every four years. The Municipal Council decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the City Council and the administration. The sessions of the Municipal Council are held in public. Unlike those of the City Council, the members of the Municipal Council are not politicians by profession but are paid a fee based on their attendance. The legislative body holds its meetings in thetown hall(Rathaus).
Zurich is partnered with twosister cities:KunmingandSan Francisco.
Zurich is situated at 408 m (1,339 ft)above sea levelon the lower (northern) end ofLake Zurich(Zürichsee) about 30 km (19 mi) north of theAlps, nestling between the wooded hills on the west and east side. The Old Town stretches on both sides of theLimmat, which flows from the lake, running northwards at first and then gradually turning into a curve to the west. The geographic (and historic) centre of the city is theLindenhof, a small natural hill on the west bank of the Limmat, about 700 m (2,300 ft) north of where the river issues from Lake Zurich. Today the incorporated city stretches somewhat beyond the natural confines of the hills and includes some districts to the northeast in theGlatt Valley(Glattal) and to the north in theLimmat Valley(Limmattal). The boundaries of the older city are easy to recognize by the Schanzengraben canal. This artificial watercourse has been used for the construction of thethird fortressin the 17th and 18th centuries.
The municipality of Zurich has an area of 91.88 km(35.48 sq mi), of which 4.1 km(1.6 sq mi) is made up of Lake Zurich. The area includes a section of the northernSwiss Plateau. The banks of the Limmat constitute the densest part of the city. The river is oriented in the southeast–northwest direction, with the flat valley floor having a width of two to three km (1.2 to 1.9 mi). The partially channeled and straightened Limmat does not flow in the central part of the valley, but always along its right (northeastern) side. TheSihlmeets with the Limmat at the end of Platzspitz, which borders theSwiss National Museum. The Limmat reaches the lowest point of the municipality inOberengstringenat 392 m (1,286 ft)above sea level.
On its west side, the Limmat valley is flanked by the wooded heights of theAlbischain, which runs along the western border. TheUetlibergis, with 869 m (2,851 ft) above sea level, the highest elevation of the surrounding area. Its summit can be reached easily by theUetlibergbahn. From the platform of the observation tower on the summit, an impressive panorama of the city, the lake, and the Alps can be seen.
The northeast side of the Limmat valley includes a range of hills, which marks the watershed between the Limmat and the Glatt. From the northwest to the southeast, the height of the mostly wooded knolls generally increases: the Gubrist (615 m or 2,018 ft), the Hönggerberg (541 m or 1,775 ft), theKäferberg(571 m or 1,873 ft), theZürichberg(676 m or 2,218 ft), theAdlisberg(701 m or 2,300 ft) and theÖschbrig(696 m or 2,283 ft). Between the Käferberg and the Zürichberg is located the saddle of the Milchbuck (about 470 m or 1,540 ft), an important passage from the Limmat valley to the Glatt valley.
The northernmost part of the municipality extends to the plain of the Glatt valley and to the saddle which makes the connection between the Glattal and Furttal. Also, a part of theKatzensee(nature reserve) and the Büsisee, both of which are drained by the Katzenbach to Glatt, belong to the city.
Zurich has anoceanic climate(Köppen:Cfb), with warm summers and four distinct seasons.Decisive for the climate of Zurich are both the winds from westerly directions, which often result in precipitation and, on the other hand, theBise(east or north-east wind), which is usually associated with high-pressure situations, but cooler weather phases with temperatures lower than the average. TheFoehn wind, which plays an important role in the northern alpine valleys, also has some impact on Zurich.
The annual mean temperature at the measuring station of theFederal Office of Meteorology and Climatologyin Zurich-Fluntern (556 m[1,824 ft]above sea levelon the slope of the Zürichberg, 150 m[490 ft] above the level of the city centre) is 9.3 °C (48.7 °F). The lowest monthly mean of daily minimum temperature are measured in January with −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) and the highest monthly mean of daily maximum temperature are measured in July with 24.0 °C (75.2 °F). On average there are 74.9 days in which the minimum temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F) (so-calledfrost days), and 23.7 days in which the maximum temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F) (so-calledice days). There are on average 30 so-calledsummer days(maximum temperature equal to or above 25 °C [77 °F]) throughout the year, while so-calledheat days(with maximum temperature equal to or above 30 °C [86 °F]) are 5.8 days.
The average high temperature in July is 24.0 °C (75.2 °F) and average low temperature is 14 °C (57.2 °F). The highest recorded temperature in Zurich was 37.7 °C (100 °F), recorded in July 1947, and typically the warmest day reaches an average of 32.2 °C (90.0 °F).
Spring and autumn are generally cool to mild, but sometimes with large differences between warm and cold days even during the same year. The highest temperature of the month March in 2014 was on the 20th at 20.6 °C (69.1 °F) during a sunny afternoon and the lowest temperature was on the 25th at −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) during the night/early morning.Record low of average daily temperatures in March since 1864 is −12 °C (10 °F) and record high of average daily temperatures in March is 16 °C (61 °F). Record low of average daily temperatures in October is −16 °C (3 °F) and record high of average daily temperatures in October is 20 °C (68 °F).
Zurich has an average of 1,544 hours of sunshine per year and shines on 38% of its potential time throughout the year. During the months April until September the sun shines between 150 and 215 hours per month. The 1,134 mm (44.6 in) rainfall spread on 133.9 days with precipitation throughout the year. Roughly about every third day you will encounter at least some precipitation, which is very much a Swiss average. During the warmer half of the year and especially during the three summer months, the strength of rainfall is higher than those measured in winter, but the days with precipitation stays about the same throughout the year (in average 9.9–12.7 days per month). October has the lowest number (9.9) of days with some precipitation. There is an average of 59.5 so-calledbright days(number of days with sunshine duration greater than 80%) through the year, the most in July and August (7.4, 7.7 days), and the least in January and December (2.7, 1.8 days). The average number of days with sunshine duration less than 20%, so-calledcloudy days, is 158.4 days, while the most cloudy days are in November (17.8 days), December (21.7 days), and January with 19 days.
The climate in Zurich is becoming not only warmer but also wetter, with reduced sunlight. A comparison between the periods 1940–1950 and 2013–2024 reveals significant changes. For example, in July, temperatures have increased by 1.77°C, while December has seen a rise of 3.41°C. Precipitation in October has increased by 1.45mm. In contrast, snowfall in February has decreased by 0.16mm, and in March, there has been a reduction in sunshine duration by 0.56 hours.
In November 2008the people of Zurich voted in a publicreferendumto write into law the quantifiable and fixed deadline ofone tonne of CO2per person per annum by 2050. This forces any decision of the executive to support this goal, even if the costs are higher in all dimensions. Some examples are the new disinfection section of the public city hospital in Triemli (Minergie-Pquality –passive house),the continued optimisation and creation of public transportation, enlargement of the bicycle-only network, research and projects forrenewable energyand enclosure of speed-ways.
The areas surrounding the Limmat are almost completely developed with residential, industrial, and commercial zones. The sunny and desirable residential areas in the hills overlooking Zurich, Waidberg and Zürichberg, and the bottom part of the slope on the western side of the valley on the Uetliberg, are also densely built.
The "green lungs" of the city include the vast forest areas of Adlisberg, Zürichberg, Käferberg, Hönggerberg and Uetliberg. Major parks are also located along the lakeshore (Zürichhorn and Enge), while smaller parks dot the city. Larger contiguous agricultural lands are located nearAffolternandSeebach. Of the total area of the municipality of Zurich (in 1996, without the lake), 45.4% is residential, industrial and commercial, 15.5% is transportation infrastructure, 26.5% is forest, 11%: is agriculture and 1.2% is water.
Public transport is extremely popular in Zurich, and its inhabitants use public transport in large numbers. About 70% of the visitors to the city use the tram or bus, and about half of the journeys within the municipality take place on public transport.TheZVVnetwork of public transport contains at least four means of mass-transit: any train that stops within the network's borders, in particular theS-Bahn(local trains),Zurich trams, and buses (both diesel and electric, also calledtrolley buses) and boats on the lake and river. In addition, the public transport network includes funicular railways and even theLuftseilbahn Adliswil-Felsenegg(LAF), acable carbetweenAdliswilandFelsenegg. Tickets purchased for a trip are valid on all means of public transportation (train, tram, bus, boat). TheZürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft(commonly abbreviated to ZSG) operates passenger vessels on the Limmat and the Lake Zurich, connecting surrounding towns between Zurich andRapperswil.
Zurich is a mixed hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.Zürich Hauptbahnhof(Zürich HB) is the largest and busiest station in Switzerland and is an important railway hub in Europe. As of early 2020, Zürich HB served around 470,000 passengers and nearly 3,000 trains every day.Among the 16 railway stations (and 10 additional train stops) within Zurich's city borders, there are five other major passenger railway stations. Three of them belong to the ten most frequented railway stations in Switzerland:Stadelhofen,Oerlikon,Altstetten,Hardbrücke, andEnge. The railway network is mainly operated by theSwiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS), but Zurich is also served by majorEuroCitytrains from the neighbouring countries and is a destination for both French/Swiss (TGV Lyria) and German (ICE) high-speed trains, as well as by AustrianRailJet.
Zurich Airportis located less than 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of the city inKloten. Zurich Airport has its own railway station, which is located underground. It is directly connected to Zurich and most of the major Swiss cities. Zurich Airport is served by more than 60 passenger airlines from around the world. It is also served by one cargo airline and is a hub forSwiss International Air Lines. There is also an airfield inDübendorf.
TheA1,A3andA4motorways pass close to Zurich. The A1 heads west towardsBernandGenevaand eastwards towardsSt. Gallen; the A4 leads northwards toSchaffhausenand southwards toAltdorfconnecting with theA2towardsChiasso; and the A3 heads northwest towardsBaseland southeast along Lake Zurich andLake WalentowardsSargans.
In 2012, the city council launched a program to improve the city's attractiveness for bicycle traffic. The so-called "Masterplan Velo"is part of the superordinate frameworkStadtverkehr 2025which shapes the future of the different means of transport. Research revealed that infrastructure and the social environment are essential factors in improving a city's appeal to bicycle traffic.Three main goals are specified: First, themodal shareof bicycle traffic should be enhanced to twice the value of 2011 by 2015. Second, cyclists' safety should be improved to lower the overall accident risk. Third, cycling should be established as an everyday means of transport with a special focus on children and young people.
In terms of infrastructure, the city aims to build up a network of distinctive bicycle routes in order to achieve these objectives. At a final stage, the network will consist of main routes (Hauptrouten) for everyday use and comfort routes (Komfortrouten), with the latter focusing on leisure cycling. Additional measures such as specialVelostationenproviding bike-related services are expected to help to further improve the quality. One of the key projects of the system is a tunnel beneath the tracks of themain railway stationplanned to combine a main connection with staffed possibilities where commuters can leave their bikes throughout the day.Apart from infrastructural measures, further approaches are planned in the fields of communication, education and administration.
However, these efforts cause critique, mainly due to postponing. The institution of the bike tunnel at the main railway station, originally planned for 2016, was delayed to at least 2019.Pro Velo, a nationwide interest group, has publicly questioned whether the masterplan already failed.The critique aims at badly governed traffic management at construction sites, missing possibilities to park bikes in the city as well as rather diffident ambitions. In response, the responsible city department points to the big investments made every year and mentions ongoing discussions that would finally lead to even better results.
There are 421,878 people living in Zurich (as of 31 December 2020),making it Switzerland's largest city. Of registered inhabitants (in 2016), 32% (133,473) do not holdSwisscitizenship.Of these, German citizens make up the largest group with 8% (33,548), followed byItalians3.5% (14,543).As of 2011, the population of the city, including suburbs, totaled 1.17 million people.The entire metropolitan area (including the cities ofWinterthur,Baden,Brugg,Schaffhausen,Frauenfeld,Uster/Wetzikon,Rapperswil-Jona, andZug) had a population of around 1.82 million people.
The official formal language used by governmental institutions, print, news, schools and universities, courts, theatres and in any kind of written form is the Swiss variety of StandardGerman, while the spoken language isZurich German(Züritüütsch), one of the several more or less distinguishable, but mutually intelligibleSwiss Germandialects of Switzerland with roots in the medievalAlemannic Germandialect groups. However, because of Zurich's national importance, and therefore its existing high fluctuation,its inhabitants and commuters speak all kinds of Swiss German dialects. As of the December 2010 census, 69.3% of the population speaksdiglossicSwiss German/Swiss Standard Germanas their mother-tongue at home. Some 22.7% of inhabitants speakStandard Germanin their family environment ("at home"). Dramatically increasing, according to the last census in 2000, 8.8% now speak English. Italian follows behind at 7.1% of the population, then French at 4.5%. Other languages spoken here include: Bosnian (4.1%), Spanish (3.9%), Portuguese (3.1%), and Albanian (2.3%). (Multiple choices were possible.) Thus, 20% of the population speak two or more languages at home.
Before theProtestant Reformationreached Zurich, it wasde jureandde factoRoman Catholic.
TheProtestant Reformation, led byHuldrych Zwingli, made Zurich both a theological centre and a stronghold ofProtestantism in Switzerland. Another Swiss city with a comparable status wasGeneva, the so-calledProtestant Rome, whereJohn Calvinand hisProtestant Reformersoperated, as well asBasel. Zurich attracted other influentialProtestant ReformerslikeHeinrich Bullinger. Zwingli translated the Bible (Zurich Bible) into the local variety of German, and introduced the Reformation by winning support of the magistrates, the princess abbessKatharina von Zimmern, and the largely peasant population of theCanton of Zurich. The canton unanimously adopted theReformed tradition, as represented by Zwingli. Religious wars between Catholics and Protestants tormented theSwiss Confederacy. Zwingli died for political and religious reasons by defending the Canton of Zurich in theBattle of Kappel. Bullinger took over his role as the city's spiritual leader.
In 1970, about 53% of the population wereSwiss Reformed, while almost 40% were Roman Catholic. Since then, both large Swiss churches, the Roman Catholic Church and Swiss Reformed Church, have been constantly losing members, though for the Catholic Church, the decrease started 20 years later, in around 1990. Nevertheless, for the last twenty years, both confessions have been reduced by 10%, to the current figures (census 2010): 30% Roman Catholic, and 26% Swiss Reformed (organized inEvangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich). In 1970, only 2% of Zurich's inhabitants claimed to be not affiliated with any religious confession. In accordance with the loss by the large Swiss churches, the number of people declaring themselves as non-affiliated rose to 17% in the year 2000. In the last ten years, this figure rose to more than 25%. For the group of people, being between 24 and 44 years old, this is as high as one in every third person.
5% of Zurich's inhabitants areMuslims, a slight decrease of 1%, compared to the year 2000. TheMahmood Mosque Zurich, situated in Forchstrasse, is the first mosque built in Switzerland.
The population of Jewish ethnicity and religion has been more or less constant since 1970, at about 1%. TheSynagoge Zürich Löwenstrasseis the oldest and largest synagogue of Zurich.
The level of unemployment in Zurich was 3.2%in July 2012. In 2008, the average monthly income was about CHF 7000 before any deductions for social insurances and taxes.In 2010, there were 12,994 cases (on average per month) of direct or indirectwelfare paymentsfrom the state.
Zurich often performs very well ininternational rankings, some of which are mentioned below:
Most of Zurich's sites are located within the area on either side of the Limmat, between theMain railway stationandLake Zurich. The churches and houses of the old town are clustered here, as are the most expensive shops along the famous Bahnhofstrasse. TheLindenhofin the old town is the historical site of the Roman castle, and the later CarolingianImperial Palace.
In 1922 Augusto Giacometti won the competition to paint the entrance hall of Amtshaus I, which the city promised to brighten up this gloomy room, which was once used as a cellar, and at the same time to alleviate the precarious economic situation of the local artists. Giacometti brought in the painters Jakob Gubler, Giuseppe Scartezzini and Franz Riklin for the execution of this fresco, which encompasses the ceiling and walls, thereby creating a unique colour space that appears almost sacred in its luminosity.
Compared to other cities, there are few tall buildings in Zurich. The municipal building regulations (Article 9)limit the construction of high-rise buildings to areas in the west and north of the city. In the industrial district, Altstetten and Oerlikon, buildings up to 80 m (260 ft) in height are allowed (high-rise area I). In the adjacent high-rise areas II and III the height is limited to 40 m (130 ft). Around the year 2000, regulations became more flexible and high-rise buildings were again planned and built. The people's initiative "40 m (130 ft) is enough," which would have reduced both the maximum height and the high-rise buildings area, was clearly rejected on 29 November 2009.At this time in Zurich about a dozen high-rise buildings were under construction or in planning, including thePrime Toweras the tallest skyscraper in Switzerland at the time of its construction. There are numerous examples of brutalist buildings throughout the city, including theSwissmill Towerwhich, at 118m, is the world's tallest grain silo.
The prehistoric settlements at Enge Alpenquai and Grosser Hafner andKleiner Hafnerare part of thePrehistoric Pile dwellings around the AlpsaUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.
Zurich contributes approximately 10% to Switzerland's GDP.Approximately 90% of workers are employed in thetertiary sector.
In a 2009 survey byCityMayors.com, Zurich was ranked 9th among the "World's 10 Most Powerful Cities".In the 2017Global Financial Centres Index, Zurich was ranked as having the 11th most competitive financial centre in the world, and second most competitive in Europe afterLondon.TheGreater Zurich Areais Switzerland's economic centre and home to many international companies.
Some of Switzerland's largest financial institutions have their headquarters in Zurich, most notably:UBS,Credit Suisse,Zurich Cantonal Bank,Migros Bank,Julius Baer,Zurich Insurance Group,Swiss ReandSwiss Life.
For a list of the largest companies in Zurich, see:List of Swiss companies by revenue.
The high quality of life has been cited as a reason for economic growth in Zurich. Theconsulting firmMercerhasfor many years ranked Zurich as a city with the highest quality of life in the world.In particular, Zurich received high scores for work, housing, leisure, education and safety. Local planning authorities ensure clear separation between urban and recreational areas and there are many protected nature reserves.Zurich is also rankedthe thirdmost expensive city in the world, behind Hong Kong and Tokyo and ahead of Singapore.
Zurich benefits from the high level of investment in education which is typical of Switzerland in general and provides skilled labour at all levels. The city is home to two major universities, thus enabling access to graduates and high technology research. Professional training incorporates a mix of practical work experience and academic study while, in general, emphasis is placed on obtaining a good level of general education and language ability. As a result, the city is home to many multilingual people and employees generally demonstrate a high degree of motivation and a low level of absenteeism. In addition, employment laws are less restrictive than in nearby Germany or France.
GoogleZurich is a main hub for its operations in Europe with about 5000 employees. In March 2023, workers at the centre staged a solidarity movement in coordination with the IT workers' unionSyndicomto reduce lay-offs and to oppose salary cuts. According to a spokesperson for the company, Google Zurich would remain a major employer despite the measures.
The Swiss stock exchange is calledSIX Swiss Exchange, formerly known as SWX. The SIX Swiss Exchange is the head group of several different worldwide operative financial systems:Eurex,Eurex US, EXFEED,STOXX, andvirt-x. The exchange turnover generated at the SWX was in 2007 of 1,780,499.5 millionCHF; the number of transactions arrived in the same period at 35,339,296 and theSwiss Performance Index(SPI) arrived at a totalmarket capitalizationof 1,359,976.2 millionCHF.
About 70,000 people study at the 20 universities, colleges and institutions of higher education in Zurich in 2019.Two of Switzerland's most distinguished universities are located in the city: theSwiss Federal Institute of Technology(ETH Zurich), which is controlled by the federal government, and theUniversity of Zurich, under direction of the canton of Zurich. Both universities were listed in the top 50 world universities rated in 2007, while the ETH has consistently remained in the top 10 universities worldwide since 2016.
ETH was founded in 1854 by the Swiss Confederation and opened its doors in 1855 as a polytechnic institute. ETH achieved its reputation particularly in the fields of chemistry, mathematics and physics and there are 21 Nobel Laureates who are associated with the institution. ETH is usually ranked the top university in continental Europe.The institution consists of two campuses, the main building in the heart of the city and the new campus on the outskirts of the city.
The University of Zurich was founded in 1833, although its beginnings date back to 1525 when the Swiss reformerUlrich Zwinglifounded a college of theology. Nowadays with its 24,000 students and 1,900 graduations each year, the University of Zurich is the largest in Switzerland and offers the widest range of subjects and courses at any Swiss higher education institution.
The Pedagogical College, theZurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) and theZurich University of the Arts(ZHdK) are another three top-class technical colleges which contribute to Zurich's reputation as a knowledge and research pole by providing applied research and development. Zurich is also one of the co-location centres of the Knowledge and Innovation Community (Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation) of theEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology.
In addition to the university libraries, the city is also served by theZentralbibliothek Zürich, a research and public library, and thePestalozzi-Bibliothek Zürich, a public library with 14 locations.
Many largeSwissmedia conglomerates are headquartered in Zurich, such astamedia,Ringierand theNZZ-Verlag.
The headquarters of Switzerland's national licence fee-funded German language television network ("SF") are located in the Leutschenbach neighborhood, to the north of theOerlikon railway station. Regional commercial television station "TeleZüri" (Zurich Television) has its headquarters near Escher-Wyss Platz. The production facilities for other commercial stations "Star TV", "u1" TV and "3+" are located inSchlieren.
One section of the Swiss German language licence fee-fundedpublic radiostation "Schweizer Radio DRS" is located in Zurich. There are commercial local radio stations broadcasting from Zurich, such as "Radio 24" on the Limmatstrasse, "Energy Zurich" in Seefeld on the Kreuzstrasse, Radio "LoRa" and "Radio 1". There are other radio stations that operate only during certain parts of the year, such as "CSD Radio" (May/June), "RadioStreetparade" (July/August) and "rundfunk.fm" (August/September).
There are three large daily newspapers published in Zurich that are known across Switzerland: theNeue Zürcher Zeitung(NZZ),Tages-AnzeigerandBlick, the largest Swisstabloid. All three of those newspapers publish Sunday editions. These are theNZZ am Sonntag,SonntagsZeitungandSonntagsBlick. Besides the three main daily newspapers, there is afree daily commuter newspaperwhich is widely distributed:20 Minuten(20 minutes), published weekdays in the mornings.
A number of magazines from major publishers are based in Zurich. Some examples areBilanz,Die Weltwoche,Annabelle,Schweizer FamilieandSchweizer Illustrierte.
In addition to high-quality museums and galleries, Zurich has high-calibre chamber and symphony orchestras and several important theatres.
TheZurich Film Festivalis an international film festival, lasting 11 days and featuring popular international productions.
One of the largest and most popular annual events in Zurich is theStreet Parade, which is also one of the largest techno and dance music festivals in the world. Proceeding along the side of Lake Zurich, it is normally held on the second Saturday in August. The first edition was held in 1992 with about 1,000 participants. By 2001 the event attracted one million participants.The Zürifäscht, on the other hand, is a triennial public festival. It features music, fireworks set to music,and other attractions throughout the old town. It is the largest public festival in Switzerland and attracts up to 2 million visitors.
The Kunst Zürich is an internationalcontemporary artfair with an annual guest city; it combines most recent arts with the works of well-established artists.Another annual public art exhibit is the city campaign, sponsored by the City Vereinigung (the local equivalent of achamber of commerce) with the cooperation of thecity government. It consists of decorated sculptures distributed over the city centre, in public places. Past themes have included lions (1986), cows (1998), benches (2003), teddy bears (2005), and huge flower pots (2009). From this originated the concept of theCowParadethat has been featured in other major world cities.
Zurich has been the home to several art movements. TheDada movementwas founded in 1916 at theCabaret Voltaire. Artists likeMax Bill,Marcel Breuer,Camille GraeserorRichard Paul Lohsehad their ateliers in Zurich, which became even more important after the takeover of power by theNazi regimein Germany andWorld War II.
The best known traditional holiday in the city is theSechseläuten(Sächsilüüte), including a parade of theguildsand the burning of "winter" in effigy at theSechseläutenplatz. During this festival the popularmarchknown as the Sechseläutenmarsch is played. It has no known composer but likely originated in Russia.Another is theKnabenschiessentarget shooting competitionfor teenagers (originally boys, open to female participants since 1991).
TheZurich Opera House(German:Zürcher Opernhaus), built in 1834, was the first permanent theatre in the heart of Zurich and was at the time, the main seat ofRichard Wagner's activities. Later in 1890, the theatre was re-built as an ornate building with a neo-classical architecture. The portico is made of white and grey stone ornamented with the busts of Wagner, Weber and Mozart. Later, busts of Schiller, Shakespeare and Goethe were also added. The auditorium is designed in the rococo style. Once a year, it hosts theZürcher Opernballwith thePresident of the Swiss Confederationand the economic and cultural elite of Switzerland.TheBallett Zürichperforms at the opera house. TheZurich Opera Ball, a major social event, is held annually at the Opera House as a fundraiser for the opera and ballet companies.
TheSchauspielhaus Zürichis the main theatre complex of the city. It has two dépendances:Pfauenin the Central City District andSchiffbauhalle, an old industrial hall, in Zurich West. The Schauspielhaus was home to emigrants such asBertolt BrechtorThomas Mann, and saw premieres of works ofMax Frisch,Friedrich Dürrenmatt,Botho StraussorElfriede Jelinek. The Schauspielhaus is one of the most prominent and important theatres in Switzerland.
TheTheater am Neumarktis one of the oldest theatres of the city. Established by the old guilds in the Old City District, it is located in a baroque palace near Niederdorf Street. It has two stages staging mostly avantgarde works by European directors.
TheZürcher Theater Spektakelis an international theatre festival, featuring contemporaryperforming arts.
The traditional cuisine of Zurich reflects the centuries of rule by patrician burghers as well as the lasting imprint ofHuldrych Zwingli'spuritanism. Traditional dishes includeZürcher GeschnetzeltesandTirggel.Sternen Grillis a popular restaurant that is known for itsSt. Galler Bratwurst.
Zurich is host city of theStreet Parade, which takes place in August every year (see above).
The most famous districts for Nightlife are theNiederdorfin the old town with bars, restaurants, lounges, hotels, clubs, etc. and a lot of fashion shops for a young and stylish public and theLangstrassein the districts 4 and 5 of the city. There are authentic amusements: bars, punk clubs,hip hopstages, Caribbean restaurants, arthouse cinemas, Turkish kebabs and Italian espresso-bars, but alsosex shopsor the famousred-light districtof Zurich.
In the past ten yearsnew parts of the city have risen into the spotlight. Notably, the area known asZurich Westin district 5, near the Escher-Wyss square and the S-Bahn Station ofZürich Hardbrücke.
Zurich is home to several international sport federations. TheFédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)is headquartered in the city. In 2007 were inaugurated the new FIFA headquarters building, designed by architect Tilla Theus.
Association footballis an essential aspect of sports in Zurich. The city is home to two major rivaling Swissfootball teams;Grasshopper Club Zurichfounded in 1886 andFC Zurichfounded in 1896, both competing inSwitzerland's highest league.
Among the most popular sports in Switzerland isice hockey. In Zurich it is represented by theZSC Lions. TheInternational Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)officiating as head organisation for ice hockey leagues worldwide is based in Zurich as well.
Cycling is a popular sport as well as a means of transport in Zurich. Cycling routes are generally marked with red and white signs and the yellow lanes are exclusively meant for cyclists. Also hiking trails are well marked with yellow signs, most of which give the hiker the probable time it will take them to reach their destination. There are specific maps available for hiking and walking trails throughout Switzerland. Some of the most accessible walks in the Zurich area are the Uetliberg and the Zürichberg. The Offene Rennbahn otherwise known as theOerlikon Velodromedeserves a special visit on any Tuesday evening in the summer, for cyclists there are chances to see time trial champions or local Swiss national cyclists challenging other amateurs in a variety of races including Madison or Keirin events.
As many as 30 clubs and seven indoor curling facilities can be found in the Greater Zurich Area. The curling season starts in early September and continues until the end of April.
Zurich is Switzerland's hub forlacrosse. The Zurich Lions Lacrosse Academics, who play their home games at the Hochschulsportanlage Fluntern,have been the country's dominant team and a major competitor at international events.
Weltklasse Zürich, sometimes referred to as the one-day Olympics,is a one-day athletics meet held annually at theLetzigrundStadium. Since it started on 12 August 1928, the sporting event has witnessed new world records and national records. To date as many as 24 world records were set in Weltklasse.
Zurich Marathon is a popular sport event held in the city. The course starts in Zurich and passes through Bahnhofstrasse,Bellevueplatz,Mythenquai,Quaibrücke, Talstrasse andUtoquai, and along Lake Zurich.New Year's Eve runis another notable running event held on 1 January and starts at midnight.
Zurich was one of six venues of the1954 FIFA World Cupand one of eight venues of theUEFA Euro 2008. The Euro 2008 games were held in the Letzigrund Stadium. Work on the new Letzigrund was completed in exceptionally quick time and the stadium opened in August 2007 just one year after the demolition of the old arena.
Zurich has hosted theUCI Track Cycling World Championshipssix times at the Oerlikon Velodrome. The first event was in 1929 and most recently in 1983.
Since 2013, the internationalLiteraturfestival Zürichtakes place annually in Zurich, presented by Literaturhaus Zürich and Kaufleuten.
Zurich hosted the1998 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships. The city previously co-hosted the1953and1939championships.
Zurich was also host to the2012 Men's World Floorball Championships. This was the first time the event had been held in the city.