Zurich

{{Short description|Largest city in Switzerland}} {{Other uses}} {{pp-move-indef}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Use British English|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox Switzerland municipality |subject_name = Zurich |native_name = {{ubl|{{nativename|de|Zürich|parensize=80%}}|{{nativename|gsw|Züri|parensize=80%}}}} |municipality_type = City |image_photo = {{Multiple image| | total_width = 320 | border = infobox | perrow = 1/3 | caption_align = center | image4 = Opernhaus Zürich - Sechseläutenplatz 2013-08-31 18-30-40.JPG | caption4 = Zurich Opera House | image2 = CH.ZH.Zurich Hotel The-Dolder-Grand 3x2-R 15K.jpg | caption2 = Dolder Grand | image3 = ETH Zürich im Abendlicht.jpg | caption3 = ETH Zurich | image1 = Altstadt Zürich 2015.jpg | caption1 = Old Town, with St. Peter and Town Hall (right of centre), on the river Limmat}} |imagepath_flag = CHE Zürich ZH Flag.svg |imagepath_coa = CHE Zürich COA.svg |canton = Zurich |iso-code-region = CH-ZH |district = Zurich |coordinates = {{coord|47|22|28|N|08|32|28|E|display=inline,title}} |postal_code = 8000–8099 |municipality_code = 0261 |population=436551|area = 87.93 |area_source=<ref name="area">{{cite web|url=https://www.agvchapp.bfs.admin.ch/de/kennzahlen/query|title=Geographische Kennzahlen|language=de|publisher=FSO}}</ref>|elevation = 408 |elevation_description = Zurich main railway station |lowest = Limmat|lowest_m=392|highest=Uetliberg|highest_m=871 |website = stadt-zuerich.ch |mayor = Corine Mauch|mayor_asof=February 2014|mayor_party=SPS |mayor_title = Stadtpräsidentin |list_of_mayors=List of mayors of Zurich |parliament_name = Gemeinderat |parliament_number_of_members=125 |executive_name = Stadtrat |executive_number_of_members=9 |populationof=2024-12-31<ref name="population">{{cite web |title=Permanent resident population by Year, Canton / District / Commune|url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-0102010000_101/-/px-x-0102010000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=18b2f0c5-2cf6-4847-9f6f-3f23d3e7129d|publisher=FSO}}</ref>|demonym = {{langx|de|Zürcher(in)}} |neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon |twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco |pushpin_relief = yes }}

'''Zurich''' ({{langx|de|Zürich}}; {{langx|gsw|Züri}}; see below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/destinations/resorts/holiday-destinations-in-switzerland/zurich.html |title=Zurich entry at the Swiss Tourist Board |publisher=Myswitzerland.com |access-date=3 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512041744/http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/destinations/resorts/holiday-destinations-in-switzerland/zurich.html |archive-date=12 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551,<ref name="population" /> while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020).<ref name="Agglomeration">{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/tabellen.assetdetail.18344381.html |type=Statistics |title=Bundesamt fuer Statistik |publisher=Federal Statistical Office, Neuchâtel, Swiss Federal Administration |website=bfs.admin.ch |date=2021 |access-date=11 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116111451/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/tabellen.assetdetail.18344381.html|archive-date=2021-11-16}}</ref> Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

Evidence of early, sparse settlements in the area dates back more than 6,400 years, indicating human presence prior to the establishment of the town.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Margarita |last=Primas |title=Urgeschichte des Zürichseegebietes im Überblick: Von der Steinzeit bis zur Früheisenzeit |journal=Helvetia Archaeologica 45/48 |date=December 1981 |pages=5–18,5f}}</ref> Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zurich was eventually founded by the Romans, who called it ''{{lang|la|Turicum}}''. During the Middle Ages, Zurich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, became a primary centre of the Protestant Reformation in Europe under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zuerich.com/en/visitor/Experience/Attractions/Huldrych-Zwingli-Sight-details.html#details |title=Huldrych-Zwingli |publisher=Zuerich.com |access-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927222045/http://www.zuerich.com/en/visitor/Experience/Attractions/Huldrych-Zwingli-Sight-details.html#details |archive-date=27 September 2013}}</ref>

The official language of Zurich is German,{{efn|The official language in all municipalities in German-speaking Switzerland is German, where 'German' is used as an umbrella term for all varieties of German. By law, one may communicate with the authorities using any variant of German, in written or oral form. However, the authorities will always use Swiss Standard German (the Swiss variety of Standard German) in documents and writing. Orally, they would use either ''Hochdeutsch'' (i.e., Swiss Standard German or what the particular speaker considers ''High German''), or a dialectal variant depending on the speaker's origin. }} but the main spoken language is Zurich German, the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect.

As one of Switzerland's primary financial centres, Zurich is home to many financial institutions and banking companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swiss financial centre |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/wirtschaft/finanzplatz.html |access-date=22 October 2023 |website=www.eda.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref> Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum, Natural History Museum and Kunsthaus. Schauspielhaus Zürich is generally considered to be one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.<ref>[http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html Zürich Culture] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807195450/http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html |date=7 August 2010}} worldtravelguide.net. Retrieved 10 March 2010</ref>

== Name == The name is traditionally written in English as ''Zurich'', without the umlaut. It is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|zj|ʊər|ɪ|k|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Zurich.wav}} {{respell|ZURE|ik}}.<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref><ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of Zurich |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Zurich |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref>

In German, the city name is written {{lang|de|Zürich}} and pronounced {{IPA|de-CH|ˈtsyːrɪç||De-Zürich2.ogg}}. In the local dialect, the name is pronounced without the final consonant and with two short vowels, as {{lang|gsw|Züri}} {{IPA|gsw|ˈtsyri|}}, although the demonym remains {{lang|de|Zürcher(in)}}. The city is called {{lang|fr|Zurich}} {{IPA|fr|zyʁik|}} in French, {{lang|it|Zurigo}} {{IPA|it|dzuˈriːɡo|}} in Italian, and {{lang|rm|Turitg}} {{IPA|rm|tuˈritɕ||rm-sursilv-Turitg.flac}} in Romansh.

The earliest known form of the city's name is {{lang|la|Turicum}}, attested on a tombstone of the late 2nd century AD in the form {{lang|la|STA(tio) TURICEN(sis)}} ("Turicum customs post"). The name is interpreted as a derivation from a given name, possibly the Gaulish personal name ''Tūros''. The toponym {{lang|xtg|*Turīcon}} would then mean "belonging to Tūros", "place of Tūros".<ref>Andres Kristol, ''Zürich ZH (Zürich)'' in: ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes suisses – Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen – Dizionario toponomastico dei comuni svizzeri (DTS|LSG)'', Centre de dialectologie, University of Neuchâtel, Verlag Huber, Frauenfeld/Stuttgart/Wien 2005, {{ISBN|3-7193-1308-5}} und Éditions Payot, Lausanne 2005, {{ISBN|2-601-03336-3}}, p. 992f.</ref> The Latin stress on the long vowel of the Gaulish name, {{IPA|la|tʊˈriːkõː|}}, was lost in German {{IPA|de|ˈtsyːrɪç|}} but is preserved in Italian {{IPA|it|dzuˈriːɡo|}} and in Romansh {{IPA|rm|tuˈritɕ|}}.

The first development towards its later Germanic form is attested as early as {{circa}} 680–700 with the form ''Ziurichi''.<ref>{{HLS|000171}}</ref> From the 9th century onward, the name is established in an Old High German form {{lang|goh|Zuri(c)h}} (857 ''in villa Zurih'', 924 ''in Zurich curtem'', 1416 ''Zürich Stadt'').<ref>''Zürcher Ortsnamen – Entstehung und Bedeutung'', H. Kläuli, V. Schobinger, Zürcher Kantonalbank (1989), p. 109.</ref>

In Neo-Latin texts dating from {{circa}} 1500–1800, Zurich is often referred to as ''Tigurum (see Tigurini)''.

<gallery> Grabstein Lindenhof Landesmuseum (Ausschnitt).jpg|P(rae)P(ositus) STA(tionis) TVRICEN(sis): "head of Zurich customs post" (detail from a Roman tombstone, {{circa}} AD 185–200, discovered in 1747) Zürich, Guldiner 1512 (CH-2088-6-ID3697) rv.jpg|MON(eta) NOV(a) THVRICENSIS CIVIT(atis) IMPERIALIS: "new coin of Zurich, imperial city", 1512 (with Zurich's patron saints Felix, Regula and Exuperantius) Zürich, ½ Taler 1721 (CH-2088-6-ID734) rv.jpg|''Tigurum'' instead of ''Turicum'': Zurich's Neo-Latin name had been invented by scholars of the early 16th century; see Tigurini (½ ''thaler'' from 1721) </gallery>

== History == {{Main|History of Zurich}}

=== Early history === [[File:Johann Balthasar Bullinger, Zürich zur Zeit der Gründung.jpg|thumb|Johann Balthasar Bullinger's imagining of Zurich in Roman times (engraving 1773), with Wellenberg Tower on the river and another tower on Lindenhof hill (to the right)]] Settlements of the Neolithic and Bronze Age were found around Lake Zurich. Traces of pre-Roman Celtic La Tène settlements were discovered near the Lindenhof, a morainic hill dominating the SE – NW waterway constituted by Lake Zurich and the river Limmat.<ref name=dr571/> In Roman times, during the conquest of the alpine region in 15 BC, the Romans built a ''castellum'' on the Lindenhof.<ref name=dr571/> Later here was erected ''Turicum'' (a toponym of clear Celtic origin), a tax-collecting point for goods trafficked on the Limmat, which constituted part of the border between Gallia Belgica (from AD 90 Germania Superior) and Raetia: this customs point developed later into a ''vicus''.<ref name=dr571/> After Emperor Constantine's reforms in AD 318, the border between Gaul and Italy (two of the four praetorian prefectures of the Roman Empire) was located east of Turicum, crossing the river Linth between Lake Walen and 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 the ''{{lang|la|Statio Turicensis Quadragesima Galliarum}}'' ("Zurich post for collecting the 2.5% value tax of the Galliae"), discovered at the Lindenhof.<ref name=dr571>{{cite book |last1=Drack |first1=Walter |last2=Fellmann |first2=Rudolf |title=Die Römer in der Schweiz |publisher=Konrad Theiss |location=Stuttgart |year=1988 |language=de |isbn=978-3806204209 |page=571}}</ref>

In the 5th century, the Germanic Alemanni tribe settled in the Swiss Plateau. The Roman castle remained standing until the 7th century. A Carolingian castle, built on the site of the Roman castle by the grandson of Charlemagne, Louis the German, is mentioned in 835 (''in Castro Turicino iuxta fluvium Lindemaci''). Louis also founded the Fraumünster abbey in 853 for his daughter Hildegard. He endowed the Benedictine convent with the lands of Zurich, Uri, and the Albis forest, and granted the convent immunity, placing it under his direct authority. In 1045, King Henry III granted the convent the right to hold markets, collect tolls, and mint coins, and thus effectively made the abbess the ruler of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.europe-cities.com/en/605/switzerland/zurich/history/period/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403174319/http://www.europe-cities.com/en/605/switzerland/zurich/history/period/ |url-status=dead |title=Early History of Zurich |archive-date=3 April 2015}}</ref>

Zurich gained Imperial immediacy (''{{lang|de|Reichsunmittelbarkeit}}'', becoming an Imperial free city) in 1218 with the extinction of the main line of the Zähringer family and attained a status comparable to statehood. During the 1230s, a city wall was 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.europe-cities.com/en/606/switzerland/Zurich/history/period2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304011220/http://www.europe-cities.com/en/606/switzerland/Zurich/history/period2/ |url-status=dead |title=Zürich as the part of the German Empire |archive-date=4 March 2012}}</ref>

Emperor Frederick II promoted the abbess of the {{lang|de|Fraumünster}} to the rank of a duchess in 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 the ''{{lang|de|Zunftordnung}}'' (guild laws) in 1336 by Rudolf Brun, who also became the first independent mayor, i.e. not nominated by the abbess.

Manesse Codex Folio 371r|thumb An important event in the early 14th century was the completion of the Manesse Codex, a key source of medieval German poetry. The famous illuminated manuscript has been described as "the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries."<ref>Ingeborg Glier, reviewing Koschorreck and Werner 1981 in ''Speculum'' '''59'''.1 (January 1984), p 169.</ref> 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 scribes<ref>Koschorreck and Werner 1981 discern no fewer than eleven scribes, some working simultaneously, in the production.</ref> and miniature painters, and it testifies to the increasing wealth and pride of Zurich citizens in this period. The work contains 6 songs by Süsskind von Trimberg. Von Trimberg may have been Jewish, since the work itself contains reflections on medieval Jewish life, though little is known about him.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Röthe |first=Gustav |title=Süsskind von Trimberg. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 37. |year=1894 |location=Leipzig |pages=334–336}}</ref>

The first mention of Jews in Zurich was in 1273. Sources show that there was a synagogue in Zurich in the 13th century, implying the existence of a Jewish community.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Wild |first1=Dölf |last2=Matt |first2=Christoph Philipp |title=Zeugnisse jüdischen Lebens aus den mittelalterlichen Städten Zürich und Basel, in Kunst und Architektur in der Schweiz. Synagogen. |pages=14–20}}</ref> With the rise of the Black Death in 1349, Zurich, like most other Swiss cities, responded by persecuting 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 expelled and banned from the city from 1423 until the 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/articles/011379/2009-11-18/|title=Antisemitismus|website=hls-dhs-dss.ch|access-date=13 May 2022|archive-date=13 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513223105/https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/articles/011379/2009-11-18/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Archaeological findings ==== 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.livescience.com/66056-iron-age-celtic-woman-burial.html |title=Iron Age Celtic Woman Wearing Fancy Clothes Buried in This 'Tree Coffin' in Switzerland |last=Geggel |first=Laura |date=30 July 2019 |website=Live Science |language=en |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-date=19 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419003407/https://www.livescience.com/66056-iron-age-celtic-woman-burial.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iron-age-celtic-woman-was-buried-hollowed-out-tree-trunk-180972773/ |title=This Iron Age Celtic Woman Was Buried in a Hollowed-Out Tree Trunk |last=Solly |first=Meilan |magazine=Smithsonian |language=en |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809002634/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iron-age-celtic-woman-was-buried-hollowed-out-tree-trunk-180972773/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/ueber_das_departement/medien/medienmitteilungen/2019/juli/190705a.html |title=Kelte trifft Keltin: Ergebnisse zu einem aussergewöhnlichen Grabfund – Stadt Zürich |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-date=14 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514013525/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/ueber_das_departement/medien/medienmitteilungen/2019/juli/190705a.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/celtic-woman-zurich-tree |title=Iron Age Celtic Woman Found Buried In A Hollowed-Out Tree Trunk In Zurich |last=Margaritoff |first=Marco |date=6 August 2019 |website=All That's Interesting |language=en-US |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-date=14 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114023514/https://allthatsinteresting.com/celtic-woman-zurich-tree |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Old Swiss Confederacy === [[File:Zuerichkrieg 1444.jpg|thumb|A scene depicting the Old Zurich War in 1443 (1514, illustration in Federal Chronicle by Werner Schodoler)]] On 1 May 1351, the citizens of Zurich had to swear allegiance before representatives of the cantons of Lucerne, Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden, the other members of the Swiss Confederacy. Thus, Zurich became the fifth member of the Confederacy, which was at that time a loose confederation of ''de facto'' independent 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 the Swiss federal state in 1848. Zurich was temporarily expelled from the confederacy in 1440 due to a war with the other member states over the territory of Toggenburg (the Old Zurich War). Neither side had attained significant victory when peace was agreed upon in 1446, and Zurich was readmitted to the confederation in 1450.<ref name="History of Zurich">{{cite web |url=http://www.europe-cities.com/en/605/switzerland/zurich/history/period/ |title=History of Zurich |work=europe-cities.com |access-date=27 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403174319/http://www.europe-cities.com/en/605/switzerland/zurich/history/period/ |archive-date=3 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Murerplan Zuerich.jpg|thumb|left|The ''{{lang|de|Murerplan}}'' of 1576]] Zwingli started the Swiss Reformation at the time when he was the main preacher at the {{lang|de|Grossmünster}} in 1519. The Zurich Bible was printed by Christoph Froschauer in 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 the Wars 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. The Thirty Years' War which 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.<ref name="History of Zurich"/> In this time the political system of Zurich was an oligarchy (''{{lang|de|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. [[File:Bild Zueriputsch1839.jpg|thumb|Fighting on the {{lang|de|Paradeplatz}} during the {{lang|de|Züriputsch}}]] The Helvetic Revolution of 1798 saw the fall of the {{lang|fr|Ancien 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 the {{lang|de|Züriputsch}} of 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's hegemony. The Treaty of Zurich between Austria, France, and Sardinia was signed in 1859.<ref>New International Encyclopedia.</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2023}}

=== Modern history === [[File:Zentralbibliothek Zürich - Zürich Bahnhofplatz - 000006617 1.jpg|thumb|left|''Bahnhofplatz'' in 1902]] 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 the Sonderbund cantons. 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 enormous immigration from 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 of burghership, 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' residence ''ipso facto'' conferred 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, the Israelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürich was founded.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/articles/011376/2016-02-01/ |title=Judentum |website=hls-dhs-dss.ch |access-date=13 May 2022 |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513223109/https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/articles/011376/2016-02-01/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

thumb|Aerial view (1961) Extensive developments took place during the 19th century. From 1847, the ''{{lang|de|Spanisch-Brötli-Bahn}}'', the first railway on Swiss territory, connected Zurich with Baden, putting the {{lang|de|Zürich Hauptbahnhof}} at the origin of the Swiss rail network. The present building of the ''{{lang|de|Hauptbahnhof}}'' (the main railway station) dates to 1871. Zurich's {{lang|de|Bahnhofstrasse}} (Station Street) was laid out in 1867, and the Zurich Stock Exchange was founded in 1877. Industrialisation led to migration into the cities and to rapid population growth, particularly in the suburbs of Zurich.

The {{lang|de|Quaianlagen}} are 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 rivers Limmat and Sihl to a modern city on the {{lang|de|Zürichsee}} shore, under the guidance of the city engineer Arnold Bürkli.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stahn |first=Dina |title=Zürich [mit Special-Guide Flussbäder] |date=2011 |others=Eva Missler |isbn=978-3-8297-1278-1 |edition=1. Aufl |location=Ostfildern |oclc=700063081}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Zürich (town)|display=Zurich|volume=28| pages = 1057–1060; see page 1057|first=William Augustus Brevoort|last=Coolidge|author-link=W. A. B. Coolidge}}</ref>

In 1934, eight additional districts in the north and west of Zurich were incorporated.

Zurich was accidentally bombed during World War II. As persecuted Jews sought refuge in Switzerland, the SIG (''Schweizerischer Israelitischer Gemeindebund'', Israelite Community of Switzerland) raised financial resources. The Central Committee for Refugee Aid, created in 1933, was located in Zurich.

In the 1980s, Zurich experienced a severe drug crisis that culminated in an open drug scene at the {{ill|Platzspitz|de}} park, which became colloquially known as "Needle Park."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/demographics/when-zurich-was-known-for-its-needle-park/41276224 |title=When Zurich was known for its 'Needle Park' |publisher=SWI swissinfo.ch |date=14 February 2015 |access-date=29 April 2026}}</ref> In the 1990s, Zurich pioneered a harm reduction strategy that introduced the distribution of clean syringes, supervised safe injection rooms, and low-threshold methadone dispensaries. This significantly reduced drug-related mortality and permanently dismantled the city's open drug scenes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://filtermag.org/zurich-switzerland-harm-reduction/amp/ |title=The Incredible Story of Zürich’s Journey to Harm Reduction |publisher=Filter |date=9 September 2020 |access-date=29 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/30-jahre-platzspitz-raeumung-was-vom-drogenelend-am-zuercher-platzspitz-uebrig-geblieben-ist |title=30 Jahre Platzspitz-Räumung - Was vom Drogenelend am Zürcher Platzspitz übrig geblieben ist |publisher=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) |date=6 February 2022 |access-date=29 April 2026 |language=de}}</ref>

The canton of Zurich did not recognize the Jewish religious communities as legal entities (and therefore as equal to national churches) until 2005.<ref name="auto" />

=== Heraldic achievement === [[File:CHE Zürich Logo.svg|thumb|Logo of the municipality:<br />a modern version of the heraldic achievement]] The coat of arms of 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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ziegler |first=Peter |title=Die Gemeindewappen des Kantons Zürich |date=1977 |publisher=Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich}}</ref>

When the canton of Zurich was established in 1803, it adopted the heraldic achievement that had been the city's for centuries, and a new version was created for the city by adding a mural crown as a crest. There are slight differences between the supporters of 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).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Die Löwen im Wappen Zürichs ("Zürileuen") – Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/stadtarchiv/RechercheBenutzung/recherche/beliebteforschungsthemen/die_loewen_im_wappenzuerichszuerileuen.html |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de |archive-date=30 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330094308/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/stadtarchiv/RechercheBenutzung/recherche/beliebteforschungsthemen/die_loewen_im_wappenzuerichszuerileuen.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> <gallery> Wappenscheibe Stadt Zürich 1557.jpg|Imperial city (1557) Zürich, Taler 1723 (CH-2088-6-ID619) av.jpg|Republic (1723) Klausstud (Stadtbann) - Seefeld - Hafen Riesbach 2011-04-25 19-17-08.JPG|Capital of the canton of Zurich (1812) Zürich - Rathaus - Portikus-Details IMG 1112.jpg|The coat of arms on the Town Hall </gallery>

== Politics ==

=== City districts === {{Main|Districts of Zurich}}

thumb|Zurich's twelve municipal districts 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 as ''{{lang|de|Kreis}}'' in German), numbered 1 to 12, each one of which contains between one and four neighborhoods: * {{lang|de|Kreis 1}}, known as '''{{lang|de|Altstadt}}''', contains the old town, both to the east and west of the start of the Limmat. District 1 contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Hochschulen}}'', ''{{lang|de|Rathaus}}'', ''{{lang|de|Lindenhof}}'', and ''City''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 2}} lies along the west side of Lake Zurich, and contains the neighbourhoods of ''Enge'', ''Wollishofen'' and ''Leimbach''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 3}}, known as '''{{lang|de|Wiedikon}}''' is between the Sihl and the Uetliberg, and contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Alt-Wiedikon}}'', ''{{lang|de|Sihlfeld}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Friesenberg}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 4}}, known as '''{{lang|de|Aussersihl}}''' lies between the Sihl and the train tracks leaving {{lang|de|Zürich Hauptbahnhof}}, and contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Werd}}'', ''{{lang|de|Langstrasse}}'', and ''{{lang|de|Hard}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 5}}, known as '''{{lang|de|Industriequartier}}''', is between the Limmat and the train tracks leaving {{lang|de|Zürich Hauptbahnhof}}, it contains the former industrial area of Zürich which has undergone large-scale rezoning to create upscale modern housing, retail, commercial real estate, and a few big vocational schools. It contains the neighborhoods of ''{{lang|de|Gewerbeschule}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Escher-Wyss}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 6}} is on the edge of the {{lang|de|Zürichberg}}, a hill overlooking the eastern part of the city. District 6 contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Oberstrass}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Unterstrass}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 7}} is on the edge of the {{lang|de|Adlisberg}} hill as well as the Zürichberg, on the eastern side of the city. District 7 contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Fluntern}}'', ''{{lang|de|Hottingen}}'', and ''{{lang|de|Hirslanden}}''. These neighbourhoods are home to Zurich's wealthiest and more prominent residents. The ''{{lang|de|Witikon}}'' neighbourhood also belongs to district 7. * {{lang|de|Kreis 8}}, officially called '''{{lang|de|Riesbach}}''', but colloquially known as '''Seefeld''', lies on the eastern side of Lake Zurich. District 8 consists of the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Seefeld}}'', ''{{lang|de|Mühlebach}}'', and ''{{lang|de|Weinegg}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 9}} is between the Limmat to the north and the {{lang|de|Uetliberg}} to the south. It contains the neighbourhoods ''{{lang|de|Altstetten}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Albisrieden}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 10}} is to the east of the Limmat and to the south of the {{lang|de|Hönggerberg}} and {{lang|de|Käferberg}} hills. District 10 contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Höngg}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Wipkingen}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 11}} is in the area north of the {{lang|de|Hönggerberg}} and {{lang|de|Käferberg}} and between the Glatt Valley and the {{lang|de|Katzensee}} (Cats Lake). It contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Affoltern}}'', ''{{lang|de|Oerlikon}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Seebach}}''. * {{lang|de|Kreis 12}}, known as '''{{lang|de|Schwamendingen}}''', is in the {{lang|de|Glattal}} (Glatt valley) on the northern side of the Zürichberg. District 12 contains the neighbourhoods of ''{{lang|de|Saatlen}}'', ''{{lang|de|Schwamendigen Mitte}}'', and ''{{lang|de|Hirzenbach}}''.

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.

=== Government === {{See also|List of mayors of Zurich}} The City Council ('''{{lang|de|Stadtrat}}''') constitutes the executive government of the City of Zurich and operates as a collegiate 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 ({{langx|de|Stadtpräsident(in)}}) is elected as such by a public election by a system of Majorz while 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 mayor Corine Mauch. The executive body holds its meetings in the City Hall ({{langx|de|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 the Green Party and the FDP (Free Democratic Party), and one member of GLP (Green Liberal Party), giving the left parties a combined six out of nine seats.<ref name=SR>{{cite web |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/stadtrat.html |title=Der Stadtrat von Zürich |publisher=City of Zurich |type=official site |date=13 February 2022 |language=de |access-date=20 May 2023 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418200515/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/stadtrat.html|archive-date=18 April 2023}}</ref> The last regular election was held on 13 February 2022.<ref name=W22>{{cite web |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/abstimmungen_u_wahlen/archiv_wahlen/stadtrat_gemeinderat/220213/resultate.html |title=Erneuerungswahlen Amtsdauer 2022–2026 |publisher=City of Zurich |type=official site |date=13 February 2022 |language=de |access-date=20 May 2023 |archive-date=20 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520191729/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/abstimmungen_u_wahlen/archiv_wahlen/stadtrat_gemeinderat/220213/resultate.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" border="1" |+ The ''{{lang|de|Stadtrat}}'' of Zurich (2022–26)<ref name=SR/> ! scope="col" | City Councilor (''{{lang|de|Stadtrat / Stadträtin}}'') ! scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Head of Office (''{{lang|de|Departement}}'', since) ! scope="col" | elected since |- !scope="row"| Corine Mauch<ref group=SR>Mayor (''{{lang|de|Stadtpräsidentin}}'')</ref> | {{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} SP | Mayor's Office (''{{lang|de|Präsidialdepartement}}'', 2009) | 2009 |- !scope="row"| Daniel Leupi | rowspan="2" | {{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} GPS | Finance (''{{lang|de|Finanzdepartement}}'', 2013) | 2010 |- !scope="row"| Karin Rykart | Security (''{{lang|de|Sicherheitsdepartement}}'', 2018) || 2018 |- !scope="row"| Andreas Hauri | {{Color box|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} GLP | Health and Environment (''{{lang|de|Gesundheits- und Umweltdepartement}}'', 2018) | 2018 |- !scope="row"| Simone Brander | rowspan="3" | {{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} SP | Civil Engineering and Waste Management (''{{lang|de|Tiefbau- und Entsorgungsdepartement}}'', 2022) | 2022 |- !scope="row"| André Odermatt | Structural Engineering (''{{lang|de|Hochbaudepartement}}'', 2010) | 2010 |- !scope="row"| Raphael Golta | Social Services (''{{lang|de|Sozialdepartement}}'', 2014) | 2014 |- !scope="row"| Michael Baumer | rowspan="2" | {{Color box|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|border=darkgray}} FDP | Industrial Facilities (''{{lang|de|Departement der Industriellen Betriebe}}'', 2018) | 2018 |- !scope="row"| Filippo Leutenegger | Education and Sports (''{{lang|de|Schul- und Sportdepartement}}'', 2018) | 2014 |} {{reflist|group=SR}} Claudia Cuche-Curti is Town Chronicler (''{{lang|de|Stadtschreiberin}}'') since 2012, and Andrea Töndury is Legal Counsel (''{{lang|de|Rechtskonsulent}}'') since 2020 for the City Council.

=== Parliament === {{Pie chart | thumb = right | caption = Distribution of voter % in the election of 2022:<ref name="stadt-zuerich.ch">{{Cite web |title=Gesamtstädtischer Wähleranteil der Parteien |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/abstimmungen_u_wahlen/archiv_wahlen/stadtrat_gemeinderat/220213/resultate.html?path=wp_herleitung_waehleranteil&context=standalone |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch}}</ref> | other = | label1 = AL | value1 = 6.7 | color1 = Red | label2 = GPS | value2 = 14.62 | color2 = {{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}} | label3 = SP | value3 = 29.17 | color3 = {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}} | label4 = GLP | value4 = 13.23 | color4 = {{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}} | label5 = EVP | value5 = 2.72 | color5 = {{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}} | label6 = Mitte (former CVP) | value6 = 4.41 | color6 = {{party color|The Centre (political party)}} | label7 = FDP | value7 = 17.83 | color7 = {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}} | label8 = SVP | value8 = 11.33 | color8 = {{party color|Swiss People's Party}} }}

The Municipal Council ('''{{lang|de|Gemeinderat}}''') holds the legislative power. It is made up of 125 members ({{lang|de|Gemeinderat / 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 the town hall ({{lang|de|Rathaus}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gemeinderat-zuerich.ch/ |title=Über den Gemeinderat |type=official site |publisher=Gemeinderat der Stadt Zürich |language=de |location=Zurich |access-date=27 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031144923/http://www.gemeinderat-zuerich.ch/ |archive-date=31 October 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Distribution of seats in the Gemeinderat 2022–2026<ref name="stadt-zuerich.ch" /> !{{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} SP !{{Color box|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|border=darkgray}} FDP !{{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} GPS !{{Color box|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} GLP !{{Color box|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|border=darkgray}} SVP !{{Color box|Red|border=darkgray}} AL !{{Color box|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}|border=darkgray}} Mitte !{{Color box|{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} EVP |- |37 |22 |18 |17 |14 |8 |6 |3 |}

=== International relations === Zurich engages in a variety of international collaborations through city partnerships and participates in international networks and dialogues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aussenbeziehungen der Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/de/politik-und-verwaltung/politik-und-recht/strategie-politikfelder/aussenbeziehungen.html#internationale_zusammenarbeitimentwicklungskontext |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de}}</ref>

==== Twin towns ==== Zurich is partnered with two sister cities: Kunming and San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/en/index/stadtentwicklung/aussenbeziehungen/zuerich_international/staedtepartnerschaften.html |title=Twin Cities |publisher=City of Zurich |access-date=14 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129015514/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/en/index/stadtentwicklung/aussenbeziehungen/zuerich_international/staedtepartnerschaften.html |archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref>

The formal partnership agreement with the city of Kunming was established in 1982, making it Zurich's longest-standing twin town relationship. Cooperation has centred on water‑supply engineering, urban planning and cultural projects. A notable outcome of this relationship is the Chinese Garden, inaugurated in 1994 near Blatterwiese on Lake Zurich's right bank. Kunming donated the garden to express gratitude for Zurich's technical assistance with drinking water and drainage systems.<ref>Stadt Zürich. "Chinese Garden History." Parks and Gardens Department, 2021.</ref> The garden is considered one of the most significant temple gardens outside of China.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chinagarten |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/de/stadtleben/sport-und-erholung/park-und-gruenanlagen/chinagarten.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de}}</ref>

The partnership with San Francisco was established in 2003, covering exchanges in entrepreneurship, digital innovation, urban sustainability, and public health.<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Francisco Zurich Sister City |url=https://www.sfzh.org/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=San Francisco Zurich Sister City |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== International initiatives ==== Zurich participates in international city networks such as Eurocities and the Mayors Migration Council.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-06 |title=Zurich - Eurocities |url=https://eurocities.eu/cities/zurich/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=eurocities.eu |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2016 Zurich launched an outreach series that presents its economy, culture and research abroad. Editions have been held in London (2016), Hong Kong (2017), San Francisco (2018), Seoul (2019), Berlin (2022) and Copenhagen (2023).<ref>{{Cite web |title=External Economic Relations |url=https://www.zh.ch/en/wirtschaft-arbeit/wirtschaftsstandort/wirtschaftliche-aussenbeziehungen.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Kanton Zürich |language=en}}</ref>

From 2017 to 2024, the municipality of Zurich partnered with Tyre, Lebanon, in a project facilitated by UN-Habitat.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=City-to-City Partnership: Zurich and Tyre {{!}} UN-Habitat |url=https://unhabitat.org/project/city-to-city-partnership-zurich-and-tyre |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=unhabitat.org}}</ref> This collaboration aimed to support Tyre in addressing challenges related to the Syrian refugee crisis, with a focus on improving urban mobility and fostering social cohesion between host and refugee communities.<ref name=":0" /> The city of Zurich provided funding for this initiative.<ref name=":0" />

==== Diplomatic missions ==== Zurich hosts a substantial diplomatic community, with 24 consulates‑general, 40 consulates and 1 Consular Agency in operation as of March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zurich – Foreign consulates |url=https://www.embassypages.com/city/zurich |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=embassypages.com}}</ref>

== Geography == [[File:"Turicum" ZSG-Schiff auf der Limmat vor dem Grossmünster (2013).jpg|thumb|left|The Limmat in Zurich]] [[File:Zurich-lake.JPG|thumb|The city stretches on both sides of the Limmat, which flows out of Lake Zurich. The Alps can be seen from the city centre, background to the lake.]] Zurich is situated at {{cvt|408|m|ft}} above sea level on the lower (northern) end of Lake Zurich (''{{lang|de|Zürichsee}}'') about {{cvt|30|km|mi|sp=us}} north of the Alps, nestling between the wooded hills on the west and east side. The Old Town stretches on both sides of the Limmat, 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 the Lindenhof, a small natural hill on the west bank of the Limmat, about {{cvt|700|m|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 the Glatt Valley (''{{lang|de|Glattal}}'') and to the north in the Limmat Valley (''{{lang|de|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 the third fortress in the 17th and 18th centuries.

=== Topography === The municipality of Zurich has an area of {{cvt|91.88|km2|sqmi}}, of which {{cvt|4.1|km2|sqmi}} is made up of Lake Zurich. The area includes a section of the northern Swiss 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 {{cvt|2|to|3|km|spell=in|abbr=off}}. The partially channeled and straightened Limmat does not flow in the central part of the valley, but always along its right (northeastern) side. The Sihl meets with the Limmat at the end of Platzspitz, which borders the Swiss National Museum. The Limmat reaches the lowest point of the municipality in Oberengstringen at {{cvt|392|m|ft}} above sea level.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

thumb|left|Topographic map of Zurich and surroundings thumb|Felsenegg from Lake Zurich thumb|Zurich from Waidberg On its west side, the Limmat valley is flanked by the wooded heights of the Albis chain, which runs along the western border. The Uetliberg is, with {{cvt|869|m|ft}} above sea level, the highest elevation of the surrounding area. Its summit can be reached easily by the Uetlibergbahn. From the platform of the observation tower on the summit, an impressive panorama of the city, the lake, and the Alps can be seen.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

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 ({{cvt|615|m|ft|disp=or}}), the Hönggerberg ({{cvt|541|m|ft|disp=or}}), the Käferberg ({{cvt|571|m|ft|disp=or}}), the Zürichberg ({{cvt|676|m|ft|disp=or}}), the Adlisberg ({{cvt|701|m|ft|disp=or}}) and the Öschbrig ({{cvt|696|m|ft|disp=or}}). Between the Käferberg and the Zürichberg is located the saddle of the Milchbuck (about {{cvt|470|m|ft|disp=or}}), an important passage from the Limmat valley to the Glatt valley.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

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 the Katzensee (nature reserve) and the Büsisee, both of which are drained by the Katzenbach to Glatt, belong to the city.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

=== Climate === Zurich features a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: ''Cfb'', Trewartha: ''Dobk''), with warm summers, cool winters and four distinct seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=6660&cityname=Z%25FCrich%252C+Zurich%252C+Switzerland&units= |title=Zürich, Switzerland Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase) |website=Weatherbase |access-date=19 February 2019 |archive-date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201193647/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=6660&cityname=Z%25FCrich%252C+Zurich%252C+Switzerland&units= |url-status=live }}</ref> Decisive for the climate of Zurich are both the winds from westerly directions, which often result in precipitation and, on the other hand, the Bise (east or north-east wind), which is usually associated with high-pressure situations, but cooler weather phases with temperatures lower than the average. The Foehn wind, which plays an important role in the northern alpine valleys, also has some impact on Zurich.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/home/climate/past/climate-of-switzerland/reports-throughout-the-year/foehn.html |title=Föhn |publisher=Swiss Federal Office of Metreology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss |location=Zurich-Airport, Switzerland |date=1 December 2014 |language=de |access-date=3 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407001110/http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/home/climate/past/climate-of-switzerland/reports-throughout-the-year/foehn.html |archive-date=7 April 2015}}</ref>

Climate normals (reference period 1991–2020): The annual mean temperature at the measuring station of the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology in Zurich-Fluntern ({{cvt|556|m|ft|disp=x|[|]}} above sea level on the slope of the Zürichberg, {{cvt|150|m|ft|disp=x|[|]}} above the level of the city centre) is {{cvt|9.8|C|1}}. The lowest monthly mean of daily minimum temperature is measured in January with {{cvt|-1.4|C|1}} and the highest monthly mean of daily maximum temperature is measured in July with {{cvt|24.3|C|1}}.<ref name="MeteoSwissSMA">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114024640/https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/SMA/climsheet_SMA_np9120_e.pdf |archive-date=14 January 2022 |url=https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/SMA/climsheet_SMA_np9120_e.pdf|title=Climate normals Zurich / Fluntern (Reference period 1991–2020) |publisher=Swiss Federal Office of Metreology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss |location=Zurich-Airport, Switzerland |date=13 January 2022 |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref> On average there are 71.9 days in which the minimum temperature is below {{cvt|0|°C|°F}} (so-called ''frost days''), and 19.9 days in which the maximum temperature is below {{cvt|0|°C|°F}} (so-called ''ice days''). There are on average 44.8 so-called ''summer days'' (maximum temperature equal to or above {{cvt|25|°C|°F|disp=x| [|]}}) throughout the year, while so-called ''heat days'' (with maximum temperature equal to or above {{cvt|30|C|F|disp=x| [|]}}) are 8.5 days.<ref name="MeteoSwissSMA" />

The average high temperature in July is {{cvt|24.0|C|1}} and average low temperature is {{cvt|14|C|1}}. The highest recorded temperature in Zurich was {{cvt|37.7|C|0}}, recorded in July 1947, and typically the warmest day reaches an average of {{cvt|32.2|C|1}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1981-2010&indexid=TXx&stationid=244 |title=Average Annual Maximum |publisher=Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute |access-date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831040427/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1981-2010&indexid=TXx&stationid=244 |archive-date=31 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/indicesmapdetail.php?seasonid=13&year=1947&indexid=TXx&stationid=244 |title=July 1947 |publisher=Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute |access-date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831000401/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/indicesmapdetail.php?seasonid=13&year=1947&indexid=TXx&stationid=244 |archive-date=31 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

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 {{cvt|20.6|C|1}} during a sunny afternoon and the lowest temperature was on the 25th at {{cvt|-0.4|C|1}} during the night/early morning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/content/dam/meteoswiss/de/Ungebundene-Seiten/Publikationen/Klimabulletin/doc/publi-klimabulletin-maerz-2014.pdf |title=Klimabulletin März 2014 |publisher=Swiss Federal Office of Metreology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss |location=Zurich-Airport, Switzerland |date=9 April 2014 |language=de |page=5 |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406181324/http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/content/dam/meteoswiss/de/Ungebundene-Seiten/Publikationen/Klimabulletin/doc/publi-klimabulletin-maerz-2014.pdf |archive-date=6 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Record low of average daily temperatures in March since 1864 is {{cvt|-12|C|0}} and record high of average daily temperatures in March is {{cvt|16|C|0}}. Record low of average daily temperatures in October is {{cvt|-16|C|0}} and record high of average daily temperatures in October is {{cvt|20|C|0}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-time-series-processing/SMA/dailyevol_SMA_2015_E.pdf |title=Zürich/Fluntern (556m) 2015 |publisher=Swiss Federal Office of Metreology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss |location=Zurich-Airport, Switzerland |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406194740/http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-time-series-processing/SMA/dailyevol_SMA_2015_E.pdf |archive-date=6 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Zurich has an average of 1,694 hours of sunshine per year; that is 42% of its potential time throughout the year. From April to September, the sun shines between 164 and 229 hours per month. The {{cvt|1108|mm|in|1}} rainfall spread on 130.4 days with at least 1 mm of 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 from May to August, the strength of rainfall is higher than in winter, but the number of days with precipitation stays about the same throughout the year (in average 9.0–12.4 days per month). February has the lowest number (9.0) of days with some precipitation. There is an average of 68.3 so-called ''bright days'' (number of days with sunshine duration greater than 80%) through the year, the most in July and August (8.1, 8.8 days), and the least in January and December (3.0, 2.2 days). The average number of days with sunshine duration less than 20%, so-called ''cloudy days'', is 150.1 days, while the most cloudy days are in November (17.7 days), December (21.2 days), and January (18.7 days).<ref name="MeteoSwissSMA" />

{{weather box |location = Zurich (Fluntern), elevation: {{convert|556|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present |collapsed = y |metric first = y |single line = Y |Jan record high C = 16.9 |Feb record high C = 19.3 |Mar record high C = 23.2 |Apr record high C = 31.3 |May record high C = 32.4 |Jun record high C = 36.4 |Jul record high C = 37.7 |Aug record high C = 36.2 |Sep record high C = 32.5 |Oct record high C = 28.7 |Nov record high C = 23.8 |Dec record high C = 17.0 |Jan high C = 3.5 |Feb high C = 5.2 |Mar high C = 10.2 |Apr high C = 14.8 |May high C = 18.8 |Jun high C = 22.4 |Jul high C = 24.3 |Aug high C = 23.9 |Sep high C = 19.1 |Oct high C = 13.8 |Nov high C = 7.6 |Dec high C = 4.0 |year high C = 14.0 |Jan mean C = 0.9 |Feb mean C = 1.8 |Mar mean C = 5.8 |Apr mean C = 9.6 |May mean C = 13.6 |Jun mean C = 17.1 |Jul mean C = 19.0 |Aug mean C = 18.6 |Sep mean C = 14.4 |Oct mean C = 10.0 |Nov mean C = 4.9 |Dec mean C = 1.7 |year mean C = 9.8 |Jan low C = -1.4 |Feb low C = -1.2 |Mar low C = 1.9 |Apr low C = 5.1 |May low C = 9.0 |Jun low C = 12.6 |Jul low C = 14.4 |Aug low C = 14.3 |Sep low C = 10.7 |Oct low C = 7.1 |Nov low C = 2.5 |Dec low C = -0.5 |year low C = 6.2 |Jan record low C = -20.8 |Feb record low C = -24.2 |Mar record low C = -14.4 |Apr record low C = -6.5 |May record low C = -2.0 |Jun record low C = 0.9 |Jul record low C = 5.3 |Aug record low C = 4.0 |Sep record low C = -0.3 |Oct record low C = -5.5 |Nov record low C = -11.0 |Dec record low C = -18.5 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 63.0 |Feb precipitation mm = 60.3 |Mar precipitation mm = 71.2 |Apr precipitation mm = 80.4 |May precipitation mm = 128.2 |Jun precipitation mm = 127.6 |Jul precipitation mm = 126.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 119.1 |Sep precipitation mm = 87.4 |Oct precipitation mm = 85.2 |Nov precipitation mm = 76.1 |Dec precipitation mm = 83.4 |year precipitation mm = 1107.9 | Jan snow cm = 13.9 | Feb snow cm = 18.2 | Mar snow cm = 10.4 | Apr snow cm = 1.9 | May snow cm = 0.0 | Jun snow cm = 0.0 | Jul snow cm = 0.0 | Aug snow cm = 0.0 | Sep snow cm = 0.0 | Oct snow cm = 1.7 | Nov snow cm = 6.7 | Dec snow cm = 18.6 | year snow cm = 71.4 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 10.1 |Feb precipitation days = 9.0 |Mar precipitation days = 10.5 |Apr precipitation days = 10.8 |May precipitation days = 12.4 |Jun precipitation days = 12.1 |Jul precipitation days = 12.2 |Aug precipitation days = 11.8 |Sep precipitation days = 9.9 |Oct precipitation days = 10.1 |Nov precipitation days = 10.0 |Dec precipitation days = 11.5 |year precipitation days = 130.4 |unit snow days = 1.0 cm |Jan snow days = 4.1 |Feb snow days = 4.8 |Mar snow days = 2.3 |Apr snow days = 0.5 |May snow days = 0.0 |Jun snow days = 0.0 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.0 |Sep snow days = 0.0 |Oct snow days = 0.1 |Nov snow days = 1.4 |Dec snow days = 4.4 |year snow days = 17.6 |Jan humidity = 83 |Feb humidity = 77 |Mar humidity = 71 |Apr humidity = 67 |May humidity = 71 |Jun humidity = 71 |Jul humidity = 71 |Aug humidity = 74 |Sep humidity = 79 |Oct humidity = 84 |Nov humidity = 85 |Dec humidity = 85 |year humidity = 76 |Jan sun = 59.7 |Feb sun = 88.6 |Mar sun = 143.8 |Apr sun = 177.5 |May sun = 191.7 |Jun sun = 207.3 |Jul sun = 229.4 |Aug sun = 215.7 |Sep sun = 164.1 |Oct sun = 108.7 |Nov sun = 60.7 |Dec sun = 47.1 |year sun = 1694.3 |Jan percentsun = 24 |Feb percentsun = 34 |Mar percentsun = 42 |Apr percentsun = 47 |May percentsun = 45 |Jun percentsun = 48 |Jul percentsun = 53 |Aug percentsun = 53 |Sep percentsun = 48 |Oct percentsun = 35 |Nov percentsun = 24 |Dec percentsun = 20 |year percentsun = 42 | Jan uv =1 | Feb uv =2 | Mar uv =3 | Apr uv =5 | May uv =7 | Jun uv =8 | Jul uv =8 | Aug uv =7 | Sep uv =5 | Oct uv =3 | Nov uv =1 | Dec uv =1 | source 1 = NOAA<ref name=NOAA1>{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241213082157/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/ZuerichFluntern_06660.csv | archive-date = 13 December 2024 | url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/ZuerichFluntern_06660.csv | title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020 | work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = 13 December 2024}}</ref> |source 2 = MeteoSwiss,<ref name="MeteoSwissSMA" /> KNMI<ref>{{cite web| url=http://eca.knmi.nl/indicesextremes/customquerytimeseriesplots.php?optionSelected=station&processtext1=Your+query+is+being+processed.+Please+wait...&countryselect=All+countries%7C**&stationselect=ZUERICH%2FFLUNTERN%5Bch%5D%7C244&categoryselect=All+categories%7C**&indexselect=All+indices%7C**&seasonselect=ANNUAL%7C0&processtext2=Your+query+is+being+processed.+Please+wait...| title=Zurich extreme values| access-date=30 August 2017| publisher=KNMI}} {{dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> }}

==== Climate change ==== 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 1.45{{nbsp}}mm. In contrast, snowfall in February has decreased by 0.16{{nbsp}}mm, and in March, there has been a reduction in sunshine duration by 0.56 hours.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-08-11 |title=Climate Change of Zurich, Switzerland |url=https://climechart.com/en/climate-change/zurich/switzerland}}</ref> – In the whole of Switzerland, the mean annual temperature ("climate mean") has risen by 2.9 °C since the pre-industrial period of 1871–1900 (as of 2025).<ref>[https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/climate/climate-change.html "Climate Change"]. MeteoSwiss. Retrieved 13 November 2025.</ref>

==== Climate protection ==== In November 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/politik/abstimmungen/abstimmung_2008_11_30.html |title=Results of the vote of 30. November 2008 |language=de |access-date=26 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309184744/http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/politik/abstimmungen/abstimmung_2008_11_30.html |archive-date=9 March 2012}}</ref> the people of Zurich voted in a public referendum to write into law the quantifiable and fixed deadline of one tonne of CO<sub>2</sub> per 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-P quality – passive house),{{Clarify|date=March 2010}} the continued optimisation and creation of public transportation, enlargement of the bicycle-only network, and projects for renewable energy.

=== Urban area === 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 near Affoltern and Seebach. 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. {{wide image|Zürich Panorama vom Uetliberg.jpg|900px|View over Zurich and Lake Zurich from the Uetliberg}}

== Demographics == thumb|Zurich population pyramid in 2021[[File:Zürich - Augustinergasse IMG 2046.JPG|thumb|Augustinergasse in the old town]] {{Historical populations|1850|41585|1860|51616|1870|65668|1880|86890|1888|103862|1900|168021|1910|215488|1920|234808|1930|290937|1941|336395|1950|390020|1960|440170|1970|422640|1980|369522|1990|365043|2000|363273|2010|372857|2020|421878|source=FSO<ref>{{cite web |title=Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, 1850-2000 |trans-title=Population development according to institutional divisions, 1850-2000|url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-4004000000_101/-/px-x-4004000000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=513a4f6a-09be-49d1-99c7-23421ad2dd49|publisher=FSO}}</ref><ref name="population"/>|align=right|cols=1}}

As of 31 December 2024, Zurich has a population of 436,551, making it Switzerland's largest city. 50.3% of the population are male and 49.7% are female. Minors make up 16.1% of the population, and seniors make up 14.3%, compared to the Swiss average of 17.9% and 19.5% respectively.<ref name="population" />

As of 2011, the population of the city, including suburbs, totaled 1.17 million people.<ref name="ZHinZahlen">{{cite web |publisher=Präsidialdepartement der Stadt Zürich (Department of the Mayor) |title=Zürich in Zahlen 2011 Taschenstatistik (German) |format=Press release |date=8 September 2012 |url=http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationsdatenbank/Taschenstatistik/TAS_2011de.html |access-date=25 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307144552/http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationsdatenbank/Taschenstatistik/TAS_2011de.html |archive-date=7 March 2013}}</ref> The entire metropolitan area (including the cities of Winterthur, Baden, Brugg, Schaffhausen, Frauenfeld, Uster / Wetzikon, Rapperswil-Jona, and Zug) had a population of around 1.82 million people.<ref name="ZHinZahlen" />

=== Foreign population === As of 31 December 2024, the number of foreign-born residents is 194,608, equal to 44.6% of the total population, and the number of residents with foreign citizenship is 148,375, equal to 34.0% of the total population. The 5 largest foreign citizens are Germans (31,203), Italians (17,278), Spaniards (8,012), Portuguese (6,897) and French (5,737).<ref name="foreignborn">{{cite web |title=Permanent and non-permanent resident population by institutional units, place of birth and citizenship, 2010-2024 |url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-0102010000_104/-/px-x-0102010000_104.px/ |publisher=FSO}}</ref> {| class="wikitable floatright" |+Foreign population by country of birth (2024-12-31)<ref name="foreignborn" /> !Country of birth !Population |- |{{flag|Germany}} |31,203 |- |{{flag|Italy}} |17,278 |- |{{flag|Spain}} |8,012 |- |{{flag|Portugal}} |6,897 |- |{{flag|France}} |5,737 |- |{{flag|Austria}} |4,949 |- |{{flag|Greece}} |3,680 |- |{{flag|China}} |3,456 |- |{{flag|Turkey}} |3,448 |- |{{flag|Eritrea}} |3,389 |- |{{flag|Poland}} |3,385 |- |{{flag|Ukraine}} |3,103 |- |{{flag|United Kingdom}} |3,001 |- |{{flag|Serbia}} |2,528 |- |{{flag|United States}} |2,473 |}

=== Languages === 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 Standard German, while the spoken language is Zurich German (''Züritüütsch''), one of the several more or less distinguishable, but mutually intelligible Swiss German dialects of Switzerland with roots in the medieval Alemannic German dialect groups. However, because of Zurich's national importance, and therefore its existing high fluctuation,{{clarify|date=October 2021}} its inhabitants and commuters speak all kinds of Swiss German dialects. As of the December 2010 census, 69.3% of the population speaks diglossic Swiss German/Swiss Standard German as their mother-tongue at home. Some 22.7% of inhabitants speak Standard German in 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.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Statistikdepartment der Stadt Zürich (Department of statistics) |title=Wie spricht Zürich? |format=Publication |date=6 September 2012 |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationen-angebote/publikationen/webartikel/2012-09-06_Wie-spricht-Zuerich.html |access-date=25 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623164008/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationen-angebote/publikationen/webartikel/2012-09-06_Wie-spricht-Zuerich.html |archive-date=23 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Religion === {{further|Reformation in Zürich}} {{bar box |float=left |title=Religion in Zurich – 2010<ref>{{cite web |title=STATISTISCHES JAHRBUCH DER STADT ZÜRICH 2014 |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/dam/stzh/prd/Deutsch/Statistik/Publikationsdatenbank/jahrbuch/2014/pdf/JB_2014_gesamt.pdf |volume=108. Jahrgang |publisher=Stadt Zürich, Präsidialdepartement, Statistik Stadt Zürich |type=Year Book |language=de |year=2014 |location=Zurich, Switzerland |access-date=9 March 2015 |pages=37 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227122931/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/dam/stzh/prd/Deutsch/Statistik/Publikationsdatenbank/jahrbuch/2014/pdf/JB_2014_gesamt.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |titlebar=#AAF |left1='''Religion''' |left2='''Nationality''' |right2='''Total-Pop.''' |width=300px |bars= {{bar percent 2|Roman Catholic|Swiss|Gray|28|Other|Silver|35|'''30%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Unaffiliated|Swiss|Gray|25|Other|Silver|31|'''27%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Swiss Reformed|Swiss|Gray|33|Other|Silver|9|'''26%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Other Christians|Swiss|Gray|6|Other|Silver|9|'''7%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Islam|Swiss|Gray|3|Other|Silver|9|'''5%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Other Religion|Swiss|Gray|2|Other|Silver|4|'''2%'''}} {{bar percent 2|No answer|Swiss|Gray|2|Other|Silver|2|'''2%'''}} {{bar percent 2|Jewish|Swiss|Gray|1|Other|Silver|1|'''1%'''}} }}

Before the Protestant Reformation reached Zurich, it was ''de jure'' and ''de facto'' Roman Catholic.

The Protestant Reformation, led by Huldrych Zwingli, made Zurich both a theological centre and a stronghold of Protestantism in Switzerland. Another Swiss city with a comparable status was Geneva, the so-called ''Protestant Rome'', where John Calvin and his Protestant Reformers operated, as well as Basel. Zurich attracted other influential Protestant Reformers like Heinrich 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 abbess Katharina von Zimmern, and the largely peasant population of the Canton of Zurich. The canton unanimously adopted the Reformed tradition, as represented by Zwingli. Religious wars between Catholics and Protestants tormented the Swiss Confederacy. Zwingli died for political and religious reasons by defending the Canton of Zurich in the Battle of Kappel. Bullinger took over his role as the city's spiritual leader.

In 1970, about 53% of the population were Swiss 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 in Evangelical 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.<ref name=Etablierte_Kirchen>{{cite web |publisher=Präsidialdepartement der Stadt Zürich (Department of the Mayor) |title=Etablierte Kirchen in Bedrängnis |date=18 September 2012 |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationen-angebote/publikationen/webartikel/2012-09-18_Etablierte-Kirchen-in-Bedraengnis.html |author=Simon Villiger |language=de |location=Zurich, Switzerland |access-date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923055342/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationen-angebote/publikationen/webartikel/2012-09-18_Etablierte-Kirchen-in-Bedraengnis.html |archive-date=23 September 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

5% of Zurich's inhabitants are Muslims, a slight decrease of 1%, compared to the year 2000. The Mahmood Mosque Zurich, situated in Forchstrasse, is the first mosque built in Switzerland.<ref name=Etablierte_Kirchen/><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=20 Minuten |title=Minarett? "Kein Problem!" |author=Marius Egger |date=4 May 2007 |url=https://www.20min.ch/story/minarett-kein-problem-609917141336 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025090143/https://www.20min.ch/story/minarett-kein-problem-609917141336 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 October 2020 |language=de |location=Zurich, Switzerland |access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

The population of Jewish ethnicity and religion has been more or less constant since 1970, at about 1%. The Synagoge Zürich Löwenstrasse is the oldest and largest synagogue of Zurich.<ref name=Etablierte_Kirchen/><ref name="icz-synagogue">{{cite web |url=http://www.icz.org/396/synagog |title=Synagoge |publisher=Die Israelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürich (ICZ) |language=de |location=Zurich, Switzerland |access-date=25 January 2015 |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922022929/https://icz.org/religioeses/synagoge/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Social === The unemployment rate in Zurich was 3.3% in March 2026, in line with the national average of 3.1%.<ref>{{cite web | title=Arbeitslosigkeit |trans-title=Unemployment | website=Stadt Zürich | url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/de/politik-und-verwaltung/statistik-und-daten/daten/wirtschaft/arbeit-und-erwerb/arbeitslosigkeit.html#arbeitslosenquote | language=de | access-date=2026-04-29}}</ref>{{efn|The rate accounts for people registered with a regional employment center who are without a job and immediately available for work, regardless of whether or not they are receiving unemployment benefits.}} The monthly median salary in 2024 was CHF{{nbsp}}8508, with significant differences between men (CHF{{nbsp}}9255) and women (CHF{{nbsp}}7839). The social assistance rate{{efn|The proportion of social assistance recipients in the total population; it includes all individuals who have relied on social assistance at least once during the year.}} in 2024 was 3.9%, down from 5.1% in 2014.<ref>{{cite web | title= Sozialräumliches Monitoring im Kontext von Bevölkerungswachstum und baulicher Verdichtung| trans-title=Social monitoring in the context of population growth and urban densification| website=Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/dam/web/de/aktuell/publikationen/2025/sozialraummonitoring-bericht-2025.pdf |language=de| page=18| access-date=2026-04-29}}</ref>

=== Quality of living === Zurich often performs very well in international rankings, some of which are mentioned below:

*''Monocle''{{'}}s 2012 "Quality of Life Survey" ranked Zurich first on a list of the top 25 cities in the world "to make a base within".<ref>{{cite web |title=Quality of Life Survey 2012 |url=http://www.monocle.com/sections/affairs/Web-Articles/The-Monocle-Quality-of-Life-Survey-2012/ |work=Monocle |access-date=1 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804104927/http://www.monocle.com/sections/affairs/Web-Articles/The-Monocle-Quality-of-Life-Survey-2012/ |archive-date=4 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2019 Zurich was ranked among the ten most liveable cities in the world by Mercer together with Geneva and Basel.<ref>mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Insights/quality-of-living-rankings</ref> *In ''fDi Magazine''{{'}}s "Global Cities of the Future 2021/22" report, Zurich placed 16th in the overall rankings (all categories).<ref name="fDi-article21">{{cite web |last=Duffy |first=Aideen |title=fDi's Global Cities of the Future 2021/22 — overall winners |url=https://www.fdiintelligence.com/article/79334 |website=fDi Intelligence |access-date=7 May 2021 |language=en |date=11 February 2021 |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424002055/https://www.fdiintelligence.com/article/79334 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="fDi-digimag-32" /> In the category "Mid-sized and small cities", Zurich was 2nd overall, behind Wrocław, having also placed 2nd in the subcategory "Human capital and lifestyle" and 3rd under "Business friendliness". In the category "FDI strategy, overall" (relating to foreign direct investment), Zurich ranked 9th, behind such cities as New York, Montreal (1st and 2nd) and Dubai (at number 8).<ref name="fDi-digimag-32">{{cite journal |last=Duffy |first=Aideen |title=Global Cities of the Future 2021/22 |journal=FDi Intelligence |issue=February/March 2021 |pages=26, 32, 36 |url=https://content.yudu.com/web/43wcl/0A43wm9/fDiFebMar21/html/index.html?page=32&origin=reader |access-date=7 May 2021 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225104042/https://content.yudu.com/web/43wcl/0A43wm9/fDiFebMar21/html/index.html?page=32&origin=reader |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Main sites == {{Further|Altstadt (Zurich)}} [[File:Bahnhofstrasse Grieder.jpg|thumb|Bahnhofstrasse, looking north from Paradeplatz]] Most of Zurich's sites are located within the area on either side of the Limmat, between the main railway station and Lake Zurich. The churches and houses of the old town are clustered here, as are the most expensive shops along the famous Bahnhofstrasse. The Lindenhof in the old town is the historical site of the Roman castle, and the later Carolingian Imperial Palace.

=== Churches === *Grossmünster (Great Minster) According to legend, Charlemagne discovered the graves of the city's martyrs Felix and Regula and had built the first church as a monastery; start of current building around 1100; in the first half of the 16th century, the Great Minster was the starting point of the Swiss-German Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger; declared by Charlemagne imperial church; romanesque crypt, romanesque capitals in the church and cloister; choir windows by Augusto Giacometti (1932) and Sigmar Polke (2009), bronze doors by Otto Münch (1935 and 1950).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grossmuenster.ch/geschichte.html |title=Zur Geschichte des Grossmünsters |publisher=Evangelisch-reformierte Landeskirche des Kantons Zürich |language=de |type=official website |access-date=29 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220202122/http://www.grossmuenster.ch/geschichte.html |archive-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> *Fraumünster (Women's Minster) Church of a former abbey for aristocratical women from southern Germany which was founded in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard; first church built before 874; the romanesque choir dates from 1250 to 1270; the church enjoyed the patronage of kings and had the right of coinage from Zurich to the 13th century; after the Reformation, church and convent passed into the possession of the city; the most important jewelry – in addition to the largest organ in the canton with its 5,793 pipes and 92 stops – are colour windows: the window in the north transept of Augusto Giacometti (1945), the five-part cycle in the choir (1970) and the rosette in the southern transept (1978) are by Marc Chagall; also the church of Zurich's largest choir with 100 and more singers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fraumuenster.ch/das-fraumunster/geschichte/ |title=Geschichte |publisher=Evangelisch reformierte Kirchgemeinde Fraumünster |language=de |type=official website |access-date=29 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229145055/http://www.fraumuenster.ch/das-fraumunster/geschichte/ |archive-date=29 December 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> *St. Peter romanesque-gothic-baroque church built on remains of former churches from before the 9th century; with the largest church clock face in Europe built 1538; baptismal font of 1598, baroque stucco; individual stalls from the 15th century from city repealed monasteries with rich carvings and armrests; Kanzellettner (increased barrier between the nave and choir with built-pulpit) of 1705 pulpit sounding board about 1790; rich Akanthus embellishment with Bible verse above the pulpit; 1971 new crystal chandelier modeled according 1710 design; organ in 1974 with 53 stops; Bells: five from 1880, the largest, A minor, without clapper weighs about {{cvt|6000|kg|0}}; fire guard in the tower to the Middle Ages to 1911.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.st-peter-zh.ch/012_historisches.html |title=Aus der Geschichte der Kirche St. Peter Zürich |publisher=Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde St. Peter |language=de |type=official website |access-date=29 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029230403/http://www.st-peter-zh.ch/012_historisches.html |archive-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> *Predigerkirche is one of the four main churches of the old town, first built in 1231 AD as a Romanesque church of the then Dominican ''Predigerkloster'' nearby the Neumarkt. It was converted in the first half of the 14th century, and the choir rebuilt between 1308 and 1350. Due to its construction and for that time unusual high bell tower, it was regarded as the most high Gothic edifice in Zurich.{{Citation needed|reason=previous reference didn't say anything about the Prediger church, at all!|date=December 2014}}

=== Museums === {{See also|List of museums in Switzerland}} *Zurich Museum of Art – The Museum of Art, also known as ''Kunsthaus Zürich'', is one of the significant art museums of Europe. It holds one of the largest collections in Classic Modern art in the world (Munch, Picasso, Braque, Giacometti, etc.). The museum also features a large library collection of photographs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kunsthaus.ch |title=Kunsthaus Zürich – das Kunstmuseum in Zürich |publisher=Kunsthaus.ch |date=30 June 2008 |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222033840/http://www.kunsthaus.ch/ |archive-date=22 February 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> *Swiss National Museum – The National Museum (German: ''Landesmuseum'') displays many objects that illustrate the cultural and historical background of Switzerland. It also contains many ancient artifacts, including stained glass, costumes, painted furniture and weapons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Collection |url=https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en/services/collection |website=Swiss National Museum |access-date=11 April 2023 |archive-date=11 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411045648/https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en/services/collection |url-status=live }}</ref> The museum is in the Platzspitz park opposite to the Hauptbahnhof.<ref>{{cite web |title=Visitor information for the National Museum Zurich |url=https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en/your-visit/information-for-visitors |website=Swiss National Museum |access-date=11 April 2023 |archive-date=11 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411045648/https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en/your-visit/information-for-visitors |url-status=live }}</ref> *Natural History Museum of the University of Zurich (NMZ) – Established in 2024 through the merger of several former natural science museums of the University of Zurich, the NMZ displays various animals of Switzerland and from around the world, including fossils of dinosaurs, marine reptiles and early humans. It also features an exhibition about plant communication. It is situated in the university's main building near the city center. The entry is free.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nmz.uzh.ch/en/permanentexhibition.html |title=Permanent exhibition |publisher=Natural History Museum of the University of Zurich |access-date=2025-06-15}}</ref> *Centre Le Corbusier – Located on the shore of the Lake Zurich nearby Zürichhorn, the Centre Le Corbusier (also named: ''Heidi Weber Museum''), is an art museum dedicated to the work of the Swiss architect Le Corbusier, inside the last house he designed. *Rietberg Museum – The Rietberg Museum, situated in Gablerstrasse, is one of the great repositories of art and culture in Zurich. The museum also displays exhibits gathered from various corners of the world: bronze artifacts from Tibet, ceramics and jade, Indian sculpture, Chinese grave decorations, masks by African tribes, etc. *Museum of Design – The Museum of Design is a museum for industrial design, visual communication, architecture and craft. It is part of the Department of Cultural Analysis of the Zurich University of the Arts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museum-gestaltung.ch/E_welcome.html |title=Home Museum Gestaltung |publisher=Museum-gestaltung.ch |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925060503/http://www.museum-gestaltung.ch/E_welcome.html |archive-date=25 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> *Haus Konstruktiv – The Haus Konstruktiv is a museum with Swiss-wide and international recognition. The museum is about constructive, concrete and conceptual art and design. It testimonies to Zurich's industrial architecture in the immediate vicinity of the Main Station.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hauskonstruktiv.ch |title=Haus Konstruktiv |publisher=Hauskonstruktiv.ch |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925062905/http://www.hauskonstruktiv.ch/ |archive-date=25 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> *Uhrenmuseum Beyer – The Uhrenmuseum is in the heart of the city. Documenting the history of timekeeping and timekeepers, the museum is home to a large collection of mechanical timepieces as well as a collection of primitive time keeping devices such as water clocks, sundials and hourglasses. *No Show Museum – the No Show Museum is the first museum dedicated to nothing and its various manifestations throughout the history of art. *Guild houses – The Guild houses (German: ''Zunfthaus'') are located along the Limmat (downstream from the Grossmünster): Meisen (also a porcelain and faience museum), Rüden, Haue, Saffran, Schneidern, Schmiden, Zimmerleuten, and some more. *Tram Museum – The Tram Museum is located at Burgwies in Zurich's eastern suburbs, and chronicles the history of Zurich's iconic tram system with exhibits varying in date from 1897 to the present day. *North America Native Museum – The North American Native Museum specializes in the conservation, documentation and presentation of ethnographic objects and art of Native American, First Nation and Inuit cultures. *FIFA Museum – The museum exhibits memorabilities from the world of Association Football (Soccer), founded by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

=== Parks and nature === *Zoological Garden – The zoological garden holds about 260 species of animals and houses about 2200 animals. One can come across separate enclosures of snow leopards, India lions, clouded leopards, Amur leopards, otters and pandas in the zoo.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.zoo.ch/de/home |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928023414/http://www.zoo.ch/index.php?L=3 |url-status=dead |title=Home |archive-date=28 September 2007 |website=Zoo Zürich}}</ref> *Botanical Garden – The Botanical Garden houses about 15,000 species of plants and trees and contains as many as three million plants. In the garden, many rare plant species from south western part of Africa, as well as from New Caledonia can be found. The University of Zurich holds the ownership of the Botanical Garden. *Chinese Garden – The Chinese Garden is a gift by Zurich's Chinese partner town Kunming, as remiscence for Zurich's technical and scientific assistance in the development of the Kunming city drinking water supply and drainage. The garden is an expression of one of the main themes of Chinese culture, the «Three Friends of Winter» – three plants that together brave the cold season – pine, bamboo, and plum. *Succulent plant collection and garden – The {{lang|de|Sukkulenten-Sammlung}} is a botanical garden and a collection, botanic library and research organization of succulent plants. It is located in the Quaianlagen. *Uetliberg – Located to the west of the city at an altitude of {{cvt|813|m|ft|sp=us}} above sea level, the Uetliberg is the highest hill and offers views over the city. The summit is easily accessible by train from Zurich main station.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zuerich.com/nature |title=Uetliberg – Zurich – Your city – Official Website of Zurich Tourism |publisher=Zuerich.com |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922022917/https://www.zuerich.com/en/discover-zurich |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== ''Kunst und Bau'' (construction permit office) === 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.<ref name="KuB">{{Cite web |title=Kunst und Bau Amtshaus I |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/hochbau/kunst_und_bau/werke_kub/kub_werke_kr_1/ah1_giacometti.html |access-date=11 December 2021 |website=Stadt Zürich Hochbaudepartement |language=de |archive-date=11 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211025515/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/hochbau/kunst_und_bau/werke_kub/kub_werke_kr_1/ah1_giacometti.html |url-status=live }}</ref><gallery widths="200" heights="200"> File:Frescoes 3.jpg|Fresco inside Amtshaus 1 File:Entrance to the world's most beautiful police station 01.jpg|Entrance to Amtshaus 1 File:This leaflet or pamphlet which is available for free to collect during exit provides the information why this Frescoes were made.jpg|Information pamphlet providing information about why these frescos were made </gallery>

=== Architecture === [[File:Zuerich Sunrise Tower 1.jpg|thumb|The {{convert|88|metre|adj=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blincmagazine.com/forum/incidents/41734-world-acquaintance-basejumper-after-leap-sunrise-tower-heavily-injures.html |title=BASE jumping :: BASEJumping.tv @ BLiNC Magazine |publisher=Blincmagazine.com |access-date=13 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319042215/http://www.blincmagazine.com/forum/incidents/41734-world-acquaintance-basejumper-after-leap-sunrise-tower-heavily-injures.html |archive-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> high Sunrise Tower (2005) was the first approved high-rise building in twenty years.]] Compared to other cities, there are few tall buildings in Zurich. The municipal building regulations (Article 9)<ref>{{cite web |author=Stadtverwaltung Zuerich |url=http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/internet/as/home/inhaltsverzeichnis/7/700/100/1169557186053.html |title=Bauordnung der Stadt Zürich |publisher=Stadt-zuerich.ch |access-date=13 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309184701/http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/internet/as/home/inhaltsverzeichnis/7/700/100/1169557186053.html |archive-date=9 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> 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 {{cvt|80|m|ft|sp=us}} in height are allowed (high-rise area I). In the adjacent high-rise areas II and III the height is limited to {{cvt|40|m|ft|sp=us}}. Around the year 2000, regulations became more flexible and high-rise buildings were again planned and built. The people's initiative "{{cvt|40|m|abbr=off}} is enough," which would have reduced both the maximum height and the high-rise buildings area, was clearly rejected on 29 November 2009.<ref>[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Sind-40-Meter-wirklich-genug/story/16648490 ''40 Meter sind den Zürchern nicht genug.''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208023025/http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Sind-40-Meter-wirklich-genug/story/16648490 |date=8 December 2009}} ''Tages Anzeiger''. Retrieved 5 December 2009</ref> At this time in Zurich about a dozen high-rise buildings were under construction or in planning, including the Prime Tower as the tallest skyscraper in Switzerland at the time of its construction. There are numerous examples of brutalist buildings throughout the city, including the Swissmill Tower which, at {{cvt|118|m}}, is the world's tallest grain silo.

=== World heritage sites === The prehistoric settlements at Enge Alpenquai and Grosser Hafner and Kleiner Hafner are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<ref name=UNESCO>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1363/ |title=UNESCO World Heritage Site – Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps |publisher=UNESCO |date=27 June 2011 |access-date=13 May 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240526204352/https://www.webcitation.org/6JPlINq4o?url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1363/ |archive-date=26 May 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Economy == {{see also|Economy of Switzerland}} [[File:Paradeplatz in Zürich.jpg|alt=Paradeplatz, heart of Zurich's financial centre|thumb|Paradeplatz, the heart of Zurich's financial centre]] Zurich contributes approximately 10% to Switzerland's GDP.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 June 2011 |title=Wertschöpfung – Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/themen/wirtschaft/wertschoepfung.html |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de}}</ref> Approximately 90% of workers are employed in the tertiary sector.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 March 2024 |title=Wirtschaft – Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/themen/wirtschaft.html |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |language=de}}</ref>

In a 2009 survey by CityMayors.com, Zurich was ranked 9th among the "World's 10 Most Powerful Cities".<ref name="World's 10 Most Powerful Cities">{{Cite web|title=World's 10 Most Powerful Cities|url=https://www.prlog.org/10438458-worlds-10-most-powerful-cities.html |access-date=23 February 2023 |website=PRLog |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127033812/http://www.prlog.org/10438458-worlds-10-most-powerful-cities.html |archive-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Zurich was ranked as having the 11th most competitive financial centre in the world, and second most competitive in Europe after London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.longfinance.net/images/gfci/gfci_21.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611000617/http://www.longfinance.net/images/gfci/gfci_21.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 June 2017 |title=The Global Financial Centres Index 21 |date=March 2017 |publisher=Long Finance}}</ref> The Greater Zurich Area is 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, Zurich Cantonal Bank, Migros Bank, Julius Baer, Zurich Insurance Group, Swiss Re and Swiss Life.

For a list of the largest companies in Zurich, see: List of Swiss companies by revenue.

=== Contributory factors to economic strength === The high quality of life has been cited as a reason for economic growth in Zurich. The consulting firm Mercer has{{When|date=September 2020}} for many years ranked Zurich as a city with the highest quality of life in the world.<ref name="Mercer07">{{cite web |url=http://www.mercer.com/referencecontent.htm?idContent=1173105 |title=2007 World-wide quality of living survey |access-date=8 August 2008 |work=Mercer |date=2 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812003533/http://www.mercer.com/referencecontent.htm?idContent=1173105 |archive-date=12 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Mercer08">{{cite web |url=http://www.mercer.com/qualityofliving?siteLanguage=100 |title=Mercer's 2008 Quality of Living survey highlights |access-date=8 August 2008 |work=Mercer |date=10 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807202758/http://www.mercer.com/qualityofliving?siteLanguage=100 |archive-date=7 August 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref name="usatoday1">{{Cite web|title=Zurich – Overview |url=https://www.usatoday.com/marketplace/ibi/Zurich.htm |website=USA Today |access-date=26 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712092811/http://www.usatoday.com/marketplace/ibi/zurich.htm |archive-date=12 July 2012}}</ref> Zurich is also ranked{{When|date=September 2020}} the third most expensive city in the world, behind Hong Kong and Tokyo and ahead of Singapore.<ref name="Mercer-CoL-18">{{cite web |title=Mercer Cost of Living Survey 2018 |url=https://www.mercer.com/newsroom/cost-of-living-2018.html |publisher=Mercer |access-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413091837/https://www.mercer.com/newsroom/cost-of-living-2018.html |archive-date=13 April 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name="usatoday1"/>

Google Zurich 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' union Syndicom to 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coulter |first=Martin |title=Swiss Google workers stage walkout as job cuts hit Europe |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-workers-stage-walkout-zurich-office-job-cuts-hit-europe-2023-03-15/ |access-date=12 July 2023 |work=Reuters |date=15 March 2023 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524091612/https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-workers-stage-walkout-zurich-office-job-cuts-hit-europe-2023-03-15/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Swiss stock exchange === The Swiss stock exchange is called SIX 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, and virt-x. The exchange turnover generated at the SWX was in 2007 of 1,780,499.5 million CHF; the number of transactions arrived in the same period at 35,339,296 and the Swiss Performance Index (SPI) arrived at a total market capitalization of 1,359,976.2 million CHF.<ref>[http://www.swx.com/annual_data/2007/j07_2_1.xls SWX.com] {{dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} Market capitalization of listed securities, 2000–2007</ref><ref>[http://www.swx.com/annual_data/2007/j07_7_1.xls SWX.com] {{dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} Key figures: annual turnover and trades, 1998–2007</ref>

== Education and research == thumb|Main building of the University of Zurich About 70,000 people study at the 20 universities, colleges and institutions of higher education in Zurich in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hochschulen – Stadt Zürich |url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/themen/bildung-kultur-sport/bildung/hochschulen.html |access-date=20 January 2021 |website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch |date=28 July 2016 |language=de |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128145857/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/themen/bildung-kultur-sport/bildung/hochschulen.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Two of Switzerland's most distinguished universities are located in the city: the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), which is controlled by the federal government, and the University 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucla.nus.edu.sg/NewsweekTop100GlobalUniversities2006.pdf |title=Newsweek Ranking |access-date=3 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326111236/http://ucla.nus.edu.sg/NewsweekTop100GlobalUniversities2006.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 December 2012 |title=ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/eth-zurich-swiss-federal-institute-technology/undergrad |access-date=20 January 2021 |website=Top Universities |language=en |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125234753/https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/eth-zurich-swiss-federal-institute-technology/undergrad |url-status=live }}</ref>

Main building of the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH)|thumb 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.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130823201143/http://www.topuniversities.com/university/199/eth-Z%C3%BCrich-swiss-federal-institute-of-technology ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)] topuniversities.com. Retrieved 30 April 2010</ref> 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 reformer Ulrich Zwingli founded 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, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Zurich 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 the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eit.europa.eu/fileadmin/Content/Downloads/PDF/news_items/Summary_Climate-KIC.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410173636/http://eit.europa.eu/fileadmin/Content/Downloads/PDF/news_items/Summary_Climate-KIC.pdf |archive-date=10 April 2014 |title=Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation |publisher=Knowledge and Innovation Community |access-date=9 February 2010}}</ref>

In addition to the university libraries, the city is also served by the Zentralbibliothek Zürich, a research and public library, and the Pestalozzi-Bibliothek Zürich, a public library with 14 locations.

=== State universities by size in canton of Zurich === {{See also|List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland}} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Enrollment of (federal) state Universities and higher education institutions in Zurich |- !scope="col"| Institution !scope="col"| Total students |- !scope="row"| University of Zurich – UZH | 25,618 |- !scope="row"| Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich – ETH | 20,607<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/main/eth-zurich/Informationsmaterial/GB17/01_ETH_GB17_EN_low.pdf |title=ETH Zurich Annual Report 2017 |access-date=30 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730170946/https://www.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/main/eth-zurich/Informationsmaterial/GB17/01_ETH_GB17_EN_low.pdf |archive-date=30 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> |- !scope="row"| Zurich University of Applied Sciences – ZHAW | 15,334 |}

== Transport == === Public transport === {{Main|Public transport in Zurich}}

{{See also|Zurich model}} [[File:ZSG - Stadt Zürich IMG 3197.JPG|thumb|One of the city's two paddle steamers on Lake Zurich]] [[File:Zuerich Hauptbahnhof-2.jpg|Zurich's main railway station, Switzerland's busiest railway station|thumb]] 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 (motor or trolley), and about half of the journeys within the municipality take place on public transport.<ref>[http://www.zurich-relocation.ch/ Public transportation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922022915/https://www.zurich-relocation.ch/ |date=22 September 2023 }} zurich-relocation.com. Retrieved 26 June 2010</ref> The city's network of public transport includes four main modes of transit: trains, in particular the local S-Bahn, trams, buses, and boats. Tickets purchased for a trip are valid on each mode of transport. The public-transport network also includes three funicular railways within the city's fare zone.

Zurich is a mixed hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Zurich's main railway station, Zürich Hauptbahnhof (''Zürich HB''), is the largest and busiest station in Switzerland and an important railway hub in Europe. As of 2019, it served around 470,000 passengers and nearly 3,000 trains every day.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 February 2020 |title=Why Zurich Hauptbahnhof is the 'best' train station in mainland Europe |url=https://www.thelocal.ch/20200218/why-zurich-central-is-the-best-rail-station-in-mainland-europe |access-date=17 June 2020 |website=The Local |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116181931/https://www.thelocal.ch/20200218/why-zurich-central-is-the-best-rail-station-in-mainland-europe |url-status=live }}</ref> In total, there are 28 operational railway stations in Zurich.

=== Zurich Airport === {{Main|Zurich Airport}}

Zurich Airport in Kloten|thumb Zurich Airport is about {{cvt|8|km|mi|sp=us}} north of central Zurich, partly lying in the municipality of Kloten. 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 for Swiss International Air Lines. There is also an airfield in Dübendorf.

=== Road traffic === The A1, A3, and A4 motorways pass close to Zurich. The A1 heads west towards Bern and Geneva and eastwards towards St. Gallen; the A4 leads northwards to Schaffhausen and southwards to Altdorf connecting with the A2 towards Chiasso; and the A3 heads northwest towards Basel and southeast along Lake Zurich and Lake Walen towards Sargans.

=== Bicycle transport === {{See also|Swiss National Bike Routes}} In 2012, the city council launched a program to improve the city's attractiveness for bicycle traffic. The so-called "Masterplan Velo"<ref>[https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ted/de/index/taz/publikationen_u_broschueren/masterplan_velo.html/ Masterplan Velo] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630164124/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ted/de/index/taz/publikationen_u_broschueren/masterplan_velo.html |date=30 June 2017}} Stadt Zürich. Retrieved 29 November 2016</ref> is part of the superordinate framework ''Stadtverkehr 2025'' which 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1080/01441647.2013.860204 |title=Promoting Cycling for Transport: Research Needs and Challenges |journal=Transport Reviews |volume=34 |pages=4–24 |year=2014 |last1=Handy |first1=Susan |last2=Van Wee |first2=Bert |last3=Kroesen |first3=Maarten |s2cid=109056290}}</ref> Three main goals are specified: First, the modal share of 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 ({{lang|de|Hauptrouten}}) for everyday use and comfort routes ({{lang|de|Komfortrouten}}), with the latter focusing on leisure cycling. Additional measures such as special {{lang|de|Velostationen}} providing 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 the main railway station planned to combine a main connection with staffed possibilities where commuters can leave their bikes throughout the day.<ref>[http://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/mit-dem-velo-in-den-autobahntunnel-1.17516011./ Mit dem Velo in den Autobahntunnel] {{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} ''Neue Zürcher Zeitung''. Retrieved 29 November 2016.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fassbind |first=Tina |title=Die Stadt bremst Velofahrer am HB aus|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/die-stadt-bremst-velofahrer-am-hb-aus-332078070552|access-date=23 February 2023|website=Tages-Anzeiger|date=29 March 2016 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821211242/http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/die-stadt-bremst-velofahrer-am-hb-aus/story/23770090 |archive-date=21 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pro Velo, a nationwide interest group, has publicly questioned whether the masterplan already failed.<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 March 2016 |title=Ist der Masterplan Velo bereits gescheitert? |url=https://www.provelozuerich.ch/magazin/velo-politik-bau/ist-der-masterplan-velo-bereits-gescheitert/|access-date=23 February 2023 |website=Pro Velo Kanton Zürich|language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220110706/http://www.provelozuerich.ch/blog/ist-der-masterplan-velo-bereits-gescheitert/ |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>[https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ted/de/index/departement/stadtrat_filippo_leutenegger/tagblatt_kolumnen/160413_lieber-dave-durner.html/ Lieber Dave Durner] {{dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} Stadt Zürich. Retrieved 29 November 2016.</ref>

== Media == Many large Swiss media conglomerates are headquartered in Zurich, such as tamedia, Ringier and the NZZ-Verlag.

=== Television and radio === thumb|Swiss television's building The headquarters of Switzerland's national licence fee-funded German language television network ("SF") are located in the Leutschenbach neighborhood, to the north of the Oerlikon 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 in Schlieren.

One section of the Swiss German language licence fee-funded public radio station "Schweizer Radio DRS" is 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), "Radio Streetparade" (July/August) and "rundfunk.fm" (August/September).

=== Print media === There are three large daily newspapers published in Zurich that are known across Switzerland: the {{Lang|de|Neue Zürcher Zeitung}} (''NZZ''), {{lang|de|Tages-Anzeiger}} and ''Blick'', the largest Swiss tabloid. All three of those newspapers publish Sunday editions. These are the ''NZZ am Sonntag'', ''SonntagsZeitung'' and ''SonntagsBlick''. Besides the three main daily newspapers, there is a free daily commuter newspaper which 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 are ''Bilanz'', ''Die Weltwoche'', ''Annabelle'', ''Schweizer Familie'' and ''Schweizer Illustrierte''.

== Culture == {{See also|List of annual events in Zurich}} [[File:Zurich Film Festival 2008.jpg|thumb|Opening of the Zurich Film Festival (2008)]] In addition to high-quality museums and galleries, Zurich has high-calibre chamber and symphony orchestras and several important theatres.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html |title=Zürich |publisher=Worldtravelguide.net |access-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807195450/http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html |archive-date=7 August 2010}}</ref>

The Zurich Film Festival is an international film festival, lasting 11 days and featuring popular international productions.<ref>{{cite web |author=info@blue-compass.com |url=http://www.festivalfocus.org/festival_view.php?uid=89 |title=Zurich Film Festival |publisher=Festivalfocus.org |access-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928212125/http://www.festivalfocus.org/festival_view.php?uid=89 |archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Zurich Street Parade 2008 005.jpg|thumb|Zurich during the Street Parade (2008)]] One of the largest and most popular annual events in Zurich is the Street 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://travelguide.all-about-switzerland.info/pictures-zurich-streetparade-2005.html |title=Street Parade |publisher=Travelguide.all-about-switzerland.info |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126231326/http://travelguide.all-about-switzerland.info/pictures-zurich-streetparade-2005.html |archive-date=26 November 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="markstravelnotes1">{{cite web |url=http://www.markstravelnotes.com/europe/switzerland/canton_zurich/zurich/faescht/ |title=Zurich festivals |publisher=Markstravelnotes.com |date=20 January 2008 |access-date=3 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122073611/http://www.markstravelnotes.com/europe/switzerland/canton%5Fzurich/zurich/faescht/ |archive-date=22 November 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Zürifäscht, on the other hand, is a triennial public festival. It features music, fireworks set to music,<ref name="markstravelnotes1"/> and other attractions throughout the old town. It is the largest public festival in Switzerland and attracts up to 2 million visitors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zuerifaescht.ch/ |title=Zürifäscht 2010 |publisher=Zuerifaescht.ch |access-date=15 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722081858/http://www.zuerifaescht.ch/ |archive-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Kunst Zürich is an international contemporary art fair with an annual guest city; it combines most recent arts with the works of well-established artists.<ref>{{cite web |work=Kunstzuerich.ch |url=http://www.kunstzuerich.ch/ |title=Kunst Zürich 2007 | Kunstmesse Zürich |access-date=6 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428225112/http://www.kunstzuerich.ch/ |archive-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Another annual public art exhibit is the city campaign, sponsored by the City Vereinigung (the local equivalent of a chamber of commerce) with the cooperation of the city 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 the CowParade that has been featured in other major world cities.

Zurich has been the home to several art movements. The Dada movement was founded in 1916 at the Cabaret Voltaire. Artists like Max Bill, Marcel Breuer, Camille Graeser or Richard Paul Lohse had their ateliers in Zurich, which became even more important after the takeover of power by the Nazi regime in Germany and World War II.

The best known traditional holiday in the city is the Sechseläuten (''Sächsilüüte''), including a parade of the guilds and the burning of "winter" in effigy at the Sechseläutenplatz. During this festival the popular march known as the Sechseläutenmarsch is played. It has no known composer but likely originated in Russia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.srf.ch/play/radio/musikwelle-magazin/audio/sechselaeuten-marsch-sein-weg-in-die-schweiz?id=a862835b-380e-4ff5-ad9a-aada36ec5f5e |title=Sechseläuten-Marsch: Sein Weg in die Schweiz – Radio |website=Play SRF |language=de |access-date=18 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005233839/https://www.srf.ch/play/radio/musikwelle-magazin/audio/sechselaeuten-marsch-sein-weg-in-die-schweiz%3Fid%3Da862835b-380e-4ff5-ad9a-aada36ec5f5e |archive-date=5 October 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Another is the Knabenschiessen target shooting competition for teenagers (originally boys, open to female participants since 1991).

=== Opera, ballet, and theaters === {{Further|Zürcher Vokalisten|topic=the a cappella choir}}thumb|upright|Opernhaus The Zurich 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 of Richard 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 the ''Zürcher Opernball'' with the President of the Swiss Confederation and the economic and cultural elite of Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/onair/winter2008/zurich-swiss-urbanism-at-its-best.shtml?12397 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130015407/http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/onair/winter2008/zurich-swiss-urbanism-at-its-best.shtml?12397 |url-status=dead |title=Zurich: Swiss urbanism at its best |archive-date=30 November 2010}}</ref> The Ballett Zürich performs at the opera house. The Zurich Opera Ball, a major social event, is held annually at the Opera House as a fundraiser for the opera and ballet companies.

The Schauspielhaus Zürich is the main theatre complex of the city. It has two dépendances: ''Pfauen'' in the Central City District and ''Schiffbauhalle'', an old industrial hall, in Zurich West. The Schauspielhaus was home to emigrants such as Bertolt Brecht or Thomas Mann, and saw premieres of works of Max Frisch, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Botho Strauss and Elfriede Jelinek. The Schauspielhaus is one of the most prominent and important theatres in Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html |title=Zürich Culture |publisher=Worldtravelguide.net |access-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807195450/http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/138/culture/Europe/Zurich.html |archive-date=7 August 2010}}</ref>

The Theater am Neumarkt is one of the oldest theatres of the city. Established by the old guilds in the Old City District, it is in a baroque palace near Niederdorf Street. It has two stages staging mostly avantgarde works by European directors.

The Zürcher Theater Spektakel is an international theatre festival, featuring contemporary performing arts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaterspektakel.ch/(cyneig45iqfbdv2qwogr1w55)/Frames/index.aspx?Page=default&Parm= |title=Theaterspektakel |publisher=Theaterspektakel.ch |access-date=6 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318161240/http://www.theaterspektakel.ch/(cyneig45iqfbdv2qwogr1w55)/Frames/index.aspx?Page=default&Parm= |archive-date=18 March 2009}}</ref>

=== Food === The traditional cuisine of Zurich reflects the centuries of rule by patrician burghers as well as the lasting imprint of Huldrych Zwingli's puritanism. Traditional dishes include ''Zürcher Geschnetzeltes'' and ''Tirggel''. Sternen Grill is a popular restaurant that is known for its St. Galler Bratwurst. Other notable restaurants in Zurich include the Blindekuh (dark dining), Hiltl vegetarian restaurant, Kronenhalle and Ristorante Cooperativo. Café & Conditorei 1842 is the oldest café in the city.

=== Nightlife and clubbing === thumb|Zurich at night Zurich is host city of the Street Parade, which takes place in August every year (see above).

The most famous districts for Nightlife are the Niederdorf in the old town with bars, restaurants, lounges, hotels, clubs, many fashion shops and the Langstrasse in the districts 4 and 5 of the city. There are authentic amusements: bars, punk clubs, hip hop stages, Caribbean restaurants, arthouse cinemas, Turkish kebabs and Italian espresso-bars, but also sex shops and the red-light district of Zurich.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}}

In recent years{{When|date=June 2020}} new parts of the city have risen into the spotlight. Notably, the area known as Zurich West in district 5, near the Escher-Wyss square and the S-Bahn Station of {{Stnlnk|Zürich Hardbrücke}}.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

== Sports == [[File:FIFA-Headquarter.jpg|thumb|FIFA Headquarters]] Zurich is home to several international sport federations. The Fédération 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 football is an essential aspect of sports in Zurich. The city is home to two major rivaling Swiss football teams; Grasshopper Club Zurich founded in 1886 and FC Zürich founded in 1896, both competing in Switzerland's highest league.

Another popular sport in Switzerland is ice hockey. Zurich is represented by the ZSC Lions. The International 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 the Oerlikon Velodrome takes place on Tuesday evenings in the summer.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}}

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.<ref>[http://www.zurich-relocation.ch/content/leisure/sports.html Sport] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708073631/http://www.zurich-relocation.ch/content/leisure/sports.html |date=8 July 2010}} zurich-relocation.ch. Retrieved 14 July 2010</ref>

Zurich is Switzerland's hub for lacrosse. The Zurich Lions Lacrosse Academics have been the country's dominant team and a major competitor at international events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lacrosse Sport Überblick – Lacrosse Verein St. Gallen |url=https://lacrosse-sg.ch/lacrosse/ |access-date=23 February 2023 |language=de |archive-date=13 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213125847/https://lacrosse-sg.ch/lacrosse/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Events === thumb|2007 Zurich Weltklasse Weltklasse Zürich, sometimes referred to as the one-day Olympics,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/oliver-prepared-for-the-one-day-olympics-2056134.html |title=Oliver prepared for the 'one-day Olympics' |last=Roberts |first=Barry |date=19 August 2010 |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=26 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627013815/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/oliver-prepared-for-the-one-day-olympics-2056134.html |archive-date=27 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> is a one-day athletics meet held annually at the Letzigrund Stadium. 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weltklassezuerich.ch/assets/files/2008/ZurichWR.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309043122/http://www.weltklassezuerich.ch/assets/files/2008/ZurichWR.pdf |archive-date=9 March 2012 |title=weltklassezuerich.ch. Retrieved 14 July 2010 |access-date=13 May 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.weltklassezuerich.ch/en/news/newsbits-english/Zurich-is-number-one-with-16-Berlin-Champions-competing.html Zürich is number one with 16 Berlin Champions competing] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707005057/http://www.weltklassezuerich.ch/en/news/newsbits-english/Zurich-is-number-one-with-16-Berlin-Champions-competing.html |date=7 July 2011}} weltklassezuerich.ch. Retrieved 14 July 2010</ref><ref>{{Cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721054753/https://supersport.com/athletics/article.aspx?id=283226&print=1 |url=https://supersport.com/athletics/article.aspx?id=283226&print=1 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |title=IAAF considers expanded Golden League |date=6 January 2009 |access-date=1 March 2023 |website=supersport.com}}</ref>

Zurich Marathon is a popular sport event held in the city. The course starts in Zurich and passes through Bahnhofstrasse, Bellevueplatz, Mythenquai, Quaibrücke, Talstrasse and Utoquai, and along Lake Zurich. New Year's Eve run is another notable running event held on 1 January and starts at midnight.

Zurich was one of six venues of the 1954 FIFA World Cup and one of eight venues of the UEFA 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.<ref name="Swissinfo-Matthew">{{cite web |url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/new-letzigrund-opening-ends-euro-2008-saga/970002 |last=Matthew |first=Allen |title=Letzigrund opening |date=31 August 2007 |access-date=13 February 2015 |publisher=Swissinfo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213210923/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/new-letzigrund-opening-ends-euro-2008-saga/970002 |archive-date=13 February 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Zurich has hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships six times at the Oerlikon Velodrome. The first event was in 1929 and most recently in 1983.

Since 2013, the international Literaturfestival Zürich takes place annually in Zurich, presented by Literaturhaus Zürich and Kaufleuten.

Zurich hosted the 1998 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships. The city previously co-hosted the 1953 and 1939 championships.

Zurich was also host to the 2012 Men's World Floorball Championships. This was the first time the event had been held in the city.

== Notable people == {{Main|List of people from Zurich}}

== Other points of interest == thumb|Inside the "Oepfelchammer", in which the so-called {{lang|de|Balkenprobe}} takes place * The Schwamendingen X: level crossing of tram tracks, necessary because the tunnel uses island platforms for boarding (''between'' trams, whose doors are on the right) while normally (outside the tunnel), passengers board to the outside (''opposite'' the boarding area of oncoming trams). Trams normally travel on the right track, but in the tunnel they travel on the left.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Schwamendingen X – Zurich, Switzerland |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-schwamendingen-x-zurich-switzerland |website=Atlas Obscura |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113004837/https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-schwamendingen-x-zurich-switzerland |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2021}} * The Sihlfeld cemetery has a vending machine for funeral cards and other mourning supplies.<ref>{{cite web |title=Der Trauerautomat – Zurich, Switzerland |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/der-trauerautomat |website=Atlas Obscura |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=12 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112114339/https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/der-trauerautomat |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2021}} * The "Oepfelchammer" tavern in Zurich's Old Town offers an unusual athletic drinking game called {{lang|de|Balkenprobe}}: the drinker has to pull themselves up on a ceiling beam, cross over to the next beam, then drink a glass of wine with their head hanging down. If they succeed, they are then allowed to carve their name into the tavern's wooden walls, beams or tables.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oepfelchammer – Zurich, Switzerland |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oepfelchammer |website=Atlas Obscura |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113063819/https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oepfelchammer |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2021}} * The email newsletter Ron Orp’s Mail was founded in Zurich in 2004. It originally covered the cultural scene of Zurich alone, but has since expanded to include numerous cities around the world. These include Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Brasília, and London, as well as numerous cities within Switzerland.<ref>David Torcasso, [http://www.20min.ch/news/zuerich/story/10412329 Ron Orp: Erfolgs-Newsletter aus Zürich feiert Jubiläum" ("Ron Orp: Successful Newsletter out of Zurich Celebrates Anniversary", 20 Minuten 24 March 2008], retrieved 7 June 2010 (German).</ref><ref>Felix Schindler, "[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Ron-Orp-expandiert-nach-Brasilien/story/21677881 Ron Orp expandiert nach Brasilien" (Ron Orp expands to Brazil]", ''Tages Anzeiger'' 23 February 2010, retrieved 7 June 2010 (German).</ref>

== See also == {{Portal|Switzerland}} *List of cities in Switzerland *List of mayors of Zurich *PS ''Stadt Zürich'' *Tourism in Switzerland

== Notes and references ==

=== Notes === {{notelist}}

=== References === {{reflist}}

== Further reading == === Architecture === * Hönig, Roderick: ''Zürich wird gebaut. Architekturführer Zürich 1990–2010''. Hochparterre, Zurich 2010, {{ISBN|978-3-85881-127-1}}. * Oechslin, Werner: ''Hochschulstadt Zürich. Bauten der ETH 1855–2005''. GTA, Zurich 2005, {{ISBN|3-85676-154-3}}. * Bonte, Alexander, Bürkle, J. Christoph: ''Max Dudler Die neue Dichte – Der neue Stadtteil Europaallee und die Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich'', Jovis, Berlin 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-86859-198-9}}

=== Culture === * Kröger, Ute: ''Zürich, du mein blaues Wunder. Literarische Streifzüge durch eine europäische Kulturstadt''. Limmat, Zurich 2004, {{ISBN|3-85791-447-5}}. * Staub, Ueli: ''Jazzstadt Zürich. Von Louis Armstrong bis Zürich Jazz Orchestra''. {{lang|de|Neue Zürcher Zeitung}}, Zurich 2003, {{ISBN|3-03823-012-X}}.

=== Others === * Foppa, Daniel: ''Berühmte und vergessene Tote auf Zürichs Friedhöfen''. Limmat, Zurich 2003, {{ISBN|3-85791-446-7}}. * Hegi, Christof u. a.: ''Zürich''. Mairs, Ostfildern 2006, {{ISBN|3-8297-0315-5}} (= ''Marco Polo Reiseführer''). * Heimgartner, Susanna: ''Zürich komplett''. Regenbogen, Zurich 2005, {{ISBN|3-85862-458-6}} (= ''Regenbogen Reiseführer''). * Smith, Duncan J. D.: ''Nur in Zürich – Ein Reiseführer zu einzigartigen Orten, geheimen Plätzen und ungewöhnlichen Sehenswürdigkeiten'' (übersetzt von Walter Goidinger), Brandstätter, Wien 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-85033-546-1}}.

== External links == {{Commons}} {{Wikivoyage}} {{Wikisource}} *[http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ Stadt Zürich] – official website {{in lang|de}} *[http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/en City of Zurich] – official website {{in lang|en}} *[http://www.zuerich.com/en/welcome.cfm Zurich Tourism] – official website *[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002021302/http://www.zurichcci.ch/ Zurich Chamber of Commerce] – official website *[http://www.zueritipp.ch/ Event & Pleasure Calendar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905000435/http://www.zueritipp.ch/ |date=5 September 2013 }} by {{lang|de|Tages-Anzeiger}} (newspaper) {{in lang|de}} *[http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/switzerland/zurich/overview.html NYT Travel Guide] by ''The New York Times''

{{S-start}} {{S-bef|before=Berlin, East Germany (1975)}} {{S-ttl|title=World Gymnaestrada host city|years=1982}} {{S-aft|after=Herning, Denmark (1987)}} {{S-end}}

{{Zurich}} {{Cities in Switzerland}} {{Cantons of Switzerland}} {{List of European capitals by region}} {{Lake Zurich}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Zurich Category:Cantonal capitals of Switzerland Category:Cities in Switzerland Category:Municipalities of the canton of Zurich Category:Populated places on Lake Zurich Category:Populated places established in the 2nd century Category:1210s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire Category:1350s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire Category:1450s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire Category:1350s disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire Category:1440s disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire Category:14th-century establishments in the Old Swiss Confederacy Category:15th-century establishments in the Old Swiss Confederacy Category:15th-century disestablishments in the Old Swiss Confederacy Category:Free imperial cities

Zurich

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