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Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland (population 364,558 in 2002) and capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial centre, and home to the country's largest airport.
The origin of the name is most likely the Celtic word Turus, a corroborating reference to which was found on a tomb inscription dating from the Roman occupation in the 2nd century AD. The roman name for the town was Turicum and in the local dialect it is called Züri (pronounced tsyri SAMPA).
Geography
Situated where the river Limmat leaves the Lake Zürich, surrounded by wooded hills. The river Sihl meets with the Limmat at the end of Platzspitz, which borders the Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum).
Sights
- Grossmünster (great minster) (near Lake Zürich, in the old city), where Zwingli was pastor
- Fraumünster (our lady's minster) first church built before 874; the Romanesque choir dates from 1250-70; Marc Chagall stained glass choir windows; (on the opposite side of the Limmat)
- St. Peter (downstream of Fraumünster, in the old city); with the largest clock face in Europe
- Lindenhof (lime court), near St. Peter; site of the Roman and medieval castle. View over river and old town.
- Guild houses along the river (downstream Grossmünster)
- Old town on both sides of the river
- Bahnhofstrasse (shopping avenue) starting at main train station
- Landesmuseum (directly opposite Zürich's main train station.)
- Art Museum (Kunsthaus Zürich)
- Zoological garden
Industry and commerce
UBS, Credit Suisse and many private banks have their headquarters in Zürich. Commercial center of Switzerland.
Sport
- Federation Internationale de Football Association
- Swimming in the lake, in the river or in several outdoor swimming pools (June-September)
Education and research
History
- settlement in the Bronze age
- Roman town
- Free imperial town
- Joined Swiss confederation in 1351 (then not one country but a confederation of eight independent states)
- Zwingli started the Swiss reformation when main preacher in Zurich (lived there from 1518 to his death in 1531).
Famous children of Zurich
- Conrad Gessner
- Gottfried Keller (poet)
- Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (poet)
- Johanna Spyri, author of Heidi
- Huldrych Zwingli, reformer
Airport
External links
- Zürich Tourism
- Stadt Zürich, official site in German.
General view showing Grossmünster church
| Fraumünster church Zurich Fraumünster church |  St. Peter church |
