Zürich summary

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Zürich , or Zurich , City (pop., 2006 est.: 347,517), northern Switzerland. Located at the northwestern end of Lake Zürich, the site was occupied first by prehistoric lake dwellers and later by the Celtic Helvetii before the Romans conquered the area c. 58 bce. It subsequently was held by the Alemanni and the Franks. Zürich grew as a trade centre, and in 1218 it became a free imperial city. In 1351 it joined the Swiss Confederation. Under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli, Zürich became the centre of the Swiss Reformation in the 16th century. Attracting refugees from the Counter-Reformation, it established a liberal democratic order during the 1830s. Long an industrial centre and Switzerland’s largest city, Zürich is also an important financial centre and a major tourist destination. The city’s cultural treasures include the Swiss National Museum (1898) and the Zürich Opera House (1891).

Switzerland Summary

Switzerland, federated country of central Europe. Switzerland’s administrative capital is Bern, while Lausanne serves as its judicial centre. Switzerland’s small size—its total area is about half that of Scotland—and its modest population give little indication of its international significance. A