Zurich, capital of the Swiss canton of Zurich, with (2018) 415 400 residents the largest city in Switzerland, located on Lake Zurich and the Limmat.
As a cultural and educational center, Zurich has a university and other colleges, theaters, important museums, libraries and publishers.
According to neovideogames, Zurich is the most important trading and financial center in Switzerland with trade fairs, a stock exchange and many banks. Tourism, the IT industry and insurance are also very important. The international airport in Kloten is the largest in Switzerland.
Zurich has a well-preserved old town that stretches on both sides of the Limmat. Important church buildings are the Großmünster (especially 12th / 13th century), the Romanesque-Gothic Fraumünster and the late Gothic Wasserkirche.
In 1351 Zurich entered into the eternal union with the Swiss Original cantons. In the 16th century, the city became the spiritual center of the Reformation that began with Zwingli.
Administrative and cultural institutions
Zurich is an important university location; The University (founded in 1833), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH; founded in 1854), the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZFH) with the University of Education, the University of Applied Sciences and the University of the Arts as well as the private University of Economics, numerous other technical schools, the Swiss Institute for international research, Swiss Institute for Art Research, Pestalozzianum (educational research), Central Library, State Archives, Swiss Social Archives, Thomas Mann Archives. Important cultural institutions are the Tonhalle, the congress hall, the opera house, the theater and over twelve other theaters, the Rote Fabrik cultural center. The city has a zoological and botanical garden (newly created in 1977 in the Riesbach district), a collection of succulents and a Chinese garden. Zurich is a trade fair and festival city (including the »Zurich Festival« with opera, drama and concerts; street parade [parade with techno music]).
The museum landscape is extremely varied: the university’s archaeological collection (casts of classic sculptures, etc.); Swiss National Museum (prehistory and early history collection; ecclesiastical and profane art, 13th – 15th centuries; art and applied art of the modern era); Kunsthaus (medieval panel painting, modern European and Swiss art, graphic cabinet); Graphic collection of the ETH; Museum of Design (including poster collection); Museum Bellerive (handicrafts, etc.); migros museum for contemporary art, Haus Konstruktiv, Daros Collection, E. G. Bührle collection (paintings and sculptures); Museum Rietberg (collection of non-European art); University Ethnological Museum; zoological museum; Medical History Museum; Atelier Hermann Haller (sculptures) and several galleries of international importance.
Economy
Zurich is the most important economic metropolis in Switzerland. As a globally significant financial center, Zurich is the seat of the Swiss National Bank, several major banks (more than 300 banks, including credit institutions) and insurance groups, finance and trading companies, the Swiss stock exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange AG) in addition to Bern and St. Gallen), as well as the majority of business and professional associations. Most of the workforce is employed in the expanding service sector (banking and insurance, retail, hotel and catering). Zurich and especially its surrounding area are the largest industrial location in Switzerland; however, the importance of mechanical engineering and metal processing has declined considerably in recent years. The IT industry in particular experienced rapid development. Zurich is the seat of numerous book publishers and has businesses in the food and beverage industry. Alongside Geneva, Zurich is the largest Swiss tourist center.
Transportation
Zurich is the most important junction in the Swiss rail network and has an efficient S-Bahn network (since 1990) and a transport association. With the construction of several tunnels and four underground tracks, the terminal station in Zurich was partially converted into a through station. With the completion of the Milchbuck tunnel (1985), the inner-city individual traffic was relieved. The international airport, the largest in Switzerland, is located in the suburb of Kloten.
SIX Swiss Exchange AG
SIX Swiss Exchange AG, Swiss Exchange, as part of the implementation of the electronic trading system, Electronic Exchange Switzerland (EBS), a stock exchange founded by members of the regional stock exchanges in Basel, Geneva and Zurich with headquarters in Zurich, which is supported by 130 and foreign member banks. After the full introduction of the EBS (fully electronic processing of trading and clearing) managed and operated by SIX, floor trading on the regional stock exchanges was discontinued. The Swiss Effektengiro AG (SEGA) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are also integrated into the network. SIX acts on behalf of the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC) as the central reporting office for Swiss securities dealers. (Eurex, EEX ®).
