The Altstadt ( German for "old town") in the Swiss city of Zurich encompasses the area of the entire historical city before 1893, before the incorporation of what are now districts 2 to 12 into the municipality, over the period 1893 to 1934. Die Altstadt approximately corresponds to the area enclosed by the former city ramparts , and is today within the administrative area of the city called Kreis 1 (District 1).
87-559: With a population of 5,617 (as of 2015), it houses about 1.4% of the city's total population. Administratively, District 1 is divided into four parts or quarters by the Zurich statistical office, Rathaus (town hall), Hochschulen (universities), Lindenhof ("lime trees courtyard") and City. Lindenhof and Rathaus correspond to the parts of the medieval city left (west) and right (east) of the Limmat , respectively, while City and Hochschulen include
174-570: A castellum on the Lindenhof. 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 . After Emperor Constantine 's reforms in AD 318, the border between Gaul and Italy (two of
261-451: 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 Zunftordnung ( guild laws) in 1336 by Rudolf Brun , who also became the first independent mayor, i.e. not nominated by the abbess. An important event in
348-575: A tombstone of the late 2nd century AD in the form 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 * Turīcon would then mean "belonging to Tūros", "place of Tūros". The Latin stress on the long vowel of the Gaulish name, [tʊˈriːkõː] , was lost in German [ˈtsyːrɪç] but
435-627: A Roman customs station with a surrounding civilian settlement, in the final decades of the 1st century BC. The Lindenhof hill itself is the site of the Roman castle at the location of the Celtic Oppidum Zurich-Lindenhof , rebuilt in Carolingian times but derelict by the 13th century, when it was used as a source for building stone for the first stone houses of rich burghers of the recently reichsfrei city. The Schipfe quarter at
522-643: A modern city on the Zürichsee shore, under the guidance of the city engineer Arnold Bürkli . In 1893, the twelve outlying districts were incorporated into Zurich, including Aussersihl, the workman's quarter on the left bank of the Sihl, and additional land was reclaimed from Lake Zürich. 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,
609-523: A number of alleys leaving Münstergasse : Marktgasse , Spiegelgasse , Krebsgasse , Ankengasse , Römergasse and Kirchgasse . Initially the church of the Predigerkloster (Dominican monastery), it became after the Reformation in Switzerland the parish church of Niederdorf respectively Neumarkt , and owns since 1900 the tallest church tower of Zurich. The Oberdorf ( lit. : "upper village") proper
696-606: A primary centre of the Protestant Reformation in Europe under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli . The official language of Zurich is German, 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. Many museums and art galleries can be found in
783-415: A republic, shedding its former status of a free imperial city. In this time the political system of Zurich was an oligarchy ( 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. The Helvetic Revolution of 1798 saw
870-567: A width of two to three km (1.2 to 1.9 mi). The partially channeled and straightened Limmat does not flow in the central part of the valley, but always along its right (northeastern) side. 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 392 m (1,286 ft) above sea level . On its west side,
957-531: Is 24.0 °C (75.2 °F) and average low temperature is 14 °C (57.2 °F). The highest recorded temperature in Zürich was 37.7 °C (100 °F), recorded in July 1947, and typically the warmest day reaches an average of 32.2 °C (90.0 °F). Spring and autumn are generally cool to mild, but sometimes with large differences between warm and cold days even during the same year. The highest temperature of
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#17328515328681044-619: Is a church built on a small island in the Limmat , situated between the two main churches of medieval Zürich, the Grossmünster and the Fraumünster , at the Limmatquai and the Münsterbrücke . It seems likely that the original building was used for cult meetings. The meetings were centred on a stone now located in the crypt of the church. According to medieval tradition, the site was used for
1131-604: Is an average of 59.5 so-called bright days (number of days with sunshine duration greater than 80%) through the year, the most in July and August (7.4, 7.7 days), and the least in January and December (2.7, 1.8 days). The average number of days with sunshine duration less than 20%, so-called cloudy days , is 158.4 days, while the most cloudy days are in November (17.8 days), December (21.7 days), and January with 19 days. The climate in Zurich
1218-881: 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 mm. In contrast, snowfall in February has decreased by 0.16 mm, and in March, there has been a reduction in sunshine duration by 0.56 hours. Wasserkirche 47°22′10.6″N 8°32′36.0″E / 47.369611°N 8.543333°E / 47.369611; 8.543333 The Wasserkirche ("Water Church") of Zürich , first mentioned as ecclesia Aquatica Turicensi around 1250 and as wazzirkilcha in 1256,
1305-444: Is below 0 °C (32 °F) (so-called frost days ), and 23.7 days in which the maximum temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F) (so-called ice days ). There are on average 30 so-called summer days (maximum temperature equal to or above 25 °C [77 °F]) throughout the year, while so-called heat days (with maximum temperature equal to or above 30 °C [86 °F]) are 5.8 days. The average high temperature in July
1392-620: Is named for Arnold Bürkli (1833–1894), the engineer responsible for the construction of the city's quays . On its remains at «zur Katz» ramparts, the Old Botanical Garden is located. Selnau (from earlier Sellnau , Seldnau ) was historically an estate west of the city, which came to lie between the north-western moat ( Schanzengraben ) and the Sihl . Together with the Gessnerallee , Selnaustrasse and Sihlhölzlistrasse running along
1479-509: Is now marked by the course of Bahnhofstrasse . Augustinergasse is a small street leading from St. Peterhofstatt situated at the St. Peter church, passing the former Augustinians monastery below the Lindenhof hill, towards the Kecinstürlin gate at the southern Fröschengraben moat, Bahnhofstrasse as of today. Zunfthaus zur Meisen at Münsterhof plaza near Fraumünster church houses
1566-604: Is often referred to as Tigurum ; see Tigurini . 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 . In Roman times , during the conquest of the alpine region in 15 BC, the Romans built
1653-535: Is preserved in Italian [dzuˈriːɡo] and in Romansh [tuˈritɕ] . The first development towards its later Germanic form is attested as early as c. 680–700 with the form Ziurichi . From the 9th century onward, the name is established in an Old High German form Zuri(c)h (857 in villa Zurih , 924 in Zurich curtem , 1416 Zürich Stadt ). In Neo-Latin texts dating from c. 1500–1800, Zurich
1740-825: Is situated at the southern end of the Sechseläutenplatz . City is the area west of the Bahnhofstrasse , delimited by the Sihl and the Schanzengraben , the moat of the 17th century ramparts. It includes the Paradeplatz , Zürich Hauptbahnhof , the Swiss National Museum and the Platzspitz park (formerly Limmatspitz ). It comprises the tram stops Bürkliplatz , Paradeplatz , Rennweg , Bahnhofstrasse / Bahnhofplatz / Bahnhofquai , Löwenplatz , Sihlstrasse and Bahnhof Selnau . City borders on District 2 ( Enge ) to
1827-443: Is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich . It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich . As of January 2023 , the municipality had 443,037 inhabitants, the urban area 1.315 million (2009), and the Zurich metropolitan area 1.83 million (2011). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are
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#17328515328681914-525: Is the mehrere Stadt south of the Grossmünster, along the Oberdorfstrasse , between Kirchgasse and Rämistrasse . Hochschulen (universities) is wedged between Hirschengraben (the historical course of the eastern moat) and Rämistrasse , corresponding to the area taken up by the eastern fortifications of the 17th century ramparts (destroyed following the 1839 Züriputsch ), the hillside now holding
2001-508: 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. The last regular election was held on 13 February 2022. Claudia Cuche-Curti is Town Chronicler ( Stadtschreiberin ) since 2012, and Andrea Töndury is Legal Counsel ( Rechtskonsulent ) since 2020 for
2088-524: 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. The annual mean temperature at the measuring station of the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology in Zurich-Fluntern (556 m[1,824 ft] above sea level on
2175-418: Is −16 °C (3 °F) and record high of average daily temperatures in October is 20 °C (68 °F). Zurich has an average of 1,544 hours of sunshine per year and shines on 38% of its potential time throughout the year. During the months April until September the sun shines between 150 and 215 hours per month. The 1,134 mm (44.6 in) rainfall spread on 133.9 days with precipitation throughout
2262-450: 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 700 m (2,300 ft) north of where
2349-553: The Bellevue square, with which it is connected by the Quaibrücke . The lakeshore quay connecting the square with Lake Zurich is named General-Guisan-Quai , after Henri Guisan . From the Bürkliplatz landing gate, Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft boat services leave for Thalwil , Rapperswil , Schmerikon , Erlenbach and down the Limmat to Zürich Landesmuseum . Bürkliplatz
2436-531: 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. Zurich gained Imperial immediacy ( Reichsunmittelbar , becoming an Imperial free city ) in 1218 with
2523-607: The Katzensee (nature reserve) and the Büsisee, both of which are drained by the Katzenbach to Glatt, belong to the city. Zurich has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ), with warm summers and four distinct seasons. Decisive for the climate of Zurich are both the winds from westerly directions, which often result in precipitation and, on the other hand, the Bise (east or north-east wind), which
2610-506: The Limmat below the Lindenhof is the site of the Roman vicus, with traces of a hypocaustum nearby the Münsterhof excavated. St. Peter church was the parish church of the medieval city, built on the site of an earlier temple to Jupiter . The Rennweg street below the Lindenhof hill was the main street of the medieval city, entering by the Rennweg gate through the western city wall which
2697-559: The Pfauen , are the theatre Schauspielhaus Zürich and the art museum Kunsthaus Zürich . The Bellevueplatz , a square at the southern border between the Rathaus quarter and the southern end of the Hochschulen quarter, right next to the lake outflow, is a major junction of the Zurich tram system , served by lines 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 9 , 11 and 15 besides buses 912 and 916. It is situated at
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2784-561: The Rathaus quarter. The Polybahn funicular connects Central and the ETH Zurich main building. The Central square at the northern border between Rathaus and Hochschulen quarters is a major junction of the Zurich tram system , served by lines 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 10 and 15 besides buses 31 and 46. Formerly called Leonhardsplatz , it was renamed after the Hotel Central built in 1883. Situated at Heimplatz , vernacularly called
2871-503: 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. The canton of Zurich did not recognize the Jewish religious communities as legal entities (and therefore as equal to national churches) until 2005. The coat of arms of Zurich, used by both the city and
2958-628: The Sonderbund cantons. Following the Sonderbund War and the formation of the Swiss Federal State, Zürich 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
3045-631: The Stadelhofen Bollwerk , whilst Sechseläutenplatz takes its name from the Sechseläuten , a traditional Zurich festival that is celebrated there. Stadelhofen station , on Stadelhoferplatz , is an important stop of the Zurich S-Bahn lines to Uster , Rapperswil-Jona and Winterthur as well as the terminal of the Forchbahn (S18) line serving Zumikon and Esslingen . The Zurich Opera House
3132-427: The third fortress in the 17th and 18th centuries. The municipality of Zurich has an area of 91.88 km (35.48 sq mi), of which 4.1 km (1.6 sq mi) is made up of Lake Zurich. The area includes a section of the 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
3219-662: The Öschbrig (696 m or 2,283 ft). Between the Käferberg and the Zürichberg is located the saddle of the Milchbuck (about 470 m or 1,540 ft), an important passage from the Limmat valley to the Glatt valley. The northernmost part of the municipality extends to the plain of the Glatt valley and to the saddle which makes the connection between the Glattal and Furttal. Also, a part of
3306-577: 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 ( Rathaus ). Zurich is partnered with two sister cities : Kunming and San Francisco . Zurich is situated at 408 m (1,339 ft) above sea level on the lower (northern) end of Lake Zurich ( Zürichsee ) about 30 km (19 mi) north of
3393-442: The City Council. Distribution of voter % in the election of 2022. The Municipal Council ( Gemeinderat ) holds the legislative power . It is made up of 125 members ( Gemeindrat / Gemeinderätin ), with elections held every four years. The Municipal Council decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the City Council and the administration. The sessions of the Municipal Council are held in public. Unlike those of
3480-626: 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 ( German : Stadthaus ), on the left bank of the Limmat. The building was built in 1883 in Renaissance style. As of May 2023 , the Zurich City Council is made up of four representatives of the SP ( Social Democratic Party , one of whom
3567-684: The Galliae"), discovered at the Lindenhof . 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
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3654-694: The Limmat valley includes a range of hills, which marks the watershed between the Limmat and the Glatt. From the northwest to the southeast, the height of the mostly wooded knolls generally increases: the Gubrist (615 m or 2,018 ft), the Hönggerberg (541 m or 1,775 ft), the Käferberg (571 m or 1,873 ft), the Zürichberg (676 m or 2,218 ft), the Adlisberg (701 m or 2,300 ft) and
3741-437: The Limmat valley is flanked by the wooded heights of the Albis chain, which runs along the western border. The Uetliberg is, with 869 m (2,851 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. The northeast side of
3828-499: The Limmatquai are located some guild houses, as Zunfthaus zur Zimmerleuten , Zunfthaus zur Haue , Zunfthaus zum Rüden and Zunfthaus zur Saffran . Zurich tram routes 4 and 15 run along the Limmatquai, serving the stops Helmhaus , Rathaus and Rudolf-Brun-Brücke . The quai was one of the main routes through the old town before it was freed from traffic in 2004. The bridges passed by the Limmatquai, south to north, are: north of Limmatquai: The Niederdorf ( lit. : "low village")
3915-408: The Municipal Council are carried out by the City Council. The regular election of the City Council by any inhabitant valid to vote is held every four years. The mayor ( German : Stadtpräsident(in) ) is elected as such by a public election by a system 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
4002-401: The area of the Early Modern city west and east of the medieval walls, respectively. Der Lindenhof ("The lime trees courtyard") quarter corresponds to the mindere Stadt , the smaller but more prestigious half of the medieval town left of the river. This is the oldest core of the city, with settlement traces dating to pre-Roman ( La Tène ) times, and fortified as the Roman Vicus Turicum ,
4089-434: The area of the medieval Jewish quarter, the Predigerkirche (the former Blackfriars' monastery) at Zähringerplatz (historically the city hospital, now housing the city library ) and the Zähringerstrasse . The mehrere Stadt between the Niederdorf and the Oberdorf (between Rathaus and Kirchgasse ) includes the Münstergasse , Obere Zäune , Untere Zäune and the Barfüsserkloster (the former Franciscan abbey) as well as
4176-546: 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
4263-400: The canton, consists of a divided field featuring white (argent) and blue (azure). Its origins date back to the 14th century, with the earliest documentation found on a seal of the Imperial Court of Justice from 1384. The shield appeared in colour on a banner in 1437 and a coin around 1417/18. When the canton of Zurich was established in 1803, it adopted the heraldic achievement that had been
4350-477: 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 Kreis in German), numbered 1 to 12, each one of which contains between one and four neighborhoods: Most of
4437-403: The city's hegemony . The Treaty of Zurich between Austria, France, and Sardinia was signed in 1859. Zurich was the Federal capital for 1839–40, and consequently, the victory of the Conservative party there in 1839 caused a great stir throughout Switzerland. But when in 1845 the Radicals regained power at Zurich, which was again the Federal capital for 1845–46, Zurich took the lead in opposing
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#17328515328684524-424: 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). The previous boundaries of
4611-443: The city, including the Swiss National Museum and Kunsthaus . Schauspielhaus Zürich is generally considered to be one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world. The name is traditionally written in English as Zurich , without the umlaut . It is pronounced / ˈ zj ʊər ɪ k / ZURE -ik . In German, the city name is written Zürich and pronounced [ˈtsyːrɪç] . In
4698-402: The contemporary Knabenschiessen shooting contest. During the 1990s, the long-practised official tolerance of drug users there from throughout Central Europe has been the subject of much worldwide media interest. Bürkliplatz is a square and stop of the Zurich tram system (lines 2 , 4 , 8 , 9 , 11 and buses 161, 165), situated at the southern end of the Bahnhofstrasse , and west of
4785-452: The district boundaries are fairly similar to the original boundaries of the previously existing municipalities before they were incorporated into the city of Zurich The City Council ( Stadtrat ) constitutes the executive government of the City of Zurich and operates as a collegiate authority . It is composed of nine councilors, each presiding over a department. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by
4872-511: The early 14th century was the completion of the Manesse Codex , a key source of medieval German poetry. The famous illuminated manuscript – described as "the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries;" – was commissioned by the Manesse family of Zurich, 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 and miniature painters, and it testifies to
4959-429: The execution of Saints Felix and Regula . The church was built in the 10th century and modified at various points, culminating in a complete reconstruction that was completed in 1486. During the course of the Reformation , the Wasserkirche was identified as a place of idolatry. Eventually it was secularised, becoming the first public library of Zürich in 1634, when it became a seat of learning that greatly contributed to
5046-403: 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. Emperor Frederick II promoted the abbess of the Fraumünster to the rank of
5133-421: The fall of the 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 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
5220-410: The foundation of University of Zürich in the 19th century. The island was connected with the right bank of the Limmat in 1839 with the construction of the Limmatquai . The library was merged into the Zentralbibliothek in 1917, and the church was used as a storage room for crops for some time, until reconstruction work and archaeological excavations were undertaken in 1940. Following this the building
5307-414: 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 Statio Turicensis Quadragesima Galliarum ("Zurich post for collecting the 2.5% value tax of
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#17328515328685394-424: The increasing wealth and pride of Zurich citizens in this period. The work contains 6 songs by Süsskind von Trimberg , who may have been a Jew, since the work itself contains reflections on medieval Jewish life, though little is known about him. 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. With
5481-416: The lakeside, just north of Sechseläutenplatz . It is named for the Grandhotel Bellevue built in 1856, and is the nodal point of the quaysides that were built between 1881 and 1887 crossing the Quaibrücke towards Bürkliplatz and General-Guisan-Quai . South of Bellevue are the squares Sechseläutenplatz and Stadelhofenplatz . Stadelhofen was an estate just south of the southeasternmost bastion,
5568-451: The largest and busiest in the country. Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zurich was founded by the Romans , who called it Turicum . However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6,400 years (although this only indicates human presence in the area and not the presence of a town that early). During the Middle Ages, Zurich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, became
5655-428: The local dialect , the name is pronounced without the final consonant and with two short vowels, as Züri [ˈtsyri] , although the adjective remains Zürcher(in) . The city is called Zurich [zyʁik] in French, Zurigo [dzuˈriːɡo] in Italian, and Turitg [tuˈritɕ] in Romansh . The earliest known form of the city's name is Turicum , attested on
5742-424: The main buildings of both ETH Zurich (built 1861 to 1864 under Gustav Zeuner ) and University of Zurich (built 1914 under Karl Moser ), at the sites of the Kronen Bollwerk and Schönenberg Bollwerk ramparts, respectively. Hochschulen borders on District 6 ( Unterstrass and Oberstrass ) to the north, on District 7 ( Fluntern and Hottingen ) to the east and on District 8 ( Mühlebach and Seefeld ) to
5829-426: The month March in 2014 was on the 20th at 20.6 °C (69.1 °F) during a sunny afternoon and the lowest temperature was on the 25th at −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) during the night/early morning. Record low of average daily temperatures in March since 1864 is −12 °C (10 °F) and record high of average daily temperatures in March is 16 °C (61 °F). Record low of average daily temperatures in October
5916-427: 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
6003-425: The porcelain and faience collection of the Swiss National Museum . Lindenhof also contains the former Augustinian abbey, and formerly the Oetenbach nunnery north of the Lindenhof hill, demolished in 1903 to make way for the Uraniastrasse as part the partially built «Urania-axis» Sihlporte–Uraniastrasse–Zähringerplatz by Gustav Gull , and the Urania Sternwarte . The Fraumünster ("women's minster") abbey ruled
6090-526: The right bank of the Sihl, it is part of the City quarter even though strictly situated outside the city ramparts. Today, Zürich Selnau railway station is a stop on the line of the Uetlibergbahn , running from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to the Sihltal ( S4 ) and to the Uetliberg ( S10 ). The SWX Swiss Exchange building is located in Selnau. The museum Haus Konstruktiv is located in a former power station near Selnau train station. Zurich Zurich (German: Zürich ; Alemannic German : Züri )
6177-461: The right side of the Limmat, running from Central to Bellevue . It was built in the 19th century, connecting various earlier quais built into the Limmat. The current right bank is some 28 m west of the medieval river's. The quai was constructed from 1823–1859 from Bellevue to the Rathaus , in 1835–1836 from the Rathaus to the Wasserkirche and 1835–1839 the portion from the Wasserkirche to Bellevue, formerly called Sonnenquai . At
6264-453: 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 expulsed and banned from the city from 1423 until the 19th century. A woman who died in about 200 BC
6351-582: 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 ( Glattal ) and to the north in the Limmat Valley ( Limmattal ). The boundaries of the older city are easy to recognize by the Schanzengraben canal. This artificial watercourse has been used for the construction of
6438-406: The slope of the Zürichberg, 150 m[490 ft] above the level of the city centre) is 9.3 °C (48.7 °F). The lowest monthly mean of daily minimum temperature are measured in January with −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) and the highest monthly mean of daily maximum temperature are measured in July with 24.0 °C (75.2 °F). On average there are 74.9 days in which the minimum temperature
6525-619: The south and north, respectively. As such, it includes the Limmatquai as well as the Niederdorf (downstream of the Kirchgasse) and the Oberdorf (upstream of the Kirchgasse). The historical name of this eastern half of the medieval town was "greater town" ( mehrere Stadt ), contrasting with the "lesser town" ( mindere Stadt ), the western half along the left river bank. The Limmatquai was built along
6612-691: The south. Hochschulen in its southern end also includes the Bellevue and Sechseläuten squares as well as the theater and opera house at Stadelhoferplatz and the Stadelhofen train station. Stops of the Zurich tram system in the Hochschulen quarter are: Central , ETH/ Universitätsspital , Kantonsschule , Kunsthaus , Neumarkt , Bellevue , Opernhaus and Stadelhofen . Line 9 follows Rämistrasse which separates Hochschulen from Fluntern , line 3 follows Hirschengraben and Seilergraben (the historical eastern moat), which separates it from
6699-462: The southwest, and on Districts 4 and 5 ( Aussersihl ) to the northwest. Platzspitz (formerly Platzpromenade , Limmatspitz ) is a park at the confluence of the two rivers of Zurich; the Limmat and the Sihl . In medieval times, the area situated north of the city was used as pasture. In the early 15th century it was made into a shooting-range, and in the 16th to 17th centuries, Schützenfeste were held there. A remnant of these can be found in
6786-519: The town until the 1336 "guild revolution" of Rudolf Brun and which remained highly influential until Zwingli 's Reformation . The Rathaus quarter is named for the town hall , built in the 1690s. It is the part of the medieval town on the right side of the Limmat, separated by the Hirschengraben from the Hochschulen quarter to the east, and delimited by the Bellevue and Central squares to
6873-585: The woman. 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
6960-457: The year. Roughly about every third day you will encounter at least some precipitation, which is very much a Swiss average. During the warmer half of the year and especially during the three summer months, the strength of rainfall is higher than those measured in winter, but the days with precipitation stays about the same throughout the year (in average 9.9–12.7 days per month). October has the lowest number (9.9) of days with some precipitation. There
7047-564: Was again used for services by the Evangelical-Reformed State Church of the Canton of Zürich . The Helmhaus is an extension of the church to the north, first mentioned in 1253 as a court of criminal justice, at which time it was a simple wooden structure covering the eastern end of the bridge. It was extended to a larger wooden structure in 1563, and replaced with a stonework hall in 1791. The building Helmhaus und Wasserkirche
7134-499: 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
7221-622: Was founded. Extensive developments took place during the 19th century. From 1847, the Spanisch-Brötli-Bahn , the first railway on Swiss territory, connected Zurich with Baden , putting the Zürich Hauptbahnhof at the origin of the Swiss rail network. The present building of the Hauptbahnhof (the main railway station) dates to 1871. Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street)
7308-486: 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 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
7395-514: Was readmitted to the confederation in 1450. Zwingli started the Swiss Reformation at the time when he was the main preacher at the 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
7482-512: 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
7569-593: Was the least developed part of the medieval city. It properly includes just the north-eastern corner, between Mühlegasse and Central , but the term was extended to the whole part of the mehrere Stadt north of the town hall, i.e. for the entire length of the Niederdorfstrasse , or even including the parts north of the Kirchgasse . So defined, the Niederdorf includes Rindermarkt and Neumarkt , Froschaugasse and
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