Page 155 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

A rooftop bar at sunset overlooking Zürich’s Old Town

ZÜRICH

Capital of the densely populated canton of the same
name, the city of Zürich lies on the north shore of
the Zürichsee at the point where the River Limmat
flows north out of the lake. By the 1st century BC,
a Celtic settlement, Turicum, had been established
on the Lindenhof. A Carolingian palace was built on
this hill, now in the heart of the old city, in the 9th
century, and a trading settlement developed at its
base. Briefly under the control of the Zähringen
dynasty, Zürich passed to the Holy Roman Empire
in 1218 and joined the Swiss Confederation in 1351.
By the early Middle Ages, the silk, wool, linen
and leather trades had already brought Zürich’s
merchants great wealth. This merchant class was
overthrown and replaced by disgruntled guilds,
who in turn held power until the late 18th century.
In the 16th century, Zürich embraced the
Reformation, thanks to Ulrich Zwingli, who
preached from the Grossmünster, the city’s great
cathedral. The city then fell into a period of relative
obscurity until the 19th century, when Zürich
underwent rapid industrial growth. As a result
of Switzerland’s neutrality, the city emerged from
the aftermath of both world wars as a major centre
of finance, which it continues to be to this day.
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