Zürich

Zürich is the biggest city in Switzerland and the seat of the canton of Zürich. It is the most populous city in the country. A town in north-central Switzerland, near the northern extremity of Lake Zürich, it is known as Zürich. At the end of January 2020, the municipality had 434,335 residents, the urban area (agglomeration) had 1.315 million people (2009), and the Zürich metropolitan area had 1.83 million inhabitants (2011). Zürich serves as a transportation hub for rail, road, and air travel. Both Zurich Airport and Zürich's main train station are the busiest and biggest in the nation. Zurich Airport is the largest airport in the country.

Zürich has been a permanent settlement for more than 2,000 years. It was established by the Romans in 15 BC, who named it Turicum. Early villages, on either hand, have been found that date 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, Zürich attained the autonomous and privileged position of imperial immediacy, and under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli, the city was elevated to the role of a key hub of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in 1519.

Zürich's official language is German, although the language that is most often spoken is Zürich German, a variety of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect that is unique to the city.

The city is home to a plethora of museums and art galleries, including the Swiss National Museum and Kunsthaus, among others. It is widely regarded as one of the most prominent theatres in the German-speaking world, with its home at the Schauspielhaus Zürich.

The city of Zürich, although having a relatively modest population, is among the world's major financial centres. A large number of financial institutions and banking enterprises are based in the city.