Zurich

Zurich’s history began over 2,000 years ago, when Roman soldiers set up a customs post on the shores of Lake Zurich. They called it Turicum. From there, the city grew slowly, tucked between Alpine hills and riverbanks. In the Middle Ages, it became a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, meaning it could rule itself. That freedom shaped its future.

In 1519, a bold preacher named Huldrych Zwingli launched the Swiss Reformation from Zurich’s Grossmünster church. He challenged Catholic traditions and pushed for major religious change. His sermons drew huge crowds. Though he died in battle in 1531, Zwingli’s ideas helped make Zurich a center of Protestant reform.

Later, Zurich avoided big wars and became a place for thinkers and workers. In the 1800s, it led Swiss industry, with spinning mills, banking, and trade. Trains rolled in, and the city grew fast. Yet Zurich held onto its lakeside charm and clean streets.

In 1916, during World War I, Zurich became a haven for artists and exiles. At the Cabaret Voltaire, a wild art movement called Dada was born. Its founders, fed up with war, used nonsense and surprise to shake up the world of art.

Though Switzerland stayed neutral in both world wars, Zurich wasn’t untouched. It quietly played host to spies, peace talks, and fleeing refugees. After World War II, Zurich emerged as a global financial hub.

Today, the city balances old clock towers and cutting-edge tech firms. You can sip hot chocolate near medieval guild houses or hike from the edge of town into the Alps.