Zurich
Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city, at the northern end of Lake Zurich. It is a major financial center and the capital of the canton of Zurich.
Lake Zurich: A long, glacial lake in northeastern Switzerland, with Zurich at its northwestern end. The lake shapes the city’s southern edge, recreation, and historic growth.
Swiss financial market: Switzerland’s system of banks, securities markets, insurers, and other financial institutions. Zurich hosts the country’s largest concentration of financial institutions.
Turicum: A Roman settlement at the site of present-day Zurich, centered near the Limmat crossing. It is the earliest known urban predecessor of Zurich.
Geneva: A city in southwestern Switzerland on Lake Geneva, near the French border. Geneva rivals Zurich as an international center but has a stronger diplomatic profile.
Limmat: A river in Switzerland that flows from Lake Zurich through Zurich and onward to the Aare. Its channel runs through the old city and helped power early industry.
Swiss National Bank: Switzerland’s central bank, responsible for monetary policy and financial stability. Its headquarters in Zurich make the city a center of national monetary policy.
Zurich Reformation: The religious reform movement in Zurich led by Huldrych Zwingli in the 1520s. Zwingli’s reforms reshaped the city’s religious and political institutions.
Basel: A city in northwestern Switzerland on the Rhine, bordering France and Germany. Basel is another major Swiss economic center, with a distinctive pharmaceutical and cultural base.
Canton of Zurich: A canton in northeastern Switzerland, with Zurich as its capital. The city is the canton’s political center but has distinct municipal boundaries.
ETH Zurich: A public research university in Zurich specializing in science, engineering, and technology. Its research and graduates shape the city’s scientific and technical life.