ZURICH
The capital of the Swiss canton of the same name which is the second largest and richest of the twenty-five Swiss cantons. The city is the largest in Switzerland, and has 200,000 inhabitants. It has a commanding position on the beautiful outlet of Lake Zurich; to the west and east are the wooded heights of the Uetliberg and Zurichberg, and there is a fine view of the thickly settled and fruitful banks of the lake with handsome villages along the shore; in the background towards he south and south-east is an imposing circle of lofty mountains in Glarus, Schwyz, Noi, etc. The climate is mild and healthful. The prehistoric history of the city and its vicinity extends back to the Stone Age, the first and second Bronze Age, and the iron Age, as is proved by the discovery of numerous lake-swellings and remains of graves. Probably even as far back as the time of the ancient Helvetii a town existed on the site of Zurich.
Historically the city first appears under the name of Turicum, during the period of the Roman supremacy in Switzerland at the beginning of the Christian era. Christianity was probably also introduced during this period. According to legend the Faith was brought to Zurich by members of the Theban Legion. Felix, Regula, and Exuperantius are the patron saints of the city. After the Allamani had conquered the northern part of Switzerland during the era of the migration (fourth and fifth centuries), Zurich became the capital of the districts or hundreds of Zurich. In the early medieval period Zurich was ruled by the abbess of Fraumunster, the abbess being called "the great lady of Zurich". At a later date it was a free city of the empire, and in 1351 it joined the Swiss Confederation, then the "union of the eight old towns". Like Berne and Schwyz, Zurich has an important place both in the early history of Switzerland and in its modern history. At the beginning of the sixteenth century it became the cradle and leading power of the Reformation in German Switzerland under the guidance of its pastor Huldreich Zwingli, who joined the Reformers; the city was also the main supporter of Zwinglianism (as opposed to Lutheranism and Calvinism).
