Zurich
Zurich (German: Zürich; Alemannic German: Züri) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsSame time system
by rhythmWhat to do each season
2winter
cool to cold; mean −0.8 to 12.9 °C across the range; January avg min −1.4 °C (1991-2020 normal, Zurich-Fluntern); Bise (NE wind) brings cold dry high-pressure phases; Foehn thaws; snow falls but variable persistence
- indoor cultural season: Schauspielhaus Zürich (one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world), Tonhalle-Orchester, Kunsthaus, Opernhaus
- Christmas markets (Sternenmarkt, Christkindlimarkt) activate the old-town squares
- nearby Alpine ski resorts (Flumserberg, Hoch-Ybrig) within 1-2 hr carry the leisure overflow
summer
warm, the wettest months of the year; mean 14.1-18.5 °C, July mean max 24.3 °C; Jun-Aug precipitation 4.3-4.6 mm/day — thunderstorms over the lake
- Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) swimming baths (Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, Mythenquai) and lake cruises activate
- Street Parade (second Saturday of August) — one of the world's largest techno festivals, drawing up to a million
- the lakefront and Lindenhof become usable; the Quai-Anlagen fill
- Züri Fäscht (triennial, early July) — Switzerland's largest public festival, up to 2M visitors
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Sechselaeuten
- guild parade
- burning of the Böögg snowman to forecast summer
Street Parade
- techno parade along the lake
- up to 1M crowds
Zurifascht
- city-wide public festival
- up to 2M visitors
Knabenschiessen
- traditional shooting contest
- half-day civic holiday
Zurich Film Festival
- 11-day international film festival
Fasnacht
- carnival (smaller than Basel's)
On the record
source-trackedAbout 70% of the visitors to the city use the tram or bus (motor or trolley), and about half of the journeys within the municipality take place on public transport.
The city's network of public transport includes four main modes of transit: trains, in particular the local S-Bahn, trams, buses, and boats.
Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
Zurich contributes approximately 10% to Switzerland's GDP.
In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Zurich was ranked as having the 11th most competitive financial centre in the world, and second most competitive in Europe after London.
Some of Switzerland's largest financial institutions have their headquarters in Zurich, most notably: UBS, Zurich Cantonal Bank, Migros Bank, Julius Baer, Zurich Insurance Group, Swiss Re and Swiss Life.
The consulting firm Mercer has for many years ranked Zurich as a city with the highest quality of life in the world.
Schauspielhaus Zürich is generally considered to be one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.
One of the largest and most popular annual events in Zurich is the Street Parade, which is also one of the largest techno and dance music festivals in the world.
By 2001 the event [Street Parade] attracted one million participants.
The Zürifäscht is a triennial public festival. It is the largest public festival in Switzerland and attracts up to 2 million visitors.
The Old Town stretches on both sides of the Limmat, which flows from the lake, running northwards at first and then gradually turning into a curve to the west.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.