The earliest settlements date back to the Neolithic period, followed by the Celtic Helvetii. The Romans established a fortified settlement called Turicum at the beginning of the first century AD. In the 5th century, the Germanic Alemanni arrived, and soon after the region saw the first Christian missionaries. Zurich continued to develop throughout the Middle Ages and joined the Old Swiss Confederation in the mid-14th century.
In the first half of the 16th century, the city became the centre of the Swiss Reformation, led by Ulrich Zwingli. One of its key outcomes was the Zurich Bible — among the earliest translations of the Bible into German.
Zurich’s rise as an economic hub began in the 18th and 19th centuries with the textile industry, followed by the growth of the financial and services sectors. The 19th century saw the opening of the first railway line from Zurich to Baden, the transformation of Bahnhofstrasse, the construction of the main train station, and the establishment of the Zurich stock exchange.
Today, Zurich is a global banking centre and one of the wealthiest cities in the world. It is also home to many technology companies and two major universities. The city plays a key role in European air, rail, and road transport. Zurich Airport — the country’s largest international airport — is located approximately 11 kilometres north of the city centre.
