Zürich

A tumultuous past

Notice the imperial eagle of this Habsburgian-free city, located on the Limmat and Lake Zurich (right).  At the time of production of this map, the weapon was already outdated, because the citizens of the city had decided in 1351 to join the Swiss Confederation (originally signed between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden). The double ramparts dating from the mid 15th century when Zurichwas involved in a disappointing war against the members of the Cofederation.

In the early 16th century Zürich came under control of Ulrich Zwingli, who made it the center of his religious reformation. It was in the large Grossmünster (center right) that Zwingli could proclaim his religious theories.  He lived here from 1518 to 1531, in which year his Bible was published. Zwingli died that year, during which Zürich was defeated in the second war of Kappel so that the cantons of Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Zug, Friborg and Solothurn.  remained Catholic.

The city is located at  the River Limmat. One also notices the old Rathaus (late 17th century rebuilt in the same place) and in the right bottom the Fraumünster (with windows by Marc Chagall and now even with only one tower. The origin of the Fraumünster dates back to 853 when Louis the German built a church for his daughter.

Zurich is also known as a place for other freethinkers Lenin stayed here at the time of the Russian revolution and Dadaism was founded here.