A Brief Overview of the History of Zürich
The earliest trace of settlers in Zürich is from the first century BCE, these were the The Celtic Helvetii who lived on the banks of the Limmat River. From the about 58 BCE until the early 1200s the area was under control of a number of different people including the Romans, Alemanni, Franks, and Carolingians. In 1218, Zürich became an imperial free city and in 1351 it joined the Swiss Confederation.
The city is located in the foothills of the Alps and has two rivers, the Limmat and Sihl, running through it. These geographical features allowed for economic growth because of the trade routes that utilized the Gotthard Pass and the rivers.
In the 19th century, the political and industrial landscape of Zürich was shaped by Alfred Escher, a railway tycoon who transitioned into politics and was elected president in 1848. Escher was responsible for constructing Switzerland's first railway lines and in 1856 he founded the banking institute, Schweizerische Kreditanstalt. These changes led to Zürich's new role as the financial and economic center of Switzerland. On January 1, 1893, Zürich's population grew from 90,000 to 120,000 when the city incorporated eleven neighboring communities. This population jump made Zürich Switzerland's first metropolis.
Two major universities were also founded during the mid-19th century, the University of Zürich (1833) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (1855). The University of Zürich was the first university in Europe to accept female students, and is where Sabina Spielrein attended medical school from 1905-1911.
During the Counter-Revolution in the 16th century, the city welcomed Protestant refugees from France and Italy which resulted in continued economic and cultural growth. After Napoleon's occupation ended in the late 18th century, the 22 cantons (member states) in Switzerland each established their own constitutions. Zürich's constitution was adopted in 1869 and included presidential term limits and the election of government officials by citizens. It served as a model for other cantons and the Swiss national constitution, which was adopted in 1874. An important provision was included in the new constitution that granted the Jewish community in Switzerland unlimited civil rights. During this time in Switzerland, as was true in other European nations, Jewish people faced discrimination. They were considered foreigners in the Swiss Constitution of 1848 and were denied freedom of establishment, trade, and worship.
University of Zürich.