Zurich – whose Letzigrund Stadion will host matches at UEFA EURO 2008™ – is Switzerland's largest city, numbering some 340,000 inhabitants, and is situated in the central north-east of the country.
The city is capital of the canton of Zurich, and is situated at the northern tip of Lake Zurich, on the Limmat and Sihl rivers. It joined the Swiss confederation as the fifth member in 1351, and is a significant commercial, economic and intellectual centre in the heart of German-speaking Switzerland.
Zurich is known throughout the world for its international banking and finance institutions. Many private banks have their headquarters here as well as the Swiss Stock Exchange.
The city also enjoys renown as a tourist attraction for its outstanding museums, the Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum), the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse shopping streets with its jewellers' shops and boutiques, and the bustling cafés and nightlife, especially in the [city district of] Niederdorfli on the eastern bank of Lake Zurich.
The twin-towered Grossmunster (great minster) and medieval Fraumunster (our lady's minster) are impressive sights. St. Peter's church has the largest clock face in Europe, and the Lindenhof – the site of an old Roman castle – offers excellent views of the old town and Limmat river.
The city is also a machinery centre, with a history of housing important printing and publishing enterprises. Zurich also plays host to many annual international congresses, and its airport is a significant travel hub, together with the rail and road links that join the region to the rest of Switzerland and beyond.
Official links
FC Zürich
Grasshopper-Club
Zurich City
Zurich Tourism
Letzigrund Stadion
