Zürich (/ˈzjʊərɪk/ ZURE-ik, German: [ˈtsyːrɪç] (listen); see below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the

capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland,[5] at the northwestern tip of
Lake Zürich. As of January 2023 the municipality had 443,037 inhabitants,[6] the urban area 1.315
million (2009),[7] and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 million (2011).[8] Zürich is a hub for railways,
roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zürich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in
the country.

Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zürich was founded by the Romans, who called it Turicum.
However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6,400 years (although this only
indicates human presence in the area and not the presence of a town that early).[9] During the Middle
Ages, Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, became a
primary centre of the Protestant Reformation in Europe under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli.[10]

The official language of Zürich is German,[a] but the main spoken language is Zürich German, the local
variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect.

Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum and
Kunsthaus. Schauspielhaus Zürich is considered to be one of the most important theatres in the German-
speaking world.[11]

Zürich is home to many financial institutions and banking companies.