Formerly built by the Romans with the name Turicum and reformed in 1519 by Ulrich Zwingli, Zurich became a member of the Swiss confederation in 1803, directly after the downfall of the Helvetian republic. 

This canton with its German-speaking population is mainly protestant and is situated in North-Eastern Switzerland, where it is sharing a border with Germany. With a population of 1,4 Million, Zurich is one of the most important cantons from a demographical perspective. 

Whereas the lake is mainly crowded with tourists, the Eastern part of the canton is dominated by forestry and textile businesses, the industrial area is located from North to West. Being an important financial center, Zurich, where banks and insurances are located, can easily compete with its European contestants London and Frankfurt. The city is, besides Munich, one of the world's centers for insurances. Zurich is therefore, from an economical point of view, one of the most important cities in Switzerland.

There are houses all around the lake, which were built on piers and have their origin in the primeval era. These relicts are as well part of the Swiss site of UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage a spart of the important national and local cultural assets of Switzerland.  

On every third Monday in April there is the traditional "Sechseläuten". This tradition means that a figure of the winter - named Böögg - filled with firecrackers is being burnt at the stake. The period of time between lighting the stake and the firecrackers (in Böögg's head) starting to explode is being used to predict the upcoming summer's weather