Elixier Volketswil/Zürich (CH)

Volketswil

Zürich

Main town of the canton of Zürich

Name origin: Tūrīcon -> Turicum (Celtic --> Latin, = Turos, name designation)

First documented mention: already known in 15 BC as a Roman customs post, 610 AD castellum Turegum; 7th century AD Ziurichi

Population: 422,000

Area: 87.93 km²

Canton: Zürich

District: Zürich

District: /

Vehicle registration: ZH

River: Sihl-->Limmat; Zürichsee-->Limmat

The Club Elixier is located in Volketswil in the district of Uster near Zürich.

Zürich lies at the geographical heart of Switzerland at 408 m above sea level, is by far its largest city and the economic centre in the land of the Swiss Confederates. As a leading metropolis, the city holds an important position as a continental transport hub and international financial centre, home to many major banks and the Swiss Stock Exchange. Zürich Hauptbahnhof is the largest terminus station in Europe and one of the busiest railway stations in the world; Kloten Airport ranks among the ten best airports in the world. Zürich's purchasing power level is outstanding by global comparison.

Zürich attained the status of a Free and Imperial City in the Holy Roman Empire in the 13th century. In 1351 the city joined the Swiss Confederation and, together with Bern, was the leading town of this confederacy of states. In 1519 Zürich became the epicentre of the Reformation under the spiritual leadership of Huldrych Zwingli, who a little later published the Zürich Bible here. With the downfall of the free Republic of the City of Zürich following the French invasion of Switzerland in 1798, the city merged together with the former subject territories into the new canton of Zürich and rapidly developed into the economic centre of Switzerland.

So why, given all its economic dominance and its world-historical significance, especially in relation to the Reformation, is Zürich not the capital of the land of the Swiss Confederates? The answer will surprise many a non-Swiss person. Switzerland, in fact, has no capital. In the Helvetic Republic (1798 – 1803), Switzerland's daughter republic of France in Napoleonic times, Aarau, Lucerne and Bern were initially the capital. Since then Switzerland has had no capital at all. From 1803 to 1848 the cities of Zürich, Bern, Lucerne, Fribourg, Solothurn and Basel took turns as so-called "leading towns of Switzerland" ("Vororte der Schweiz"). The annual Tagsatzung (Diet) took place in these leading towns. In 1848 it was agreed to abolish the rotation principle. Zürich, Bern and Lucerne stood as candidates for capital. On 28 November 1848 the National Council and the Council of States decided in the first round of voting in favour of Bern. However, due to a properly Swiss compromise, Bern did not officially become the capital, but rather the "Bundesstadt" (federal city). Bern is thus the federal city, and is the capital not de jure but only de facto.

The city on Lake Zürich, set against an Alpine backdrop, with its well-preserved medieval old town and its varied cultural offerings and nightlife, is considered a city of outstanding quality of life. With its dozens of brothels, Zürich is also at the same time one of the "horniest" metropolises in the whole world, where those with a special interest are guaranteed to be able to live out their inclinations in manifold ways. As everywhere in Switzerland, this sector too stands out above all for the high quality of its services. So it's a good idea to bring a bit of money along when you visit.

Among Zürich's well-known sons and daughters are Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Gottfried Keller, Johanna Spyri, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Max Frisch, Hermann Rorschach, Felix Bloch, Mario Adorf, Lisa Fitz, Bruno Ganz, Martin Suter and Denise Biellmann.