About Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, sits at the top of the aptly name Zürichsee, or Lake Zurich. Straddling the Limmat River, Zurich got its name and its first taste of the written word when the Romans built a customs station here in 15 BC. Since then, traces of the Turicum customs station have been blended with Charlemagne-era fortresses and medieval-era guild houses to form Zurich’s charming Old City.
While more commonly known for banking, cheese and chocolate, Zurich has long been a haven for writers from Switzerland and around the world. In the 18th century, the city was the home base for religious writer Johann Kaspar Lavater and a frequent stop on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s travels through Switzerland. On the lighter, more kid-friendly side of the literary spectrum, Johanna Spyri, author of Heidi, spent fifteen years living in the city in the 19th century – her former home now houses the Spyri Foundation – while writer extraordinaire Gottfried Keller was born in Zurich in 1819. In the 20th century, Vladimir Lenin had a writing layover in Zurich before leading the Communist Revolution in Russia, and Irish writer James Joyce began work on Ulysses while living in Zurich. Joyce made the city his permanent resting place when he was buried in Fluntern Cemetery after his death in 1941.
These days, in typical Swiss fashion, pristine Zurich is easy to navigate on foot thanks to well-marked streets and an über-efficient public transport system. There is no excuse for being late for a very important date (or writing deadline) in this town. Outdoor and indoor clocks abound – all of which have the correct time – including the clock on St Peter’s Church, the largest clock face in all of Europe.
The links below will help you make the most of your time in Zurich.
Official Zurich Tourism website