Lake Zurich (German: Zürichsee, Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈtsyːrɪçˌzeː]; Alemannic German: Zürisee) is a lake in Switzerland, that extends southeast of the city of Zurich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or Zürichsee may refer to the entire lake or specifically to the section downstream of the Hurden peninsula and Seedamm causeway (between Pfäffikon and Rapperswil). In the latter case, the upstream part of the lake is called Obersee (lit. 'Upper Lake'), while the lower part is sometimes also referred to as the Lower Lake (unterer Zürichsee), respectively.
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👉 Lake Zurich in the context of Zurich
Zurich (German: Zürich; Alemannic German: Züri; see below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality has a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), while the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
Evidence of early, sparse settlements in the area dates back more than 6,400 years, indicating human presence prior to the establishment of the town. Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zurich was eventually founded by the Romans, who called it Turicum. During the Middle Ages, Zurich 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.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Lake Zurich
- 👉 Lake Zurich in the context of Zurich
- Lake Zurich in the context of Turicum
- Lake Zurich in the context of Linth
- Lake Zurich in the context of Seedamm
- Lake Zurich in the context of Pfäffikon, Schwyz
- Lake Zurich in the context of Rapperswil
- Lake Zurich in the context of Obersee (Lake Zurich)
- Lake Zurich in the context of Limmat
Lake Zurich in the context of Turicum
Turicum was a Gallo-Roman settlement at the lower end of Lake Zurich, and precursor of the city of Zurich. It was situated within the Roman province of Germania Superior and near the border to the province of Raetia; there was a tax-collecting point for goods traffic on the waterway Walensee–Obersee-Lake Zurich–Limmat–Aare–Rhine.
Lake Zurich in the context of Linth
The Linth (pronounced [ˈlɪnt] "lint") is a Swiss river that rises near the village of Linthal in the mountains of the canton of Glarus, and eventually flows into the Obersee section of Lake Zurich. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) in length.
The water power of the Linth was a main factor in the creation of the textile industry of the canton Glarus, and is today used to drive the Linth–Limmern power stations in its upper reaches.
Lake Zurich in the context of Seedamm
The Rapperswil Seedamm is the artificial causeway at the narrowest area of Lake Zurich between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The structure contains two bridge segments and is approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) long. The Seedamm carries a road (Hauptstrasse 8) and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the S5 and S40 services of Zurich S-Bahn and by Südostbahn's Voralpen Express.
The Melide causeway across a narrow section at Lake Lugano is comparable to the Seedamm.
Lake Zurich in the context of Pfäffikon, Schwyz
Pfäffikon is a former municipality and principal town of the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. Together with Wollerau, Pfäffikon is considered the principal town of the district (Bezirk) of Höfe and the center of the region of Ausserschwyz. The former farm town is known for its focus on hedge funds. With 7,200 residents, Pfäffikon is the third biggest town in the canton after Küssnacht and Einsiedeln.
Lake Zurich in the context of Rapperswil
Rapperswil (Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈrapərsˌvɪl]; Swiss German pronunciation: [ˈrɑpːərʃˌʋiːl] or [ˈrɑpːərsˌʋiːl]; short: Rappi) is a former municipality and since January 2007 part of the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland, located between Obersee and the main part of Lake Zurich.
Lake Zurich in the context of Obersee (Lake Zurich)
The Obersee (Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈoːbərzeː] , lit. 'Upper Lake') is the smaller of the two parts of Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) in the cantons of St. Gallen and Schwyz in Switzerland.
Lake Zurich in the context of Limmat
The Limmat is a river in Switzerland. The river commences at the outfall of Lake Zurich, in the southern part of the city of Zurich. From Zurich it flows in a northwesterly direction, continuing a further 35 km until it reaches the river Aare. The confluence is located north of the small town of Brugg and shortly after the mouth of the Reuss.
The main towns along the Limmat Valley downstream of Zurich are Dietikon, Wettingen, and Baden. Its main tributaries are the Linth, Wägitaler Aa and Jona, all via Lake Zurich, the Sihl in Zurich, and the Reppisch in Dietikon.