Zurich Street

The sound of the street in this city can symbolize ancient history, financial empire, criminal conspiracy, social liberty, and more. But the birds and the bouncing black tires that typify the auditory landscape here are similar to many other places around the world, where movement, love, and the fight for survival are average aspects of the day to day scene. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. Permanently settled for around 7,000 years, the history of Zurich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. During the Middle Ages Zurich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, was the place of origin and centre of the Protestant Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli. Zurich is a leading global city and among the world's largest financial centers. The blue and white coat of arms of Zurich is attested from 1389, and was derived from banners with blue and white stripes in use since 1315 . The first certain testimony of banners with the same design is from 1434. The coat of arms is flanked by two lions. The red Schwenkel on top of the banner had varying interpretations: For the people of Zurich, it was a mark of honour, granted by Rudolph I. Zurich's neighbours mocked it as a sign of shame, commemorating the loss of the banner at Winterthur in 1292.