YOUR NEXT DESTINATION / January
Zurich’s Old Town is not just a collection of
pretty buildings. It’s still an active, everyday
part of the city.
The Fraumünster church is
famous for its stained glass
windows by Marc Chagall.
The trams in Zurich are a perfect way
to become acquainted with the city.
YOUR NEXT DESTINATION / January
The people standing
in line at the Gucci store
are most likely tourists
THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SIMPLE
EXPLANATION FOR THIS PALPABLE FEELING
OF CONTENTMENT WITH LIFE IN ZURICH:
the people living in Switzerland are by far the
wealthiest of those in any major economy around
the world. For example, according to a 2017 wealth
report published by Capgemini, around 4.5% of
the population – or close to one in 20 people – were
millionaires. And that’s only counting investable
wealth, not the value of family homes, which would
cause the number to rise even further. Many experts
agree that this economic flourishing has resulted
from a strong focus on education and technological
innovation. And, of course, favourable tax rates.
Banking is, of course, an incredibly important
sector of the Swiss economy. Zurich, the country’s
largest city, is a renowned financial centre and
home to many of the world’s banking giants as
well as the Swiss Stock Exchange. Which means if
you’re looking for a job in Zurich, you’ll find a lot of
opportunities for highly skilled workers, especially in
the financial sector.
Another fact can help better understand Zurich
and its people, namely, Switzerland is a neutral state
and does not take part in armed conflict. Except for
a short period in 1798, when French troops marched
52
/ airBaltic.com
into the country, it’s been neutral since 1516. In fact,
neutrality is one of the most important principles of
Swiss foreign policy.
However, although Zurich was spared many of
the emotional and physical horrors of the First and
Second World Wars, the Reformation provoked a
significant revolution in its identity.
ZURICH DID NOT HAVE A LUTHER; INSTEAD,
IT HAD HULDRYCH ZWINGLI. In the 16 th century,
under Zwingli and his successor, Heinrich Bullinger,
Zurich became the birthplace and centre of the
Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland.
Zwingli had come to Zurich in 1519 to work
as a pastor and began preaching a whole new
interpretation of the Word of God. He shared Martin
Luther’s view that everything not mentioned in the
original version of the Bible should be banned from
religious life. Thus he did away with holy images,
the singing of hymns, and fasting for Lent and spoke
out against the veneration of relics, celibacy, and
the Eucharist. In addition, Zwingli advocated a new
work ethic that embraced diligence, discipline, thrift,
and frugality and introduced a social welfare system
to look after the poorest and most disadvantaged
people. While his rules might seem overly strict and
disagreeable, they nevertheless laid the foundations
for the affluent Switzerland we are familiar
with today.
Locals admit that the moral stance of the
Reformation has been passed down from generation
to generation. My guide to the city Elisabeth Brem,
who once worked as a flight attendant and has been
all around the world, says that the people of Zurich –
herself included – are actually afraid of enjoying life
to the very fullest and of displaying their prosperity.
‘Back then, having fun was forbidden,’ she says.
‘Those who wanted to dance and celebrate had to go
to the Catholic cantons. But there they didn’t really
feel at home, because the differences between the
various regions of Switzerland and their inhabitants
are very pronounced.’
One notices that the people of Zurich are very
thankful for what they receive. And that includes
their inheritance from the Reformation. ‘There is
very little ostentatious showing off here. The people
standing in line at the Gucci store are most likely
tourists. For locals, a certain package of prosperity
is important – for example, owning a home, a car,
spending vacations in warmer climates – but they
won’t display it in a showy manner,’ says Brem.
When I ask her whether this ‘package of
prosperity’ includes a fine wrist watch, Brem
smiles and says yes. She shows me her watch, an
unobtrusive but elegant timepiece that she’d like to
one day pass on to her granddaughters, seeing as she
only has sons.
The Reformation influenced not only the
worldview and thinking of the locals but also
the city itself. This year, as Zurich marks the
500 th anniversary of the Reformation, it is paying
particular attention to memorial sites that bore
witness to the movement, such as the most
important churches, statues, and sites where the
reformers lived or preached.
On my first days in Zurich, I rely on the church
towers as reference points while I wander through
the picturesque labyrinth of small, medieval streets
in the Old Town. The towers are different enough
from each other for me to easily tell them apart.
The Grossmünster’s (Great Minster) double towers
are perhaps the most recognised landmark in the
city. Other sights include Peterskirche (St. Peter’s
Church), which boasts Europe’s largest clock face,
and the Fraumünster (Minster of Our Lady), famous
for its stained glass windows by Marc Chagall and
the only church in Zurich to charge an entrance fee.
Another obvious geographical reference point is
the Limmat River, which divides the Old Town in
two. Although the distances in the historical centre
are not great and most of it is pedestrianised, leave
plenty of time for exploring and simply strolling
around. I feel like I’ve never before seen so many
charming old shops and cafés per square kilometre.
In addition, the locals frequent them on a daily basis.
Some have been buying their favourite bread at the
same tiny store for generations, others always buy
gifts for friends at the delicacy and spice shop whose
window-display guidelines have not changed in
almost a century.
VISITING ZURICH’S HISTORICAL CAFÉS AND
RESTAURANTS BECOMES A HIGHLIGHT OF MY
TRIP. I’m one of those travellers who no longer gets
Baltic Outlook
/ 2019 / 53