Zug
Encyclopedia
Zug is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages
it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.
The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug
and is its capital. As of it had a total population of inhabitants.
" in 1242 and a "castrum" in 1255. In 1273, it was bought by Rudolph of Habsburg
from Anna, the heiress of Kyburg
and wife of Eberhard, head of the cadet line
of Habsburg
. Part of its territory, the valley of Aegeri, was pledged by Rudolph in 1278 as security for a portion of the marriage gift he promised to Joanna, daughter of Edward I of England
. She was betrothed to his son Hartmann, but his death in 1281 prevented the marriage from taking place. The town of Zug was governed by a bailiff, appointed by the Habsburgs, and a council, and was much favored by that family. Several country districts (e.g., Baar, Menzingen, and Aegeri) each had its own "Landsgemeinde
" but were governed by one bailiff, also appointed by the Habsburgs; these were known as the "Aeusser Amt," and were always favorably disposed to the Swiss Confederation.
On June 27, 1352, both the town of Zug and the Aeusser Amt entered the Confederation, the latter being received on exactly the same terms as the town, and not, as was usual in the case of country districts, as a subject land; but in September 1352, Zug had to acknowledge its own lords again, and in 1355 was obliged to break off its connection with the league. About 1364, the town and the Aeusser Amt were recovered for the league by the men of Schwyz
, and from this time Zug took part as a full member in all the acts of the league. In 1379, the Holy Roman Emperor
Wenceslaus exempted Zug from all external jurisdictions, and in 1389 the Habsburgs renounced their claims, reserving only an annual payment of 20 silver marks, which came to an end in 1415. In 1400 Wenceslaus gave all criminal jurisdiction to the town only. The Aeusser Amt, in 1404, then claimed that the banner and seal of Zug should be kept in one of the country districts and were supported in this claim by Schwyz. The matter was finally settled in 1412 by arbitration, and the banner was to be kept in the town. Finally in 1415, the right of electing their landammann
was given to Zug by the Confederation, and a share in the criminal jurisdiction was granted to the Aeusser Amt by German king Sigismund
.
In 1385, Zug joined the league of the Swabian cities against Leopold III of Austria and shared in the victory of Sempach
, as well as in the various Argovian
(1415) and Thurgovian
(1460) conquests of the Confederates, and later in those of Italy (1512), having already taken part in the occupation of the Val d'Ossola. Between 1379 (Walchwil
) and 1477 (Cham
), Zug had acquired various districts in its own neighborhood, principally to the north and the west, which were ruled till 1798 by the town alone as subject lands. At the time of the Reformation
, Zug clung to the old faith and was a member of the Christliche Vereinigung of 1529. In 1586, it became a member of the Golden League.
In 2001, 11 members of the local (cantonal) parliament and three members of the (cantonal) government were shot and killed in Zug by the assassin Friedrich Leibacher
.
The oldest human traces date back to the time of around 14,000 BC. There have been Paleolithic finds on the north bank of Lake Zug, which come from nomadic hunters and collectors. Archaeologists have also been able to prove the existence of over forty lake-shore settlements (pile dwellings), on the shores of Lake Zug, from the epoch of the first settled farmers in the Neolithic period (5,500-2,200 BC). The peak in these lake-shore village settlements was in the period between 3800 and 2450 BC. For the same epoch, the first pre-alpine land use has been proven in Menzingen and in the Ägeri valley. The well-known, historically-researched and interesting lake-shore village, ‘Sumpf’ (the swamp), dated from the late Bronze Age (up until 850 BC). These rich finds result in a quite differentiated picture of life in former times, attractively represented in the Zug Museum for Prehistory. In addition, many traces from the Iron Age (850-50 BC) and the Roman and Celtic-Roman time (from 50 BC) have been discovered.
The first written document on the area originates from the year 858, and refers to King Ludwig the German giving the farm ‘Chama’ (Cham) to the Zurich Fraumünster convent. At this time, the area of present day Zug belonged to completely different monastic and secular landlords, the most important of whom were the Habsburgs, and who, in 1264, inherited the Kyburg rights and remained a central political power until about 1400.
In the course of the high medieval town construction, the settlement of Zug also received a city wall at some point after 1200. The city founders were probably the counts of Kyburg. In 1242, Zug was mentioned for the first time as ‘oppidum’, meaning ‘city’. Research shows that Zug was important as an administrative centre of the Kyburg and the Habsburg office, then as a local market place, and, thereafter, as a stage town for the transport of goods (particularly salt and iron) over the Hirzel hill towards Lucerne.
In 1478, the building of a larger city wall began, which increased the city area six-fold - the same year as the building of the late gothic St. Oswald Church began. The building master of the new city wall was Hans Felder from Bavarian Swabia. The ground plan of the city wall is indicative of an ideal symmetric plan of the Renaissance period – something very rare at that time. The overall urban planning implemented in the small town of Zug was modern for its time.
Simultaneously, Zug expanded its territory, acquiring a number of rural areas in the form of bailiwicks (Walchwil, Cham, Gangolfswil [Risch] Hünenberg and Steinhausen, and Oberrüti, now part of the canton of Aargau). Zug became a confederation in itself - with the ‘city’ and its subject territories, and the three outer (‘free’) municipalities, Ägeri, Menzingen (with Neuheim) and Baar. This problematic dualism dominated until 1798, i.e. until the end of the old confederation, the political structure of the Canton Zug. The unifying element of this miniature confederation was, among others, the rural municipalities and the forty-member city council.
During the turmoil of the Reformation, Zug remained on the Catholic side of central Switzerland and retained the old faith. Warring religious confederates fought at Kappel am Albis (1531) and at Gubel in Menzingen. Its location on the edge of central Switzerland made Zug a confessional border town.
The period up until 1798 was marked by internal political rivalries and turbulence. The invasion of the French troops marked the end of the old order, and with the Helvetic order came a radical political change. Zug became part of the canton Waldstätten, and the cantonal capital for a short time. After a 50-year struggle between federalism and centralism, between confederation and central state, between conservative and liberal-radical vision, in 1848, today’s federal government of Switzerland emerged. Zug was given its current cantonal structure, consisting of eleven local municipalities.
In 1866, the American George Ham Page founded the first European condensed milk factory in Cham, which later merged with Nestlé. Industry in Zug was dominated by the company Landis & Gyr, founded in 1896, and now owned by Australian investment company Bayard Capital. The connection to the Swiss railway network in 1864 was important, as was the connection of mountain and valley with an electric tram at the beginning of the 20th Century.
In the second half of the century, dynamic expansion took place and Zug became a national and international financial and trading center, aided by its proximity to Zurich, and by an attractive tax policy. In parallel, large industrial and commercial zones evolved; employment increased rapidly; the population rose sharply, and the building boom skyrocketed. Canton Zug catapulted itself into being at the top of the financially strong cantons. And the city today has become, as the British Guardian once wrote, ‘a compass of the global economy’.
, and is headquarters for a number of multinational enterprises.
Zug's best known agricultural product is kirsch.
, as well as of the Rigi
and Pilatus, are gained. Towards its northerly end, a monument marks the spot where a part of the shore slipped into the lake in 1887.
The older part of the town is rather crowded together, though only four of the wall towers and a small part of the town walls still survive.
The most striking old building in the town is the parish church of St Oswald (late 15th century), dedicated to St Oswald, king of Northumbria
(d. 642), one of whose arms was brought to Zug in 1485. The town hall, also a 15th-century building, now houses the Historical and Antiquarian Museum. There are some quaint old painted houses close by. A little way higher up the hillside is a Capuchin
convent in a striking position, close to the town wall and leaning against it. Still higher, and outside the old town, is the fine new parish church of St Michael, consecrated in 1902.
The business quarter is on the rising ground north of the old town, near the railway station. Several fine modern buildings rise on or close to the shore in the town and to its south, whilst to the southwest is a convent of Capuchin nuns, who manage a large girls' school and several other educational establishments.
The Museum of Prehistory Zug houses an important collection of archaeological remains, especially from the late Bronze Age
(urnfield culture
) settlement of Zug-Sumpf. Many of Catharine II of Russia's relatives descended from Zug and became known as the Volga German
s.
The canton of Zug is located in the area between the lowlands and the foothills of the Alps
. It borders the canton of Schwyz
to the south and southeast; the cantons of Lucerne
and the ‘Freiamt’ of canton Aargau to the west; and the canton of Zurich
to the north and northeast.
Canton Zug’s borders were mainly established by nature itself: the rivers Sihl
and Biber, and the Höhronen ridge in the east; the Rossberg mountain in the south, and the Rooterberg mountain, and the river Reuss in the west. Only the 87.5 km-long border between the cantons of Zurich and of Zug is not naturally defined. With its 1580 m peak, the Wildspitz
mountain is the highest point in the canton. The lowest point in the north of the canton is at 388 m, at the Rüssspitz (Reussspitz), the confluence of the rivers Lorzen and Reuss.
While the lowland area of Zug, Baar, Steinhausen and Cham are quite urbanized, we see that Ennetsee, with Risch and Hüneneberg, despite a building boom, have kept their rustic side.
In Ägeri, Menzingen and Neuheim you find yourself in a completely different landscape and world. As is also the case in Walchwil, the ‘riviera’ of Lake Zug.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the FDP
which received 24.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(23.3%), the Green Party
(22%) and the CVP
(18.7%).
In Zug about 76% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Zug has an unemployment rate of 2.28%. , there were 172 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 51 businesses involved in this sector. 5,821 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 269 businesses in this sector. 21,445 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 3,205 businesses in this sector.
. The wettest month is August during which time Zug receives an average of 158 mm (6.2 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 12.7 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is June, with an average of 13.7, but with only 156 mm (6.1 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is January with an average of 67 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation over 12.7 days.
, who plays in the Swiss National League A. They play their home games at the Bossard Arena
.
There are also an association football team, Zug 94
, which was formed in 1994 and a Rugby Team, Rugby Club Zug, which has a junior team, The Saints Rugby School
.
At the end of 2010, there were nearly 30,000 companies in the canton, of which 17,000 were stock exchange-listed companies. Of the approximately 83,000 jobs, nearly three quarters were in the service sector (agriculture: 2.2%, industry: 24.8%, trade and service sector: 73%). Every day about 37,000 people come to Zug to work, 12,000 of whom are from the canton of Lucerne.
2 Roche Group, Rotkreuz/Cham Pharma/Diagnostics 1‘520
3 V-Zug AG, Zug Household appliances 1‘498
4 Cooperative Migros Luzern, Ebikon Retail trade 1‘124
5 Johnson & Johnson, Zug Pharma/Diagnostics 750
6 Glencore International AG, Baar Commodity Trading 487
As a low tax region, Zug is home to corporate offices for a number of large and small companies. Even though Zug has a population of about 25,000 there are about 24,000 jobs and 12,900 registered companies in the city. Some of the registered firms include:
Several municipalities also have their own local museum. The Casino Theatre in Zug and the Zug ‘Burgbachkeller’, along with the ‘Chollerhalle’ cultural centre, are the most famous establishments. The event centres in Baar, Cham and Rotkreuz and the Zug youth scene (Galvanik, Podium Industrie 45) enrich the range of cultural events.
Scenic attractions are one thing, historical and sacred treasures another. The late Gothic church of St. Wolfgang, near Hünenberg, or St. Oswald in Zug, the old town of Zug with the Town Hall and the Clock tower, the ‘Zurlaubenhof’, feudal estate of the family Zurlauben, on the outskirts of the city – all encourage discovery of the unknown. One is beckoned to Ennetsee, to visit the castle of St. Andrew, near Cham, the castle in Buonas, or even the castle ruins of Hünenberg. www.burgen.ch
Part of Zug’s culture is also culinary. Local specialties, in addition to the cherry and the cherry liqueur cake, include the Zug ‘Rötel’, a fine lake charfish, found on many menus. Throughout the canton, gourmet restaurants, restaurants for day-trippers and cafés entice you to eat and relax. www.zug-tourismus.ch
The Zug education system is based on equal abilities, and is broad and diverse in its range - from compulsory primary and secondary school, through optional secondary education and vocational training. Two thirds of young people go into vocational education, connected to an apprenticeship, joining the professional world after the 9th grade of secondary school. The international business community of Zug offers many and varied apprenticeships; and the Zug technical and industrial college, GIBZ, and the business college, KBZ, provide the academic knowledge and skills.
There are also six technical colleges (for business, computer science, engineering design, naturopathy and homeopathy, child education, and rescue services).
The SBB-CFF-FFS
and other railways link at Zug railway station for Cham - Horgen
- Zürich
, Steinhausen
- Affoltern am Albis
, Arth-Goldau - St. Gotthard
- Ticino
and Italy, and Rotkreuz - Luzern. Zug is a terminal station of the Zürich S-Bahn
on the lines S9
and S21
.
The A4
motorway and other main roads connect Zug with the rest of the nation.
Water transportation has its node on Lake Zug at Zug.
in Zug. These include two libraries, the Library of the former Capuchin monastery and the library of the parish church
of St. Michael. One archeological site, the Sumpf a late Bronze Age lake shore settlement, is included, as are three museums; the Burg (Castle museum), Kunsthaus (Art museum) and Museum für Urgeschichte (Museum for ancient history). There are three archives that are included in the list; Bürgerarchiv Zug (Citizen's archive of Zug), Staatsarchiv Zug (State/Canton of Zug archive) and the Unternehmensarchiv der Landis & Gyr AG (Landis & Gyr AG company archives). The rest of the sites are the Catholic Church of St. Oswald with Charnel house
, the Seminary
of St. Michael, the city walls and several buildings in the old city of Zug.
The prehistoric settlements at Oterswil/Insel Eielen, Riedmatt and Sumpf are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.
The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug
Canton of Zug
The Canton of Zug is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in central Switzerland and its capital is Zug. With 239 km² the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area. It is not subdivided into districts.- History :The earlier history of the canton is...
and is its capital. As of it had a total population of inhabitants.
History
The town, first mentioned in 1240, was called an "oppidumOppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
" in 1242 and a "castrum" in 1255. In 1273, it was bought by Rudolph of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
from Anna, the heiress of Kyburg
House of Kyburg
The House of Kyburg was family of Grafen or counts from Zürich in Switzerland. The family was one of the three most powerful noble families in the Swiss plateau beside the Habsburg and the House of Savoy during the 11th and 12th Centuries...
and wife of Eberhard, head of the cadet line
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
. Part of its territory, the valley of Aegeri, was pledged by Rudolph in 1278 as security for a portion of the marriage gift he promised to Joanna, daughter of Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. She was betrothed to his son Hartmann, but his death in 1281 prevented the marriage from taking place. The town of Zug was governed by a bailiff, appointed by the Habsburgs, and a council, and was much favored by that family. Several country districts (e.g., Baar, Menzingen, and Aegeri) each had its own "Landsgemeinde
Landsgemeinde
The Landsgemeinde or "cantonal assembly" is one of the oldest forms of direct democracy. The first historically documented assembly took place in 1294...
" but were governed by one bailiff, also appointed by the Habsburgs; these were known as the "Aeusser Amt," and were always favorably disposed to the Swiss Confederation.
On June 27, 1352, both the town of Zug and the Aeusser Amt entered the Confederation, the latter being received on exactly the same terms as the town, and not, as was usual in the case of country districts, as a subject land; but in September 1352, Zug had to acknowledge its own lords again, and in 1355 was obliged to break off its connection with the league. About 1364, the town and the Aeusser Amt were recovered for the league by the men of Schwyz
Schwyz
The town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
, and from this time Zug took part as a full member in all the acts of the league. In 1379, the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
Wenceslaus exempted Zug from all external jurisdictions, and in 1389 the Habsburgs renounced their claims, reserving only an annual payment of 20 silver marks, which came to an end in 1415. In 1400 Wenceslaus gave all criminal jurisdiction to the town only. The Aeusser Amt, in 1404, then claimed that the banner and seal of Zug should be kept in one of the country districts and were supported in this claim by Schwyz. The matter was finally settled in 1412 by arbitration, and the banner was to be kept in the town. Finally in 1415, the right of electing their landammann
Landammann
Landammann or Landaman, plural -männer, was the German title, meaning 'Amtmann of the land', used by the chief magistrate in certain Cantons of Switzerland and at times featured in the Head of state's style at the confederal level....
was given to Zug by the Confederation, and a share in the criminal jurisdiction was granted to the Aeusser Amt by German king Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
.
In 1385, Zug joined the league of the Swabian cities against Leopold III of Austria and shared in the victory of Sempach
Battle of Sempach
An armistice was agreed upon on 12 October, followed by a peace agreement valid for one year, beginning on 14 January 1387.The battle was a severe blow to Austrian interests in the region, and allowed for the further growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy....
, as well as in the various Argovian
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
(1415) and Thurgovian
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...
(1460) conquests of the Confederates, and later in those of Italy (1512), having already taken part in the occupation of the Val d'Ossola. Between 1379 (Walchwil
Walchwil
Walchwil is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Geography:Walchwil has an area, , of . Of this area, 41.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 45.5% is forested...
) and 1477 (Cham
Cham, Switzerland
Cham is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Location:Cham has an area, , of . Of this area, 63.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 13.2% is forested...
), Zug had acquired various districts in its own neighborhood, principally to the north and the west, which were ruled till 1798 by the town alone as subject lands. At the time of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, Zug clung to the old faith and was a member of the Christliche Vereinigung of 1529. In 1586, it became a member of the Golden League.
In 2001, 11 members of the local (cantonal) parliament and three members of the (cantonal) government were shot and killed in Zug by the assassin Friedrich Leibacher
Friedrich Leibacher
Friedrich Heinz Leibacher was a Swiss spree killer who killed 14 members of the Zug canton Parliament, injuring 18 others, before committing suicide....
.
The oldest human traces date back to the time of around 14,000 BC. There have been Paleolithic finds on the north bank of Lake Zug, which come from nomadic hunters and collectors. Archaeologists have also been able to prove the existence of over forty lake-shore settlements (pile dwellings), on the shores of Lake Zug, from the epoch of the first settled farmers in the Neolithic period (5,500-2,200 BC). The peak in these lake-shore village settlements was in the period between 3800 and 2450 BC. For the same epoch, the first pre-alpine land use has been proven in Menzingen and in the Ägeri valley. The well-known, historically-researched and interesting lake-shore village, ‘Sumpf’ (the swamp), dated from the late Bronze Age (up until 850 BC). These rich finds result in a quite differentiated picture of life in former times, attractively represented in the Zug Museum for Prehistory. In addition, many traces from the Iron Age (850-50 BC) and the Roman and Celtic-Roman time (from 50 BC) have been discovered.
The City of Zug – Kyburg Foundation
In around 600 AD, Alemannic families and tribes immigrated to the area of present day canton Zug. The name Blickensdorf, and place names with ‘- ikon’ endings, prove this as the first Alemannic living space. The churches of Baar and Risch also date back to the early Middle Ages.The first written document on the area originates from the year 858, and refers to King Ludwig the German giving the farm ‘Chama’ (Cham) to the Zurich Fraumünster convent. At this time, the area of present day Zug belonged to completely different monastic and secular landlords, the most important of whom were the Habsburgs, and who, in 1264, inherited the Kyburg rights and remained a central political power until about 1400.
In the course of the high medieval town construction, the settlement of Zug also received a city wall at some point after 1200. The city founders were probably the counts of Kyburg. In 1242, Zug was mentioned for the first time as ‘oppidum’, meaning ‘city’. Research shows that Zug was important as an administrative centre of the Kyburg and the Habsburg office, then as a local market place, and, thereafter, as a stage town for the transport of goods (particularly salt and iron) over the Hirzel hill towards Lucerne.
In 1478, the building of a larger city wall began, which increased the city area six-fold - the same year as the building of the late gothic St. Oswald Church began. The building master of the new city wall was Hans Felder from Bavarian Swabia. The ground plan of the city wall is indicative of an ideal symmetric plan of the Renaissance period – something very rare at that time. The overall urban planning implemented in the small town of Zug was modern for its time.
The year 1352 - an episode.
The alliance of the four forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Lucerne with the city of Zurich in 1351 set much in motion. The city of Zug was seen as having Habsburg ties with the cities of Zurich and Lucerne, and therefore had to be conquered. It is likely that this was more for political than economic reasons: the Lucerne market was very important for central Switzerland, but also strongly dependent on the city of Zurich. Zurich initiated a siege on Zug with the federal army in June 1352. Zug surrendered. On 27 June 1352 Zurich, Luzern, Zug, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden formed an alliance. Zurich's saw this ‘Zugerbund’ (Zug alliance) as an alliance of convenience. For the city of Zug, little changed, and Zug remained Habsburg. That same year, the Zug alliance was declared invalid by all parties. A period of Schwyz domination then followed. Only gradually did Zug become sovereign and federal.Simultaneously, Zug expanded its territory, acquiring a number of rural areas in the form of bailiwicks (Walchwil, Cham, Gangolfswil [Risch] Hünenberg and Steinhausen, and Oberrüti, now part of the canton of Aargau). Zug became a confederation in itself - with the ‘city’ and its subject territories, and the three outer (‘free’) municipalities, Ägeri, Menzingen (with Neuheim) and Baar. This problematic dualism dominated until 1798, i.e. until the end of the old confederation, the political structure of the Canton Zug. The unifying element of this miniature confederation was, among others, the rural municipalities and the forty-member city council.
During the turmoil of the Reformation, Zug remained on the Catholic side of central Switzerland and retained the old faith. Warring religious confederates fought at Kappel am Albis (1531) and at Gubel in Menzingen. Its location on the edge of central Switzerland made Zug a confessional border town.
The period up until 1798 was marked by internal political rivalries and turbulence. The invasion of the French troops marked the end of the old order, and with the Helvetic order came a radical political change. Zug became part of the canton Waldstätten, and the cantonal capital for a short time. After a 50-year struggle between federalism and centralism, between confederation and central state, between conservative and liberal-radical vision, in 1848, today’s federal government of Switzerland emerged. Zug was given its current cantonal structure, consisting of eleven local municipalities.
Industrialization and internationalization
Until well into the 19th century, Zug consisted of agricultural land. Actual industrialization began with the entrepreneur Wolfgang Henggeler, who in 1834 built a cotton mill in Unterägeri. This was followed by the two companies in Neuägeri and Baar.In 1866, the American George Ham Page founded the first European condensed milk factory in Cham, which later merged with Nestlé. Industry in Zug was dominated by the company Landis & Gyr, founded in 1896, and now owned by Australian investment company Bayard Capital. The connection to the Swiss railway network in 1864 was important, as was the connection of mountain and valley with an electric tram at the beginning of the 20th Century.
In the second half of the century, dynamic expansion took place and Zug became a national and international financial and trading center, aided by its proximity to Zurich, and by an attractive tax policy. In parallel, large industrial and commercial zones evolved; employment increased rapidly; the population rose sharply, and the building boom skyrocketed. Canton Zug catapulted itself into being at the top of the financially strong cantons. And the city today has become, as the British Guardian once wrote, ‘a compass of the global economy’.
Today
Zug is a low tax regionTax haven
A tax haven is a state or a country or territory where certain taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all while offering due process, good governance and a low corruption rate....
, and is headquarters for a number of multinational enterprises.
Zug's best known agricultural product is kirsch.
Situation and features
The lake shore has been embanked and forms a promenade, from which glorious views of the snowy peaks of the Bernese OberlandBernese Oberland
The Bernese Oberland is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the southern end of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps .The flag of the Bernese Oberland consists of a black eagle in a gold field The Bernese Oberland (Bernese...
, as well as of the Rigi
Rigi
- Mt. Rigi in Art:Mt. Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were by JMW Turner, including "The Blue Rigi, Lake of Lucerne, Sunrise"...
and Pilatus, are gained. Towards its northerly end, a monument marks the spot where a part of the shore slipped into the lake in 1887.
The older part of the town is rather crowded together, though only four of the wall towers and a small part of the town walls still survive.
The most striking old building in the town is the parish church of St Oswald (late 15th century), dedicated to St Oswald, king of Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
(d. 642), one of whose arms was brought to Zug in 1485. The town hall, also a 15th-century building, now houses the Historical and Antiquarian Museum. There are some quaint old painted houses close by. A little way higher up the hillside is a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
convent in a striking position, close to the town wall and leaning against it. Still higher, and outside the old town, is the fine new parish church of St Michael, consecrated in 1902.
The business quarter is on the rising ground north of the old town, near the railway station. Several fine modern buildings rise on or close to the shore in the town and to its south, whilst to the southwest is a convent of Capuchin nuns, who manage a large girls' school and several other educational establishments.
The Museum of Prehistory Zug houses an important collection of archaeological remains, especially from the late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(urnfield culture
Urnfield culture
The Urnfield culture was a late Bronze Age culture of central Europe. The name comes from the custom of cremating the dead and placing their ashes in urns which were then buried in fields...
) settlement of Zug-Sumpf. Many of Catharine II of Russia's relatives descended from Zug and became known as the Volga German
Volga German
The Volga Germans were ethnic Germans living along the River Volga in the region of southern European Russia around Saratov and to the south. Recruited as immigrants to Russia in the 18th century, they were allowed to maintain German culture, language, traditions and churches: Lutherans, Reformed,...
s.
Geography
Zug has an area, , of 21.7 square kilometres (8.4 sq mi). Of this area, 35.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 38.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 23.8% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (2.6%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The canton of Zug is located in the area between the lowlands and the foothills of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. It borders the canton of Schwyz
Canton of Schwyz
Schwyz is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....
to the south and southeast; the cantons of Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
and the ‘Freiamt’ of canton Aargau to the west; and the canton of Zurich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
to the north and northeast.
Canton Zug’s borders were mainly established by nature itself: the rivers Sihl
Sihl
The Sihl is a river of Switzerland. It rises at Drusberg in the Canton of Schwyz. It passes through the Sihlsee near Einsiedeln, and then enters the Canton of Zurich, flowing through the Sihl valley at the foot of the Albis, passing the Sihlwald, the largest remaining deciduous forest of the Swiss...
and Biber, and the Höhronen ridge in the east; the Rossberg mountain in the south, and the Rooterberg mountain, and the river Reuss in the west. Only the 87.5 km-long border between the cantons of Zurich and of Zug is not naturally defined. With its 1580 m peak, the Wildspitz
Wildspitz
Wildspitz is a mountain in the Glarus Alps, located above Goldau in Switzerland. It is the highest summit of the Canton of Zug.-References:* Swisstopo maps* geofinder.ch...
mountain is the highest point in the canton. The lowest point in the north of the canton is at 388 m, at the Rüssspitz (Reussspitz), the confluence of the rivers Lorzen and Reuss.
Diverse Landscape
The canton of Zug is multi-faceted, and this is also reflected in its geographic-topographic diversity. In rough terms, there are two zones, divided by the north-south axis of Lake Zug: the western part with Ennetsee and the plateau of Zug, Steinhausen and Baar; and the eastern part consisting of the hilly and mountaneous zone. In the latter, is the Zugerberg mountain with the Rossberg mountain chain, the valley of Oberaegeri and Unteraegeri, with Lake Aegeri, and the mountain ridge of Höhronen and the countryside of Menzingen and Neuheim.While the lowland area of Zug, Baar, Steinhausen and Cham are quite urbanized, we see that Ennetsee, with Risch and Hüneneberg, despite a building boom, have kept their rustic side.
In Ägeri, Menzingen and Neuheim you find yourself in a completely different landscape and world. As is also the case in Walchwil, the ‘riviera’ of Lake Zug.
Impressive Moraine landscape
The power of the glaciers in the ice age are impressively shown in the lateral moraines of Walchwilerberg mountain and Zugerberg mountain. These are the remaining witnesses of the Reuss glacier. The moraine and drumlin landscape of Menzingen and Neuheim are the result of the convergence of the Reuss glacier and the Linth glacier. The Swiss geologist, Albert Heim (1849–1937), once noted, that ‘this must be the most impressive moraine landscape in Switzerland’. The glaciation of the Zug mountains stopped in around 15,000 BC.Rivers and Lakes
The Lorze river is the only large river flowing wholly within the canton. The Sihl and Reuss rivers both follow cantonal borders. The Lorze flows from Lake Ägeri through the deep valley of the Lorzentobel to Baar and Lake Zug. In Cham, the Lorze leaves Lake Zug and joins the river Reuss at the afore-mentioned Reussspitz.Demographics
Zug has a population (as of ) of . , 26.4% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.4%. Most of the population speaks German (81.8%), with Italian being second most common ( 3.8%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 3.2%).In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
which received 24.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
(23.3%), the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(22%) and the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(18.7%).
In Zug about 76% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Zug has an unemployment rate of 2.28%. , there were 172 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 51 businesses involved in this sector. 5,821 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 269 businesses in this sector. 21,445 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 3,205 businesses in this sector.
Weather
Zug has an average of 136.1 days of rain per year and on average receives 1224 mm (48.2 in) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. The wettest month is August during which time Zug receives an average of 158 mm (6.2 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 12.7 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is June, with an average of 13.7, but with only 156 mm (6.1 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is January with an average of 67 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation over 12.7 days.
Sport
The main sport team is the EV ZugEV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season....
, who plays in the Swiss National League A. They play their home games at the Bossard Arena
Bossard Arena
Bossard Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Zug, Switzerland. The capacity of the arena is 7,105 spectators and opened in 2010. It hosts indoor sporting events such as ice hockey. It hosts the EV Zug of the National League A. It replaced Eishalle Herti as the home of EV Zug....
.
There are also an association football team, Zug 94
Zug 94
Zug 94 is a Swiss football team based in Zug which currently competes in the 1. Liga. It was formed in 1994 after a merger between SC Zug and FC Zug...
, which was formed in 1994 and a Rugby Team, Rugby Club Zug, which has a junior team, The Saints Rugby School
The Saints Rugby School
The Saints Rugby School is a Swiss rugby union team based in Zug and is the junior team of Rugby Club Zug It was formed in march 2006 and is now one of the top junior rugby teams in Switzerland.- History :...
.
Economy
Today, the small Canton of Zug is a sought-after place of residence, an attractive living space, and a successful business area. The foundations for this were laid in the wise legislation of the 20's in the last century. Like the pioneer Canton Glarus, the Canton of Zug lowered tax charges for holding and domiciled companies. The tax law revision after the Second World War especially benefitted companies.From poorhouse to the richest canton
The business-friendly tax policy of the canton was effective, and Zug transformed itself from being the poorhouse to the richest canton in Switzerland in 1990. Even in the sixties, Zug had the highest per capita debt, and the average income was below the national average. Today, Zug pays the most into the inter-cantonal financial compensation scheme, NFA (approximately 300 million CHF = 2,042 CHF per capita). Tax expenses are only about half the Swiss average, and the national income per capita is among the highest in Switzerland. In 2010, the gross domestic product per capita in Canton Zug was an estimated 100,000 CHF.At the end of 2010, there were nearly 30,000 companies in the canton, of which 17,000 were stock exchange-listed companies. Of the approximately 83,000 jobs, nearly three quarters were in the service sector (agriculture: 2.2%, industry: 24.8%, trade and service sector: 73%). Every day about 37,000 people come to Zug to work, 12,000 of whom are from the canton of Lucerne.
Largest private employers
1 Siemens Building Technologies, Zug Building 2‘2232 Roche Group, Rotkreuz/Cham Pharma/Diagnostics 1‘520
3 V-Zug AG, Zug Household appliances 1‘498
4 Cooperative Migros Luzern, Ebikon Retail trade 1‘124
5 Johnson & Johnson, Zug Pharma/Diagnostics 750
6 Glencore International AG, Baar Commodity Trading 487
As a low tax region, Zug is home to corporate offices for a number of large and small companies. Even though Zug has a population of about 25,000 there are about 24,000 jobs and 12,900 registered companies in the city. Some of the registered firms include:
- TransoceanTransoceanTransocean Ltd. is one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors. The company rents floating mobile drill rigs, along with the equipment and personnel for operations, to oil and gas companies at an average daily rate of US$282,700...
, the world's largest offshore drillingOffshore drillingOffshore drilling refers to a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled through the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently produce hydrocarbons which lie in rock formations beneath the seabed...
contractor. - XstrataXstrataXstrata plc is a global mining company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of coal , copper, nickel, primary vanadium and zinc and the world's largest producer of ferrochrome...
an international mining company and currently the world's fourth largest producer of copper. - Biogen IdecBiogen IdecBiogen Idec, Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in drugs for neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders and cancer. The company was formed in 2003 by the merger of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen Inc. and San Diego, California-based IDEC Pharmaceuticals...
a biotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company specializing in drugs for neurological disordersNeurologyNeurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, autoimmune disorders and cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. - Crypto AGCrypto AGCrypto AG is a Swiss company specialising in communications and information security. With headquarters in steinhausen, the company is a long-established manufacturer of encryption machines and a wide variety of cipher devices...
a Swiss company specialising in communications and information security. - Rothschild Continuation Holdings AGN M Rothschild & SonsN M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
a holding companyHolding companyA holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
that controls much of the Rothschild investment bank for the Rothschild familyRothschild familyThe Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
. - Alliance BootsAlliance BootsAlliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
a retail pharmacistPharmacistPharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
and pharmaceutical wholesaler in several European countries. - Nord Stream managing a planned natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
offshore pipelinePipeline transportPipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
from VyborgVyborgVyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to GreifswaldGreifswaldGreifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. - Informa
- Landis+GyrLandis+GyrLandis+Gyr, until early 2008 The Bayard Group, is a company focused on metering and other technologies which deal with management of scarce resources. Founded by Cameron O'Reilly, who is currently CEO, it has a revenue in excess of 1.25 billion USD per annum...
a company focused on metering and other technologies which deal with management of scarce resources. - Partners GroupPartners GroupPartners Group is a global private markets management firm with over EUR 20 billion in investment programs under management in private equity, private debt, private real estate, private infrastructure and absolute return strategies...
a global alternative asset management firm. - Expert International GmbH a SwissSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
consumer electronicsConsumer electronicsConsumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
retail chain with more than 7400 stores. - Foster Wheeler
- Tata AG the international trading arm of the Tata GroupTata GroupTata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
(a $70 billion Indian conglomerate)
Zug as a cultural area
Culture arises from the daily life of living together. The rich variety of the life of Canton Zug is demonstrated in the wide range of cultural activities on offer: music, theatre, art and literature, film and performance; all of indispensable value. The “IG Culture Zug” society currently has some 200 members.Variety of cultural events
There are three attractively-designed museums in the city: the Museum of Prehistory, which displays archaeological finds from Canton Zug; the castle houses the Museum of Cultural History of the city and Canton Zug, and Zug Art Gallery attracts visitors with its exhibitions: www.museenzug.chSeveral municipalities also have their own local museum. The Casino Theatre in Zug and the Zug ‘Burgbachkeller’, along with the ‘Chollerhalle’ cultural centre, are the most famous establishments. The event centres in Baar, Cham and Rotkreuz and the Zug youth scene (Galvanik, Podium Industrie 45) enrich the range of cultural events.
Cultural export No. 1
Zug’s culture also includes the famous Zuger cherry liqueur cake, culinary export hit No. 1 and in demand worldwide. www.zugerkirschtorten.ch. www.zugerchriesi.ch. Not available for export is yet another Zuger constant: the famous sunset, which for author Johannes Mario Simmel, who died in 2009, is the world's most beautiful. And he should know, a world traveller who, for a long time, made Zug his home.Rich cultural landscape
For modern man, landscape is culture, and Zug has a lot to offer. From Rüssspitz to Wildspitz, from Chiem to Gottschalkenberg, one can discover many scenic highlights; for example, the Zugerberg mountain and the Walchwilerberg Oberallmig - a ridge of fascinating depth of definition, a moor with national cachet. Or Höhronen, with its shady forests and wide footpaths; the winding paths along the river Sihl; through the romantic Lorzentobel to the limestone caves at Höllgrotten, and the castle ruins on Wildenburg mountain. The Choller nature reserve near Lake Zug is also particularly attractive. And this, a mere overview of the many alternatives.Scenic attractions are one thing, historical and sacred treasures another. The late Gothic church of St. Wolfgang, near Hünenberg, or St. Oswald in Zug, the old town of Zug with the Town Hall and the Clock tower, the ‘Zurlaubenhof’, feudal estate of the family Zurlauben, on the outskirts of the city – all encourage discovery of the unknown. One is beckoned to Ennetsee, to visit the castle of St. Andrew, near Cham, the castle in Buonas, or even the castle ruins of Hünenberg. www.burgen.ch
Part of Zug’s culture is also culinary. Local specialties, in addition to the cherry and the cherry liqueur cake, include the Zug ‘Rötel’, a fine lake charfish, found on many menus. Throughout the canton, gourmet restaurants, restaurants for day-trippers and cafés entice you to eat and relax. www.zug-tourismus.ch
Zug as an educational space
Zug has a long tradition of education. Private schools, like the Montana Institute Zug, on Zugerberg, or the Dr. Pfister Institute AG, Oberägeri supplement the range available. In addition, there are the three former non-state teacher training colleges in Menzingen, Holy Cross in Cham and St. Michael in Zug.The Zug education system is based on equal abilities, and is broad and diverse in its range - from compulsory primary and secondary school, through optional secondary education and vocational training. Two thirds of young people go into vocational education, connected to an apprenticeship, joining the professional world after the 9th grade of secondary school. The international business community of Zug offers many and varied apprenticeships; and the Zug technical and industrial college, GIBZ, and the business college, KBZ, provide the academic knowledge and skills.
Zug – Canton of tertiary education
Canton Zug has two high schools: the Canton High School in the city of Zug, and the Cantonal School in Menzingen. Also at higher secondary level, is the Vocational School Zug and the Business Studies School, incorporated within the Canton School. Zug is one of the university cantons, with, on the one hand, the University of Teacher Training, PHZ Zug, on the other, a polytechnic for financial services.There are also six technical colleges (for business, computer science, engineering design, naturopathy and homeopathy, child education, and rescue services).
International Schools
The range of educational institutions is a key factor for location in the globalized world of competition, especially for foreign employees, the so-called ‘Expats’. The four international schools have been developed accordingly, and report a high student intake. 750 children from more than 50 countries attend the International School of Zug alone, at its two campuses in Hünenberg and Baar.Transportation
Zug acts as an important transportation node.The SBB-CFF-FFS
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
and other railways link at Zug railway station for Cham - Horgen
Horgen
Horgen is a village in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is one of the larger towns along the south bank of the Lake of Zurich.- History :Horgen is also the type-site of Switzerland's middle Neolithic archaeological culture...
- Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Steinhausen
Steinhausen, Switzerland
Steinhausen is a city in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Geography:Steinhausen has an area, , of . Of this area, 50.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 15.1% is forested...
- Affoltern am Albis
Affoltern am Albis
Affoltern am Albis is a municipality in the district of Affoltern in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is the smallest city of Switzerland. In Switzerland a city is defined as having at least 10,000 inhabitants.-Geography:...
, Arth-Goldau - St. Gotthard
Gotthard Rail Tunnel
The Gotthard Rail Tunnel, is a 15-kilometre long railway tunnel and forms the summit of the Gotthard Railway in Switzerland. It connects Göschenen with Airolo and was the first tunnel through the Gotthard massif...
- Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
and Italy, and Rotkreuz - Luzern. Zug is a terminal station of the Zürich S-Bahn
Zürich S-Bahn
The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighboring cantons The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been...
on the lines S9
S9 (ZVV)
The S9 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, and is one of the network's lines connecting the cantons of Zürich and Zug.- Route :...
and S21
S21 (ZVV)
The S21 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, and is one of the network's lines connecting the cantons of Zürich and Zug.- Route :...
.
The A4
A4 (Switzerland)
The A4 motorway in Switzerland begins from Schaffhausen, in northern Switzerland, and travels southward into central Switzerland. of A4 is: Bargen - Schaffhausen - Winterthur - Zürich - Central Switzerland.- Route description :...
motorway and other main roads connect Zug with the rest of the nation.
Water transportation has its node on Lake Zug at Zug.
Heritage sites of national significance
There are a number of Swiss heritage sites of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
in Zug. These include two libraries, the Library of the former Capuchin monastery and the library of the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. Michael. One archeological site, the Sumpf a late Bronze Age lake shore settlement, is included, as are three museums; the Burg (Castle museum), Kunsthaus (Art museum) and Museum für Urgeschichte (Museum for ancient history). There are three archives that are included in the list; Bürgerarchiv Zug (Citizen's archive of Zug), Staatsarchiv Zug (State/Canton of Zug archive) and the Unternehmensarchiv der Landis & Gyr AG (Landis & Gyr AG company archives). The rest of the sites are the Catholic Church of St. Oswald with Charnel house
Charnel house
A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves...
, the Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of St. Michael, the city walls and several buildings in the old city of Zug.
The prehistoric settlements at Oterswil/Insel Eielen, Riedmatt and Sumpf are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps is a series of prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands...
a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site.
Media Attention
The town became noticed in American media when CBS 60 minutes made a critical piece on the town being the "safe-haven" for American corporations.External links
- http://www.stadtzug.ch Official city website
- Pictures Zug
- http://www.zytturm.com/ Pictures and history Zytturm (klick "english" and "clocktower")