Winterthur

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size General Information: With 90,000 inhabitants, Winterthur is the sixth largest town in Switzerland. Winterthur is situated only 25 km northeast of Zurich and can be reached from the international airport Zurich-Kloten in 15 minutes by train. Nonetheless, Winterthur is an independent economic, cultural, and educational center. Winterthur is the traditional headquarter of the Winterthur insurance company as well as of Sulzer, a Swiss technology corporation, globally active in medical technology, the oil, gas and chemical industries, mechanical engineering and building services. In 1987, Winterthur was one of the first Swiss cities which started to redevelop inner-city industrial areas with land owned by Sulzer. The author states: The City of Winterthur promotes itself as the “second capital” (next to Zurich) of the largest and most important economic region in Switzerland. Winterthur, on the one hand, is part of the region of Zurich, but on the other hand has its own character and qualities and developed its own self -assurance during the last years. Winterthur is convinced that for the optimal functioning of the Swiss urban network, a balance between the power of the cantons and the cities is required.