Zug

About Zug

Zug is the largest town and capital of the Swiss canton of Zug. It is famous for being a place where many very wealthy people live.

The town has a population of about 30,934 people as of the end of 2020.

Language

The main language spoken in Zug is a local version of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect, though the official language is the Swiss variety of Standard German. Zug is often noticed for having a lot of money and wealthy residents.

Etymology

The name "Zug" comes from an old German word meaning "pull" or "tug". Long ago, it was used in fishing to describe the right to pull up fishing nets, which also meant the right to fish.

History

Prehistory

People have lived around Zug since about 14,000 BC. Archaeologists have found old settlements on the north side of Lake Zug. These settlements were built on wooden platforms in the water and were home to early farmers. The settlements were most common between 3800 and 2450 BC. There have also been findings from the Iron Age and the time of the Romans.

Kyburg foundation

Around AD 600, families from Germany moved to the area that is now Zug. The first written record about Zug comes from the year 858. At that time, the land belonged to different rulers, with the most powerful being the Habsburgs. In 1273, the town was bought by a member of the Habsburg family.

Joining the Swiss Confederation

In 1352, Zug joined the Swiss Confederation. However, it had to leave the group for a short time before returning in 1364. Over time, Zug gained more independence and control over its surrounding areas.

Growth of the town

Zug grew and added nearby areas to its control. In 1478, construction began on a new town wall that made the town much larger. The town also built important churches and improved its planning.

The Reformation and early modern era

During a time of big changes in religion, Zug chose to stay with its original beliefs. The town faced challenges from nearby areas with different beliefs but remained strong in its traditions.

Industrialisation and internationalisation

In the 1800s, Zug began to change from a farming area to one with factories. One of the first factories was a cotton mill. Later, Zug became important for banking and business, especially because of its low taxes and good location near Zürich.

Today

Today, Zug is known for having low taxes and attracting many big companies. It is also famous for its cherry brandy called Kirsch.

Geography

Topography

Zug covers an area of 21.63 km² (8.35 sq mi). About one-third of this land is used for farming, and nearly 38% is covered with trees. Around 27% of the area has buildings or roads, and a small part, about 2.5%, is not used for anything.

Over the years, more space has been taken up by buildings, while less land is used for farming now. Some areas that were once farmland are now used for other purposes, like parks or houses. The amount of forested land has also grown a tiny bit.

Climate

See also climate of Lucerne and Zürich.

Weather

Zug gets rain about 136 days a year and receives around 1,224 mm (48.2 in) of rain in total. Sometimes, the air can be so thick that you can’t see very far — this happens about 5.5 days a year.

August is usually the wettest month, with about 158 mm (6.2 in) of rain. June, though, has the most rainy days, even if the total amount of rain is a bit less. January is the driest month, with only around 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain.

Politics

Government

The City Council (Stadtrat) is the team that runs Zug. It has five members, each in charge of a different part of the town's work. One member is the mayor (Stadtpräsident). The council follows rules made by the Grand Municipal Council. People who live in Zug and can vote choose the council members every four years. The council meets in the Town Hall on Kolinplatz.

Martin Würmli has been the Town Chronicler (Stadtschreiber) since 2014 and leads the Town Office (Stadtkanzlei).

Parliament

Federal elections

National Council

In the 2015 election for the national government, the most popular party in Zug was the SVP. Next were the CVP, the FDP, and the SP. Many people in Zug voted.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

After World War II, Zug helped the town of Fürstenfeld in Styria, Austria. In 1986, they became sister cities. Another sister city is Kalesija in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which became a sister city in 2008.

Demographics

Zug has a population of 30,934 as of December 31, 2020. Many people in Zug speak German, with some also speaking Italian and Serbo-Croatian.

Most people aged 25 to 64 in Zug have finished their schooling, either with advanced high school education or by going to university or a special college.

Sport

Zug is famous for its ice hockey. The main team is called EV Zug. They play in the National League and have home games at the OYM Hall. This hall can hold 7,800 people. The team recently won two big titles in the league.

Zug also has other sports teams. There is an amateur association football team named Zug 94. There is also a rugby team called Zug Rugby Club and an amateur floorball team named Zug United. The town has a strong rowing club, See-Club Zug, which often does very well in Switzerland. There is also a motorsports team called Iron Dames based in Zug.

Economy

In 2012, about 40,000 people had jobs in Zug. Some worked in farming, many more in factories, and the rest in shops and offices. In 2013, a small part of the people needed help to pay for things.

Since 2016, Zug has allowed people to pay with digital money, turning it right away into Swiss money. This helps make Zug seem modern and friendly to new technology. Many big companies, like Siemens Building Technologies and Nord Stream AG, have offices there. Zug is also called Crypto Valley because many businesses work with digital currencies such as Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, and Bitcoin Suisse. A group called the Crypto Valley Association was started in 2018.

Culture

Zug is a beautiful town in Switzerland with many interesting places to see. You can walk along the lakeshore and enjoy views of mountains like the Rigi and Pilatus.

The old part of town has a few old towers and bits of walls left. An important old building is the parish church of St Oswald, built in the late 1400s. Nearby is the town hall, which now has a museum, and some old painted houses. Zug has museums like the Museum of Prehistory and the Zug Art Gallery. The town also has theaters, cultural centers, and many events.

Zug is surrounded by mountains and lakes. You can visit old churches, towers, and historic buildings. The town is famous for its cherry liqueur cake and a special fish called "Rötel" found in local restaurants.

Education

The education system in Zug helps all children have the same chances. Kids go to primary and secondary school, which is required by law. After 9th grade, many students pick vocational training to help them start real jobs. Zug has many places for young people to learn new skills, like special colleges and training programs.

Zug also has several high schools and colleges, including schools for teachers and businesses. There are technical colleges for subjects like computer science and engineering. International schools in Zug welcome students from all over the world, making it a friendly place for families living far from home.

Transportation

Zug is an important place for transportation.

There is a big bus network in the town and nearby areas, run by ZVB Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe.

The Swiss Federal Railways have a station in Zug, connecting to places like Cham, Horgen, Zürich, Steinhausen, Affoltern am Albis, Arth-Goldau, St. Gotthard, Ticino, Italy, and Rotkreuz near Luzern. Zug is the center of the Zug Stadtbahn, a fast train network for people traveling into the city. The lines include:

• S1: Baar–Zug–Cham–Rotkreuz–(Luzern) (also S1 of the Lucerne S-Bahn)
• S2: Baar Lindenpark–Zug–Walchwil–Arth-Goldau–(Erstfeld)

Zug is also served by the Zürich S-Bahn on lines S5 and S24.

The Zugerbergbahn is a funicular railway that goes from the Zug neighborhood of Schönegg up to Vordergeissboden on the Zugerberg hill.

The A4 motorway and other main roads link Zug to the rest of the country.

There are boats on Lake Zug for public transport, operated by MS Zug, MS Schwyz, MS Rigi, and MS Schwan. These boats are part of Zugersee Schifffahrt, which works with the local transport group, ZVB Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe.

The closest airport is Zurich Airport, about 49 km (30 mi) northeast of Zug.

Notable people

Zug has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some were artists and writers, like painter Johannes Brandenberg and writer Helen Keiser. Others made big impacts in business and politics, such as Marc Rich, who helped build Glencore, Switzerland’s largest company, and Simonetta Sommaruga, a current member of the Swiss Federal Council who was President of Switzerland in 2015.

The town also produced talented athletes. Football players like Georges Stuber and Lionel Donato, ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer, and Olympic competitors such as swimmer Karl Fridlin and ski racer Nadia Styger all came from Zug.

Notes and references