CityGuideZug

ZUG 9
to the present day shapes the old town of Zug. The
late Gothic church St. Oswald, which was built between
1478 and 1483, as well as the town hall that
could be completed in 1509, are of great cultural
and historical significance. In addition, impressive
private buildings emerged and the city expanded its
ring through the construction of another wall that
was connected by round towers, of which four are
still standing.
From reformation to the
downfall of the old order
The reformation triggered by the Zurich clergy Ulrich
Zwingli, who also maintained friendly relations
in Zug, put Zug in a difficult situation. Through the
1526 Council decision to remain with the Catholic
faith, traditionally close ties with Zurich were discontinued,
while Zug approached the Catholic suburb
Lucerne. Both Wars of Kappel (Kappelerkriege) of
1529 and 1531 took place in the close vicinity of Zug.
The previously intensive construction activity waned.
The restaurant Rathauskeller in Zug‘s Old Town still
reminds of the existence of an administrative seat
of the monastery Kappel, which was located here
until the suspension of the abbey. The political
lethargy, which lasted since the 16th century, was
broken between 1728 and 1735 through the social
and political conflict among the parties of Linden,
embodied by the leading families and the Harten,
represented by citizens. 1798 marks the end of the
old order through the occupation of the city of Zug
through French troops.
Capital of the Canton of Zug
In 1814, Zug became capital of the canton of Zug
that since then remained unchanged within its borders.
In November 1847, the city experienced occupation
through federal troops, which defeated the
Sonderbund cantons, to which Zug also belonged
and opened the way for a modern federal state throughout
Switzerland, from which Zug ought to profit
despite initial aversion. Transport and industrialisation
changed the face of the city, which turned away
from the lake after the suburban disaster on July
5th 1887 and expanded toward the north and later
toward the west. Fiscal and spatial planning efforts
were the key for the gradually beginning change of
Zug from a rural small town structure to a modern industry,
administrative and service centre. Symbol for
the advances in dynamic development since 1960 is
the train station inaugurated in 2003 that makes not
only international and national connections possible,
but where since 2004 very good regional connections
that were created by the canton of Zug through the
city railway make it worth taking the train to Zug.
Bild: ©Henry Bachmann
Facts and figures
Inhabitants 29’924 (March 2017)
Jobs 33‘000
City area 33,8 km 2
H, above sea L. 425 m
Currency Swiss francs (CHF)
Language German (Swiss-german)
Nationalities 123