Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland, located in the Eastern region. While the municipality itself has a population of 380,500, the metropolitan area is an urbanised area of international importance with nearly 2 million inhabitants. Permanently settled for around 7,000 years, the history of Zürich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. During the Middle Ages Zürich was the place of origin and center of the Reformation in German- speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli, the beginning of which was around the year 1519. Zürich is amongst the world's largest financial centres. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Many research and development centers are concentrated in Zürich and the low rate of tax attracts overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. In addition to be Switzerland's main commercial center, Zürich is sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland. An impressive number of museums and art galleries can be found in the city. Zürich also hosts one of the most important theatres in the German- speaking world. The Schauspielhaus is the main theater complex of the City. It has two branches: Pfauen in the Central City District and Schiffbauhalle, an old industrial hall, in Zürich West. The Schauspielhaus saw premieres of works of Max Frisch*, Friedrich Durrenmatt, Botho Strauss and Elfriede Jelinek.     Staufen im Breisgau | Zurich | Horb am Neckar | Strasbourg | Rottenberg am Neckar | Schleitheim Site Concept and Design: ©  JT eDesigns.com, 2011 *Norbert Weisser, who played Michael Sattler in The Radicals, just completed a successful run in a Max Frisch play, The Arsonists, at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles.