Oerlikon (Zürich)

Oerlikon is a quarter in the northern part of Zürich, Switzerland.

The formerly independent municipality Oerlikon was merged with Zürich in 1934 and forms today, together with Affoltern and Seebach, the city district 11.

History

The name Oerlikon goes back to the alemannic settlement founder Orilo. Oerlikon was mentioned for the first time in the year 946 (other source: 942) as "Orlinchowa". At that time the place counted somewhat more than one dozen houses and was part of the municipality Schwamendingen. There the inhabitants of Oerlikon visited also the school and church. 1855 a railway was built which should connect Southern Germany with Zurich. Thus Oerlikon became interesting for industry and trade, which provided Oerlikon a very fast growth. 1872 Oerlikon was separated from Schwamendingen and became its own municipality. 1897 a tramway from Zurich to Oerlikon was built. Branch lines led also after Seebach and Schwamendingen.

Places of interest

South of the railway line the Oerlikon town center with the shopping centres "Neumarkt" and "züri 11 shopping", the luxurious hotel Swissôtel and the market place are located. North of the station, a new quarter called [http://www.neuoerlikon.ch/site/neuoer/neuoer.html "Neu-Oerlikon"] (New Oerlikon) is being built. In the former industrial area new living and working area is created. This urban architecture is lightened up by generous parks. In the last years four new parks very outstanding in the professional world were built: The "Oerliker Park" with a look-out tower, the "MFO-Park" on the area of the earlier engine factory "Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon", the "Traugott Wahlen-Park" and the "Louis Haefliger-Park".

Much of Oerlikon is often under constructed, but to the patient visitor, a trip to see some of the taller buildings in Zürich is not a waste of time.

Industry

Beside the head office of Oerlikon Contraves also the buildings of the Zurich fair "Messe Zürich" as well as the stadium Hallenstadion are located in Oerlikon. Also the 1876 created "Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon" resided here. Further industrial enterprises settled in Oerlikon are OC Oerlikon (former "Unaxis") and ABB. The railway station Zürich Oerlikon is, as an important junction of the Zürich S-Bahn network, a bottleneck for public traffic.

External links

* [http://www.neuoerlikon.ch/site/neuoer/neuoer.html Webite about New Oerlikon - in German]
* [http://www.qv-oerlikon.ch Website des Quartiervereins Oerlikon - in German]
* [http://www.industriegeschichten.ch AG Industriegeschichte(n) Oerlikon - in German]
* [http://www.i-like-oerlike.ch "z'Oerlike gits alles!" - in German]
* [http://www.ocag.ch Oerlikon Contraves AG - in German]