Geneva | History, Culture, Institutions, & Points of Interest

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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-Switzerland">Geneva</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref26278"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26278">Physical and human geography</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26279"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26279">The landscape</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26280"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26280">Site</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26281"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26281">Climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26282"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26282">Layout</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26283"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26283">The people</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26284"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26284">The economy</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26285"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26285">Industry</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26286"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26286">Commerce and finance</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26287"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26287">Transportation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26288"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26288">Administration</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26289"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland#ref26289">Cultural life</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26290"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26291"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26291">Foundation and medieval growth</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26292"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26292">The 15th to 18th century</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26293"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26293">Geneva and Savoy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26294"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26294">John Calvin</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26295"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26295">Class conflicts</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26296"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26296">The 19th and 20th centuries</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26297"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26297">Swiss Geneva</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26298"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Geneva-Switzerland/History#ref26298">The city since 1945</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-Switzerland/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Geneva-Switzerland">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-Switzerland/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/64667-050-2826C3F4/Geneva-Switzerland.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/54823" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/67/64667-004-A87367FD/Geneva-Switzerland.jpg" alt="Geneva, Switzerland." height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-050-80F3A605/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/100688" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-004-CCACFDF7/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg" alt="Cathedral of St. Peter, Geneva." height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-050-C171CC4C/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/220361" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-004-D0B07E13/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg" alt="Palace of Nations" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/194861-050-A4FAE9A5/Engineers-pre-injector-accelerator-Linear-CERN-Switzerland-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/221969" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.geneve.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Official Tourism Site of Geneva, Switzerland</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Geneva/274520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Geneva - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Genève, Genf, Ginevra</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Maurice-Cranston/639" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Maurice Cranston</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, 1969–85. Biographer of Locke and Rousseau.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Maurice Cranston</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Paul-Guichonnet/1170" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Paul Guichonnet</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Honorary Professor of Human Geography, University of Geneva. Author of <i>Gen ève, Reflexions sur un destin urbain; </i>general editor of <i>Histoire de Gen ève.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Paul Guichonnet</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-Switzerland/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-15T00:00:00CST" >Nov 15, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-Switzerland/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>French: </dt> <dd>Genève</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>German: </dt> <dd>Genf</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Italian: </dt> <dd>Ginevra</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Geneva-Switzerland"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/229000/f2cf2b72f0efa4b66d12ce211a78a9e7" rel="nofollow">Correction: Trump-United Nations story</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 15, 2024, 4:28 PM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/229000/bcafb4419834d9d4f83aab3ffd82b1e3" rel="nofollow">Lebanon files complaint against Israel at UN labor body over deadly pager explosions</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 6, 2024, 11:00 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref393540"></span>Geneva</strong>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/city" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">city</a>, capital of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneve" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Genève</a> canton, in the far southwestern corner of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Switzerland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Switzerland</a> that juts into <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/France" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">France</a>. One of Europe’s most <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="cosmopolitan" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmopolitan" data-type="MW">cosmopolitan</a> cities, Geneva has served as a model for republican government and owes its preeminence to the triumph of human, rather than geographic, factors. It developed its unique character from the 16th century, when, as the centre of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Calvinism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Calvinist Reformation</a>, it became the “Protestant Rome.”</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The canton of Genève has a total area of 109 square miles (282 square kilometres), of which seven square miles <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="constitute" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitute" data-type="MW">constitute</a> the city proper. Territorial isolation has been a basic feature of this region, which did not establish its definitive frontiers until 1815. Cut off politically and culturally after the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Reformation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Reformation</a> from its natural geographic surroundings in<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true"> Roman Catholic</a> France and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Savoy-historical-region-Europe" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Savoy</a>, Geneva was forced to establish an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="attenuated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attenuated" data-type="MW">attenuated</a> but powerful network of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="intellectual" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual" data-type="MW">intellectual</a> and economic relationships with the rest of Europe and with nations overseas.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A city-state transformed after many <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="vicissitudes" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vicissitudes" data-type="MW">vicissitudes</a> into a democratic Swiss canton, Genève has functioned primarily as a centre of commerce, in contact with both Germanic and Mediterranean countries. The contemporary city of Geneva is, above all, a service metropolis, retaining its financial importance and housing the headquarters of many public and private international organizations. Pop. (2010) city, 187,470; urban agglom., 544,772.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref26278"><h2 class="h1">Physical and human geography</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref26279"><h2 class="h2">The landscape</h2> <section data-level="3" id="ref26280"><h2 class="h3">Site</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Geneva is located at the southwestern end of <span id="ref393543"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Geneva-lake-Europe" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lake Geneva</a> (Lac Léman) at its junction with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rhone-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rhône River</a>. The city lies at an elevation of 1,230 feet (375 metres) in the centre of a natural basin encircled by mountains. This excellent site, besides commanding the important Swiss corridor between the <span id="ref393541"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alps" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alps</a> and the <span id="ref393542"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Jura-Mountains" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jura Mountains</a>, is also the focus of Alpine passes leading into Italy and, along the Saône–Rhône <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="axis" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/axis" data-type="EB">axis</a>, of routes to the Mediterranean.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="3" id="ref26281"><h2 class="h3">Climate</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The local climate is tempered by the presence of the lake, while the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Jura-canton-Switzerland" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Jura</a> create a screen that diminishes rainfall. Average temperatures in Geneva are in the low 30s F (about 0 °C) in January and in the mid-60s F (about 18 °C) in July. Geneva is thus neither disagreeably hot in summer nor cold in winter, but it must sometimes endure the harsh north wind known as the bise. Annual <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/precipitation" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">precipitation</a> averages about 37 inches (930 millimetres).</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/match-the-city-to-its-nickname-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/76/195776-131-200C1618/view-Switzerland-Lake-Geneva-tower-city-waterfronts.jpg" alt="Aerial view of Geneva, Switzerland from the north tower of St-Pierre Cathedral over the city's waterfronts on both sides of Rhone river as it flows out of Lake Geneva (Lake Leman). Most of the city's landmarks are visible, starting with the famous Jet D'E" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Match The City To Its Nickname Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="3" id="ref26282"><h2 class="h3">Layout</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="100688" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-050-80F3A605/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/229000/100688"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-050-80F3A605/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-050-80F3A605/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg?w=300" alt="Cathedral of St. Peter, Geneva." data-width="1061" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/100348-050-80F3A605/Cathedral-of-St-Peter-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/100688">Cathedral of St. Peter, Geneva.</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Bisected by the lower lake basin and the river, Geneva exhibits the classic pattern of old European cities, with neighbourhoods lying in belts around the original nucleus. The Haute-ville, or upper city, centred on the city’s original hill site at the Plateau des Tranchées and dominated by the Cathedral of St. Peter, is the historic heart of Geneva. The typical <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="medieval" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval" data-type="MW">medieval</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Renaissance-architecture" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Renaissance</a> houses are crowded together along narrow streets. This neighbourhood has undergone relative depopulation as housing has given way to government buildings and art, antiques, and interior furnishings businesses.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">At the foot of the hill an area reclaimed from the lake and the Rhône forms a low-lying shopping district. On the site of the old fortifications—mostly to the south of the Rhône—lie suburbs dating from the 19th century. Beyond is an irregular belt of working-class residential areas, near the railway stations and industrial zones.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="220361" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-050-C171CC4C/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/229000/220361"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-050-C171CC4C/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-050-C171CC4C/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg?w=300" alt="Palace of Nations" data-width="1600" data-height="1063" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/175195-050-C171CC4C/Palace-of-Nations-headquarters-League-Switzerland-United.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/220361">Palace of Nations</a><span>The Palace of Nations has served as the headquarters of the League of Nations and the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">International agencies such as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Red-Cross-and-Red-Crescent" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Red Cross</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Health-Organization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Health Organization</a> are found on the old patrician properties north of the Rhône. In this section, too, is the Palais des Nations, now the European home of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United Nations</a>. At the lake’s edge the Jet d’Eau—reputedly the world’s tallest fountain, with a jet of water rising 476 feet (145 metres)—provides a familiar symbol of the city.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span></section></section> <section data-level="2" id="ref26283"><h2 class="h2">The people</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">It was not until after 1945 that the city’s population began to register rapid growth, with the influx of other Swiss citizens and foreigners attracted by Geneva’s international institutions and financial, chemical, and construction industries. By the late 1980s the population was approximately one-third foreign, one-third Swiss from other cantons, and only one-third native Genevese. Immigration to Geneva has consisted not only of the traditional <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="contingents" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contingents" data-type="MW">contingents</a> from Italy, France, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Iberian-Peninsula" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iberian Peninsula</a> but also of a rising number from the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Although the large foreign presence is one of the constants of the city’s demography, French remains the first language of Geneva.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Among the native population and in the professional classes, Protestants are in the majority, but within the population as a whole, Geneva is no longer the “Protestant Rome.” Roman Catholics, in fact, make up half the population.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="2" id="ref26284"><h2 class="h2">The economy</h2> <section data-level="3" id="ref26285"><h2 class="h3">Industry</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Manufacturing is handicapped by lack of space and raw materials, but Geneva, as one of the oldest banking centres in Europe, has profited from an early start in capital accumulation. It benefits from a skilled <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/labor-in-economics" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">labour force</a> and managers who are international in outlook. Certain older activities, such as cotton textile manufacture, have disappeared, but watchmaking has a continuing tradition of precision and quality. Industrial production is diversified and is, above all, designed for export. The largest industry is the manufacture of instruments and precision machinery.</p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/chemical-industry" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">chemical industry</a> is the second largest in Switzerland, after that of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Basel-Switzerland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Basel</a>. It supplies luxury items—such as fragrances and bases for perfume—as well as medicines. The food-processing industry is important. Agriculture supplies such <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="commodities" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/commodities" data-type="EB">commodities</a> as wheat, rapeseed, dairy products, and wine. Only about 1 percent of the canton’s people are employed in farming.</p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="3" id="ref26286"><h2 class="h3">Commerce and finance</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Service industries employ more than two-thirds of the population. Wholesale and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/retailing" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">retail trade</a>, banking, tourism, and insurance are among the principal employers. Although nationally Geneva is second to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Zurich" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Zürich</a> in total volume of financial transactions, it has retained a position of worldwide significance. Geneva is one of the world’s leading sanctuaries for capital, and it has been estimated that its banks hold more than half the total amount of foreign capital in Switzerland. It is Switzerland’s centre of private banking. A wide variety of international institutions have also found a home in the city as a result of its geographic location at a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="crossroads" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/crossroads" data-type="EB">crossroads</a> of Europe and the security brought by Swiss political neutrality.</p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="3" id="ref26287"><h2 class="h3">Transportation</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD14 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In the area of transport, success came late. It was said that Geneva lost to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lausanne" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lausanne</a> the battle to become a leading railroad centre in the 19th century, but since <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World War II</a> the city has acquired a large international airport at Cointrin. Multilane expressways have linked Geneva with Lausanne and with the rest of the Swiss highway system since 1964 and with the French system since 1970. In addition, the city contributed labour and financing for the construction of the highway tunnel beneath <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mont-Blanc-poem-by-Shelley" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mont Blanc</a> and the Route-Blanche (White Way) to Italy. Since 1984 Geneva has enjoyed a high-speed railway system, the <em>trains à grande vitesse</em> (<span id="ref393544"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Train-a-Grande-Vitesse" class="md-crosslink ">TGV</a>), providing a three-hour connection with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Paris</a>. Local transportation is provided by an extensive bus, trolley, and streetcar system.</p><span class="marker MOD14 mod-inline"></span></section></section> <section data-level="2" id="ref26288"><h2 class="h2">Administration</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD15 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The canton of Genève, which still calls itself <span id="ref393545"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneve" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">La Republique du Genève</a>, is governed by the Constitution of 1848 (as amended). Cantonal government is exercised by an <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/executive-government" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">executive</a> power, the Council of State, consisting of seven members who are elected for four-year terms, and by a legislature, the Great Council, composed of 100 deputies who are also elected for four-year terms by proportional ballot.</p><span class="marker MOD15 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD16 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The canton is divided into communes, each of which has its own assembly, administrative council, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mayor" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">mayor</a>. Citizens have the rights of legislative <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="initiative" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initiative" data-type="MW">initiative</a> and referendum at both the communal and cantonal levels. To represent it in the federal government, the canton elects two deputies to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rajya-Sabha" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Council of States</a> and a varying number of representatives to the National Council.</p><span class="marker MOD16 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="2" id="ref26289"><h2 class="h2">Cultural life</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD17 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="221969" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/194861-050-A4FAE9A5/Engineers-pre-injector-accelerator-Linear-CERN-Switzerland-Geneva.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/229000/221969"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/194861-050-A4FAE9A5/Engineers-pre-injector-accelerator-Linear-CERN-Switzerland-Geneva.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/194861-050-A4FAE9A5/Engineers-pre-injector-accelerator-Linear-CERN-Switzerland-Geneva.jpg?w=300" alt="CERN" data-width="1600" data-height="1336" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/194861-050-A4FAE9A5/Engineers-pre-injector-accelerator-Linear-CERN-Switzerland-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/221969">CERN</a><span>Engineers examining the pre-injector for the Linear accelerator 2 at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="148166" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/144383-050-4CB16611/headquarters-World-Meteorological-Organization-Geneva.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/229000/148166"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/144383-050-4CB16611/headquarters-World-Meteorological-Organization-Geneva.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/144383-050-4CB16611/headquarters-World-Meteorological-Organization-Geneva.jpg?w=300" alt="World Meteorological Organization headquarters" data-width="766" data-height="1024" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/144383-050-4CB16611/headquarters-World-Meteorological-Organization-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/148166">World Meteorological Organization headquarters</a><span>World Meteorological Organization headquarters, Geneva.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Geneva has an ancient cultural tradition. A scholarly elite long <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="cultivated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivated" data-type="MW">cultivated</a> theology, philosophy, literature, and, especially since the 17th century, the natural and applied sciences. Numerous scientific organizations are based in Geneva, including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/CERN" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">CERN</a>), a leader in subnuclear physics research, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Meteorological-Organization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO). The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Geneva-City-Conservatory-and-Botanical-Gardens" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Geneva City Conservatory and Botanical Gardens</a> is a major botanical research centre. In 1872 the Academy, in existence since the 16th century, became a university, and it has acquired an outstanding reputation.</p><span class="marker MOD17 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD18 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="221975" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/175187-050-E6E4D452/Ariana-Museum-ceramics-glass-Swiss-Geneva.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/229000/221975"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/175187-050-E6E4D452/Ariana-Museum-ceramics-glass-Swiss-Geneva.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/175187-050-E6E4D452/Ariana-Museum-ceramics-glass-Swiss-Geneva.jpg?w=300" alt="Ariana Museum" data-width="1600" data-height="1063" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/175187-050-E6E4D452/Ariana-Museum-ceramics-glass-Swiss-Geneva.jpg" data-href="/media/1/229000/221975">Ariana Museum</a><span>Ariana Museum, Swiss museum of ceramics and glass, Geneva, Switzerland.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph"> Other aspects of Geneva’s active cultural life revolve around its museums (including the Natural History Museum, the Geneva Museum of Art and History, the Museum of Modern and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Contemporary" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Contemporary" data-type="EB">Contemporary</a> Art, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, and the Ariana Museum), the Grand Théâtre (the city’s opera house), and the proceedings of international meetings held there. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/conservatory-musical-institution" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">music conservatory</a> and international performance competitions attract large numbers of musicians, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Orchestre-de-la-Suisse-Romande" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Orchestre de la Suisse Romande</a> is renowned worldwide. There are a number of distinguished small publishing houses in Geneva, and the city contributes substantially to the French-language services of the Swiss television and radio system, which is supplemented by broadcasts from France. The <em><span id="ref702620"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Journal-de-Geneve" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Journal de Genève</a></em>, long the city’s leading French-language <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/newspaper" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">newspaper</a> and one of the premier papers in the world, merged with <em>Le Nouveau Quotidien</em> to become <em>Le Temps</em> in 1998.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD18 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD19 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The lake provides many recreational opportunities for swimming, sailing, and fishing. Winter sports such as skiing and skating are popular, and rock climbing and mountaineering are pursued for both science and sport.</p><span class="marker MOD19 mod-inline"></span></section></section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":2,"pageId":229000,"pageLength":1521,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Geneva | History, Culture, Institutions, & Points of Interest | Britannica