Geneva: Switzerland’s International Centre

Geneva is mostly seen as the seat of the United Nations in Europe. This is highly unjust, as it is a city full of history and unique international charm. At some time or another, it was capital to three kingdoms and a home to saints and many less saintly. 

Geneva was known as the capital of the Allobrogi until the Romans conquered the Celts in the area of modern Switzerland in 120 B.C. It became an important Roman provincial town and was a Catholic See after 400. In the fifth and the ninth century, Geneva was capital to the kingdom of Burgundy until power shifted further west. When Burgundy fell to the German empire in 1026, Geneva became part of that as well. In 512 the first great cathedral to St Maximus was built by Princess Seleuba of Burgundy, sister to Queen Clotilde.

In 1124 the bishop was elevated to prince but was caught in a constant power struggle with the Counts of Geneva. In 1394 the line of the Counts died out and their lands and titles fell to their neighbours and cousins, the Counts of Savoy, who were duly elevated to a dukedom. This gave even more pressure on the prince-bishops who finally joined the Swiss Confederation in 1526 in a bid to shift power. The power bid succeeded but coincided with the Reformation and cost the Savoyards their city and the prince-bishop his see.

After the Napoleonic wars Geneva regained its independence against the pressure of the Dukes of Savoy, who had meanwhile become kings of Sardinia as well, and the kingdom of France. It became part of the Swiss state in 1848. As the House of Savoy went on to become kings of Italy, it is quite logical that they live in Geneva today and this since the abdication of Umberto II.

Geneva, also called the city of Calvin, offers a plethora of views and interesting things to see. It is also called the diplomat’s city, as so many international organizations have their seats there. Just to name a choice few, besides the UN there are the International Red Cross and Red Halfmoon, The Aga Khan Trust, and my favourite the ICC (International Committee of Committees). Due to this international flair, you find a restaurant in the city serving food from every country you may think of.

The city’s first bishops are historically a muddle, but no matter which source you use they definitely became saints. Later inhabitants include less saintly persons such as Lenin, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire as well as Calvin. The city has housed many refugee royal families at one time or another, from Spain, Greece, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania as well as the Imperial families of Persia or the Ottoman Empire.

The language spoken and used is French. The rest of Switzerland makes fun of the city because of its tax rate. Even though the per capita income is the highest in Switzerland, taxes are as well, as all income derived from international organizations is tax free, thereby excluding the highest earners from paying any taxes at all.

Geneva also hosts CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which currently is trying to simulate the Big Bang. To this end they built a little machine in a tunnel loop with a diameter of 25 km, all underground. In another test published last year, they had been able to beam particles over the distance of 25 km; a joy to all Star Trek fans, I hope.

For further information on the city of Geneva you may want to go to the official homepage of the city government geneve.ch. 

Further reading
City on The Language Divide: Fribourg
Lausanne: World Capital of Sports
Zurich is More Than Banks