Switzerland / Place guide
Discover Switzerland
Switzerland combines Alpine landscapes, lakes and a federal system of cantons in Central Europe. Bern is the federal city and seat of government, Zürich the largest urban centre and Geneva a major international city. Their functions and geographical settings differ substantially.
Explore Switzerland on the OrbiPlace map ↗
Explore Switzerland
A multilingual federation
German, French, Italian and Romansh are official languages within a country of 26 cantons. Regional language traditions do not form separate states. The canton gives each place another administrative context alongside its city identity.
Three waterside cities
Bern’s UNESCO-listed old town follows the Aare. Geneva stands beside Lake Geneva and Zürich beside its namesake lake. These specific urban water landscapes offer more precise introductions than a single general image of the Swiss Alps.
Background source: Switzerland. Editorial text: OrbiPlace.
Start with the city overview, then zoom in to explore streets and landmarks. The location point does not define municipal boundaries.