During the 19th century, Zürich developed as Switzerland’s of trade and transport. However, Zürich was not without problems. After the Zuriputsch, a coup against the liberal local government in 1839, Zürich had to give in to the demands of the rural population; radicals felt the old religious order was in danger. Most of the 17th-century fortifications were destroyed without siege to allay concerns regarding the hegemony of the city.

Apart from these events, extensive developments took place during this century. The first railroad on the territory of Switzerland, the Spanisch-Brotli-Bahn, established a connection between Zürich and Baden in 1847. The main station was situated at the basis of the Swiss rail network. The current building of the main train station dates from 1871. The Sechselauten, a traditional guild holiday, also emerged in 1904, which includes a parade followed by burning an effigy of winter in the form a snowman containing explosives, called a Boogg (bogey or evil spirit).

Zürich’s Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street) was laid out in 1867, and the Zürich Stock Exchange was founded in 1877. In 1902, the medieval Otenbach monastery was removed to make room for the new Uraniastrasse car park and public buildings. As it was being used a prison at this time, the inmates were moved to a new prison in Regensdorf. Swiss citizens voted against joining the European Economic Area in 1992, and Switzerland is not a European Union (EU) member. It is believed that the EU’s united economic community would cause a drop in the Swiss standard of living.