Geneva


Geneva is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zurich). It is situated where the Rhone River exits Lake Geneva. Geneva is a worldwide center for diplomacy and international organizations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations. The city has been referred to as the world’s most compact metropolis and the ‘Peace Capitol.”

Geneva was an important city during the Protestant Reformation. In 1536, the people of Geneva declared themselves Protestant and proclaimed their city a republic. The Protestant leader John Calvin was based in Geneva from 1536 until his death in 1564 and was the spiritual leader of the city. Geneva became a center of Protestant activity. Though the city proper remained a Protestant stronghold, under St. Francis de Sales a large part of the population returned to Catholicism in the early seventeenth century.

There are museums and galleries everywhere in the city. Many are related to the international organizations such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, the Microcosm, and the Palace of Nations.




End Notes:
“Geneva”. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 July 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geneva&oldid=303984447>