In contrast to most other Swiss paddle steamers, the most striking features of this vessel and its sister ship Stadt Rapperswil (1914) are a short smoke stack, and a spacious 1st class upper deck.

After a construction period lasting six months, on 8 May 1909 Stadt Zürich had been launched by the daughter of the administration board member Gustave Naville.

On Saturday, 12 June 1909, Stadt Zürich started her three-hour maiden voyage at 3 pm, housing members of cantonal and municipal authorities, representatives of Lake Zürich shore communities, of Federal Railways and other traffic institutions, and Escher, Wyss & Cie. and further prominent guests on board.

The laudatio was held by Kantonsrat (Zürich's parliament) member Brunner-Vogt, the administrative board's president of the shipping company.

At the last minute, boilerman Jakob Stampfer from Horgen was replaced due to his emperor hostile fundamental attitude - social democrats on this «imperial ship» were unwanted.

The steamboat company then owned – together with Helvetia (built in 1875) and Stadt Zürich – three big ships as the backbone of its fleet.

Between 1922 and 1939 renewals were necessary: Stadt Zürich received new boiler tubes, the roof of the upper deck is replaced, and the paddlewheels.

[2] Beginning World War II, the boiler remained filled with water, and in Winter the plant room was heated to keep the temperature above the freezing point (operationally for military purposes, 24 hours a day).

Between the years 1941 and 1953 larger revisions were done: Boiler repairs, extension of the upper deck, and replacement of the sun awning by a solid roof.

During restorations of 1989/90 and 2003/04, the ship's interior was returned into its original appearance using historically sourced material, so that a similar room experience is given today.

One year later, on «Tag der Schweizer Schifffahrt» (Swiss navigation day), in co-operation with the «Action pro Raddampfer».

Revisions started in November 2003: Sewage and power supply, refrigeration plants, diesel engine and heating were replaced.