From 2010 to 2012, the large excavation in front of the opera house was one of the most significant events in Zurich's archaeology and heritage preservation: thousands of finds from the Iron Age to remnants of baroque fortifications were secured. Further excavations and research in the areas of Fraumünster and Münsterhof also yielded interesting new insights. In addition to these topics, the book presents selected objects, including a farmhouse with a barn in Schwamendingen, the churches of Albisrieden and Altstetten, the school building Hohe Promenade, as well as the restructuring of the Hürlimann site. Furthermore, fundamental questions of heritage preservation are addressed: When does it make sense to protect simple everyday buildings? Is it permissible to move a monument? How can heritage protection and energy efficiency be reconciled? There are also brief reports on excavations, restorations, and renovations.