The origin of the word Geneva is Celtic and was later mentioned in Latin as 'Genava' although it has been transformed by several others, Geneva is the capital of it's Swiss canton that shares the same name and is where the Rhone flows into Lake Geneva.

Geneva appears as a border town in a history that was fortified from the Celto-Germanic Helvetti that was taken by the Romans, the town was a part of a new Kingdom Burgundy in 888, and in 1033 was captured by a German Emperor, since 1154 the bishops of Geneva had the status of prince of the Holy Roman Empire, though they had to struggle for their independence against the counts of Geneva and afterwards with the counts of Savoy.

One of Geneva's favorite annual festivals is of the Escalade which celebrates the Duke of Savoy's failed armies attempt to capture the city by climbing and breaking the city walls, Geneva's freedom only cost 16 lives, since then the House of Savoy was never strong enough to attempt another invasion.