In the spotlight
Pyramides, Ossona, Evolène, Triton Alpestre and Marie Métrailler in Val d’Hérens
The name Valais (French) or Wallis (German) is derived from the Latin word valles (valley). During the conquest of what is now Switzerland between 15 and 13 BC (Geneva, inhabited by the Celtic Allobroges under the name Genava, had already been conquered in 120 BC), four Celtic tribes lived in Wallis: the Nantuates, Veragri, Seduni, … Read more » “Pyramides, Ossona, Evolène, Triton Alpestre and Marie Métrailler in Val d’Hérens”
In the spotlight
The Burgundian Wars, the Bishop of Basel and the Swiss Confederation
The Burgundian Wars (1474–1477) were already described and illustrated at the time in numerous chronicles, songs, poems, pamphlets, and local archives. Various museums (including those in Grandson, Murten, and Bern) and publications are devoting considerable attention to this period this year. Moreover, the museum in Saint-Imier is presenting an exhibition on an underexposed subject related … Read more » “The Burgundian Wars, the Bishop of Basel and the Swiss Confederation”
Events
HAP Grieshaber and the Basel Dance of Death in Arlesheim
The medieval Dance of Death was a familiar theme in Switzerland, southern Germany and France during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its emergence was influenced not only by the plague epidemics of the time but also by the orders of the Dominicans and Franciscans. The Dance of Death combined three medieval motifs: the dance motif, … Read more » “HAP Grieshaber and the Basel Dance of Death in Arlesheim”
Commemorations
Sinfonieorchester Basel and Stadtcasino Basel 1826-2026
The Sinfonieorchester Basel and the Stadtcasino Basel celebrate their centuries-old cooperation and founding in 2026, generations before Paul Sacher (1887-1964) founded the Chamber Orchestra Basel (Kammerorchester Basel) in 1926 (another milestone in Musikstadt Basel in 2026!). The Sinfonieorchester Basel 1876-2026 The Sinfonieorchester Basel we know today is the culmination of a tradition that began more … Read more » “Sinfonieorchester Basel and Stadtcasino Basel 1826-2026”
Monuments
Castle, Priory Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Town Grandson
The first mention of the castle and the seigneury dates back to the year 1100. Little else is known about the period up to the thirteenth century, apart from the fact that a Benedictine monastery was founded in 1146, which still stands today in the city centre with its magnificent Romanesque architecture, sculpture and frescoes. … Read more » “Castle, Priory Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Town Grandson”
Latest news
The Swiss Yodelling Festival Unites Nations and Continents.
29 June 2026
It is not easy to describe a music festival in words, but words combined with illustrations can speak for themselves. This is particularly true of vocal (yodelling) and instrumental (Alphorn) music, which form part of Switzerland’s and UNESCO’s cultural heritage. Moreover, the Eidgenössische Jodlerfestival, recently held in Basel (26–28 June), also features a non-musical element: … Read more » “The Swiss Yodelling Festival Unites Nations and Continents.”
Agenda
Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s journey to Spain (1758-1759)
2 June 2026
On the advice and encouragement of George Keith (1686–1778), also known as Milord Maréchal, the governor of the Principality of Neuchâtel, Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721–1790) – a watchmaker from La Chaux-de-Fonds, who had already built up a reputation in Switzerland and beyond – decided to travel to Madrid in 1758 to present some of his finest … Read more » “Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s journey to Spain (1758-1759)”
Constitution, Democracy, cantons
The Swiss Sustainability Initiative in Perspective of Direct Democracy
16 June 2026
Whilst in the Netherlands, according to the most recent polls, as many as 76% of citizens want to see a limit on the number of migrant workers, asylum seekers and economic refugees, 55% of eligible voters in Switzerland rejected a 10 million-inhabitants cap on 14 June. Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative (Sustainability Initiative), 14 June 2026 Small Switzerland, around … Read more » “The Swiss Sustainability Initiative in Perspective of Direct Democracy”
Local history
Schöntal Monastery, the Tüfelsschlucht and the Furnaces in the Dürsteltal
22 May 2026
Love and hate, good and evil, the devil and the angel, the canton of Basel-Landschaft and the canton of Solothurn sometimes merge seamlessly. This is also true of the former Schöntal Monastery near Langenbruck (canton of Basel-Landschaft) and, a few kilometres further on, the Tüfelsschlucht (Devil’s Gorge) in the canton of Solothurn. The Tüfelsschlucht near … Read more » “Schöntal Monastery, the Tüfelsschlucht and the Furnaces in the Dürsteltal”
Nature and Tourism
Elgg Castle, the Hauenstein Ruins and the Guhwilmühle
22 May 2026
It is only a few kilometres from Elgg Castle to the thousand-year-old Hauenstein Castle on the summit of the Hauenberg. What both castles have in common is that they can no longer be seen in their original form. Elgg Elgg Castle, Kyburg Castle and the Hauenstein ruins Elgg Castle, however, is still inhabited, whereas Hauenstein … Read more » “Elgg Castle, the Hauenstein Ruins and the Guhwilmühle”