Cavaione and Switzerland’s last territorial expansion in 1863

10 September 2025

150 years ago, the inhabitants of Cavaione received Swiss citizenship after being stateless for twelve years. The village, located on a very steep mountainside (perhaps the steepest settlement in Switzerland), is situated above Brusio in the Valposchiavo (canton of Graubünden) and not far from Tirano in the Valtellina (Italy). For centuries, the village was part … Read more » “Cavaione and Switzerland’s last territorial expansion in 1863”

Graubünden Car Free 1900-1925

31 May 2025

Switzerland boasts numerous historical, political, and cultural peculiarities, in addition to its stunning natural landscapes. One very special one, though, is the former car ban in Graubünden from 1900 to 1925. In 1925, there were 136 passenger cars; by 1967, this number had increased to 24,000. In 2020, there were approximately 150,000 cars for the … Read more » “Graubünden Car Free 1900-1925”

Kindled out of cosmic spirit” Rudolf Steiner – Life and Work 1861-1925

28 April 2025

To mark the centenary of Rudolf Steiner’s death, a major exhibition (Aus des Kosmos Geist entzünden. Rudolf Steiner – Leben und Werk 1861-1925) of his life and work, including artworks, photographs, documents, and works of art, will be on display at the Goetheanum from 28 March 2025 to 1 January 2026. The exhibition is in … Read more » “Kindled out of cosmic spirit” Rudolf Steiner – Life and Work 1861-1925″

The corridor Rotterdam-Basel-Genua and the Swiss Rhine Ports

21 April 2025

The first large Rhine ship arrived in Basel in 1904. The Rhine port of St. Johann was expanded in 1906 and dissolved in 2011. A second Basel Rhine port was built in Kleinhüningen between 1919 and 1942. Basel, Schifflände, a medieval and contemporary landing place for ships. Coat of arms plaque from the Rheinlagerhaus (1682, … Read more » “The corridor Rotterdam-Basel-Genua and the Swiss Rhine Ports”

Kloster Schönthal Association 25 years old

1 April 2025

The former Schönthal monastery (Kloster) near Langenbruck (canton of Basel-Landschaft) is idyllically situated in the middle of 100 hectares of forest, meadows, and Jura landscape. Today, art and nature dialogue on the site of the medieval monastery. The site features a freely accessible sculpture park showcasing over 30 contemporary works of art, rotating exhibitions, and … Read more » “Kloster Schönthal Association 25 years old”

Lanterns, a Basler centenarian and a digital Fasnachtmuseum

17 March 2025

The Basler Fasnacht is over again (March 10-12, 2025)—or not. On three consecutive ‘Bummelsonntage’ after March 13, the active participants again present themselves to the public with their drums, piccolos, wind, and percussion instruments in cliques or informal formations. However, they do this without Fasnacht costumes, cortège, or lanterns. This practice symbolises an essential social … Read more » “Lanterns, a Basler centenarian and a digital Fasnachtmuseum”

The Swiss Bridgebond is 75 years old and celebrates this anniversary on 19 March

24 February 2025

The card game Jass originates from another Republic: the Republic of the Seven United Provinces. Mercenaries from the Eidgenossenschaft who served the Republic introduced the game to Switzerland in the late 17th century. In the Netherlands, the game is called ‘klaverjassen’. Bridge did not develop until centuries later, in the 1920s. It is called bridge … Read more » “The Swiss Bridgebond is 75 years old and celebrates this anniversary on 19 March”

The Toblerone Trail, Château de Prangins and the Pink Villa

27 December 2024

The trail (Sentier des Toblerones) owes its name to a line of fortifications built during the mobilisation of 1939-45. “Toblerones” is the name the population has given to an anti-tank fortification whose elements are reminiscent of the famous Swiss chocolate brand. The so-called Promenthouse fortified line is based on a natural obstacle formed by the … Read more » “The Toblerone Trail, Château de Prangins and the Pink Villa”

The City Hall of Fribourg and the Eternal Peace

9 December 2024

France defeated the Eidgenossen of the Swiss Confederates in Italy in 1515  (Marignano, near Milan). The peace treaty was signed on 29 November 1516 in the hôtel de Ville/Rathaus in bilingual Fribourg/Freiburg. The eternal Peace (la Paix éternelle, der ewige Friede) lasted until the French invasion of 1798. The City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). The … Read more » “The City Hall of Fribourg and the Eternal Peace”

Dada and the Rowing Club Aviron Romand in Zurich

23 September 2024

1916 was not just the year in which Dada was founded. Dada was founded in Zurich on the initiative of artists who had fled the First World War (1914-1918). In their eyes, the old art world had contributed to making this catastrophe possible and had failed to prevent it. Swiss citizens also joined the movement. … Read more » “Dada and the Rowing Club Aviron Romand in Zurich”