Local history in Switzerland.
27 July 2021
The parish of Mollis (canton of Glarus) was first mentioned in 1283 with a chapel, which was later elevated to the status of the parish church. Until the reformation, Näfels and Oberurnen also belonged to Mollis. In 1706, the old church was rebuilt. Johann Ulrich Grubenmann (1709-1783) built a new church in the same place … Read more » “The Battle of Näfels Commemoration”
27 July 2021
The village of Näfels (canton of Glarus) owes its name to a Romansh settlement. The Latin word ‘Novale’ means new land. In Romansh, it became ‘Novalis’ in the plural. In a further linguistic development, “Novalias” emerged, and later, the current name Näfels. The Alemanni settled in the area after the Romans departed. The Alemannic term … Read more » “Näfels and the Battle”
27 July 2021
The village of Bürglen (canton of Uri) was first mentioned in a charter of 857 under the name “Burgilla”. The village of William Tell (Wilhelm Tell) is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in Uri. In this year, King Ludwig the German (806-876) donated the chapel together with serfs, fields, meadows and woods … Read more » “William Tell in Bürglen”
27 July 2021
The village of Stans is the capital of Canton Nidwalden. It is the oldest settlement in the Nidwalden Valley. The Roman name was Stagnum. The Alemanni settled in the 7th and 8th centuries, during which time they built the first churches. The Tagsatzung of Stans (meeting of the eight cities/Orte of the Confederation/Eidgenossenschaft) led to … Read more » “Stans and Nidwalden”
27 July 2021
According to tradition, the chapel (Schlachtkapelle) in Sempach stands on the spot where Duke Leopold III. (1343-1386) was killed. A memorial to him and other fallen Austrian nobles was erected a year after the battle. The actual construction of the chapel dates from 1472/to 1473. Renovations are documented for the years 1551-1554, 1638-1641, and 1747. … Read more » “Battlefield Chapel in Sempach”
26 July 2021
Sursee (Canton of Lucerne) is rich in historical buildings, ranging from late Gothic to the 20th century. The Capuchin Museum is situated within the monastery, which dates back to 1606-1608, and is dedicated to the life and history of the Capuchins. The Town Hall and Market House were built between 1539 and 1546 by master … Read more » “The Historical Buildings of Sursee”
26 July 2021
The 400-year-old Ronmühle (mill) in Schötz (Canton of Lucerne) houses the approximately 7,000 objects of the collector Paul Würsch, who died in 2002. The collection in the mill consists of objects that have shaped the lives of ordinary people in the hinterland of Lucerne for many generations. The collection is housed in different rooms of … Read more » “The Ronmühle in Schötz”
18 July 2021
Engadine was ruled by the Ostrogoths in the 500s. In 539, the Franks took over and held on for centuries to come. The first mention of Zuoz dates back to 843. The name Zuoz is probably related to the Romansh word “suot” (under). The Bishop of Chur possessed numerous rights and estates in the Upper Engadin from the … Read more » “Zuoz, the Chesa Poult and the Planta family”
11 July 2021
The Celtic people of Rauraci lived in this area after 800 BC. They joined the great exodus of the Helvetii in 58 BC (defeated by Caesar that year at Bibracte, near Autun). After the establishment of the Roman Colonia Augusta Raurica (Kaiseraugst), 44 B.C., the area was also inhabited by Romans. Between the 5th and … Read more » “Metzerlen-Mariastein”
2 July 2021
The Swatch watch is almost forty years old. The watch was launched in 1983 as the first quartz watch. It marks the transition from mechanical watches to electronic models. The introduction was at the height of the crisis in the watch sector. Competition from Japan led to a major crisis in this sector between 1970 … Read more » “Nicolas G. Hayek and Swatch”
