The Romanisation in Switzerland
3 April 2023
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St. Moritz, Bridge, Nature and Culture
9 February 2023
The mineral springs in the Upper Engadine have been famous for centuries. The Romans and, before them, the Räthian tribes and their predecessors were already aware of the healing effects. Moreover, the spring church of St. Mauritius (St. Moritz, St. Murezzan in Romansh) was already a popular place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, especially … Read more » “St. Moritz, Bridge, Nature and Culture”
The bishop’s court in Chur and the Dance of Death
23 January 2023
The bishop’s court in Chur (Canton Graubünden) comprises the Palace, the Cathedral of St. Mary’s Assumption (St. Maria Himmelfahrt), and the residences for the chapter. A Part of the bishop’s Palace is used by the Domschatz Museum today. The other part is being renovated and will be opened to the public. The Obere Spaniöl, 17th … Read more » “The bishop’s court in Chur and the Dance of Death”
Geneva and the Wall of Reformers
23 January 2023
The Wall (Le Mur des Réformateurs, Monument international de la Réformation) of a hundred metres was built in 1909 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), better known as Jean Calvin. Calvin fled from France in 1535 to the relatively tolerant city of Basel, the hometown of Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536). … Read more » “Geneva and the Wall of Reformers”
The Rhine Source Lighthouse
3 December 2022
No mountain is too high for Swiss people, but what about the lighthouse on the Oberalp Pass at an altitude of 2,046 meters? The Rhine Lighthouse is an hour’s walk from the source of the Rhine. The Gotthard massif is the source of four rivers: the Rhine, Reuss, Rhone and Ticino, flowing to all four … Read more » “The Rhine Source Lighthouse”
The Romandy, Latin, French and Patois
22 November 2022
Today, French is the official written and spoken language in French-speaking Switzerland (the French-speaking cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, Geneva, and Vaud) and the bilingual cantons of Freiburg/Fribourg, Wallis/Valais and Bern/Berne. However, behind this modern linguistic unity lies a great diversity. French, which gradually entered Switzerland after the 11th and 12th centuries, competed for centuries … Read more » “The Romandy, Latin, French and Patois”
The Rhine in 38 Exhibitions
15 November 2022
The Three Countries Museum (Dreiländermuseum) in Lörrach opened its series of 38 cross-border exhibitions on the theme of the Rhine on 11 November with a vernissage in the Evangelische Stadtkirche. Vernissage, the choir with French, German and Swiss songs from the nineteenth century. On 12 November, the annual meeting of the network of historical societies … Read more » “The Rhine in 38 Exhibitions”
175 Years Swiss Railways
4 November 2022
At last, on 9 August 1847, 175 years ago, the first train carrying passengers ran on the Zurich-Baden railway (Canton Aargau) to the station in Baden. The railway was named Spanisch-Brötli Bahn because, according to the story, a patisserie in Baden transported Spanish sandwiches quickly and fresh to Zurich. Railway Station Baden, 1890. Photo: Staatsarchiv … Read more » “175 Years Swiss Railways”
Ave Caesar. A greeting from the Celts
1 November 2022
The exhibition “Ave Caesar! Römer, Gallier und Germanen am Rhein” shows the relations between the civilisations of the Mediterranean and the tribes of the Celts (or Gauls) and Germans along the Rhine. The Host Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) and his successors. Bust of the statue, legionary camp near Nijmegen, marmor, late 1. Century BCE. … Read more » “Ave Caesar. A greeting from the Celts”
The Swiss Postauto
15 October 2022
The year 1848 marked a new beginning for the transport sector in Switzerland. The railways are the best-known example. However, the Postauto also appeared. As early as the 18th century, diligences and stagecoaches crossed the mountain passes of Switzerland. They transported passengers and mail. They were private companies. 1906-1960 In 1849, the federal government established … Read more » “The Swiss Postauto”