This section contains an overview of the most relevant monuments in Switzerland.
18 July 2022
A 22-year-old Swiss man tried to kill Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) in November 1938. Maurice Bavaud (1916-1941) was born in Neuchâtel. After prematurely leaving the seminary of the Congrégation du Saint-Esprit in France, where he had wanted to become a priest, he returned to Switzerland in 1938. Maurice Bavaud (1916-1941). Photo: Wikipedia Although a deeply devout … Read more » “The Swiss Hero Maurice Bavaud”
11 July 2022
The word “Joux” comes from the Latin “Iuria”, meaning “mountain forest”, and the Celtic word “Jor” for “wooded hill”. Jura or Joux, therefore, originally means a large forested area. The Château de Joux is an emblematic monument of Franche-Comté (France). The castle is located 5 km from Pontarlier and 15 km from the Swiss border. The castle is strategically … Read more » “Joux Castle”
6 July 2022
In the High Middle Ages, the parish church of Wintersingen (Canton of Basel-Landschaft) was owned by the canons of St Leonhard in Basel. An archaeological survey uncovered several graves and stone slabs, which, together with the last remains of the foundation, indicate the presence of a first church around 700 or at the beginning of … Read more » “The Church of Wintersingen”
5 July 2022
Hallwyl Castle was the castle of this dynasty until 1798. The Hallwyl family resisted the invasion of the cantons of the Swiss Confederation in 1415. The army of Bern destroyed the castle and occupied most of the Aargau. Rudolf III von Hallwyl recognised the rule of Bern and thus saved the family property from confiscation. … Read more » “Hallwyl Castle”
18 June 2022
Gallus was an Irish monk who accompanied his companions along the Rhine around 600 AD. He ended up in the area of today’s St. Gall. After he died in 640, his followers built the first church of the later abbey of St. Gall in 719. In the 8th century, this abbey had possessions in the … Read more » “The St. Gall Church in Ötlingen”
15 June 2022
Each Swiss village or country road has its beauty. The Iglingerhof comprises two houses with farms near Magden (Canton of Aargau). The estate existed in the Middle Ages and was owned by Olsberg Monastery until 1790. This Cistercian monastery for women is the oldest of this order in Switzerland. It was founded at the beginning … Read more » “The Iglingerhof and the Olsberg Monastery”
13 June 2022
By adopting the convention in 1972, UNESCO tasked itself with preserving cultural and natural sites of exceptional universal value for future generations. More than 1,100 sites are now recognised as world heritage sites. Switzerland was one of the first signatories in 1975. Switzerland is home to 13 sites on the World Heritage List, including nine … Read more » “UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Switzerland”
2 June 2022
The monastery of All Saints in Schaffhausen was founded in 1049. It was dedicated to the Saviour, the Holy Cross, the Mother of God, Mary and all saints. The largest cloister in Switzerland was built in the 12th century. The cloister was originally entirely Romanesque. However, the southern side was rebuilt in the Gothic style … Read more » “The largest Cloister of Switzerland”
17 May 2022
The House of Savoy founded the castle on Lake Geneva in the third quarter of the 13th century. Dendrochronological research confirms that the first castle was constructed between 1264 and 1269. The Rolle fortress is first mentioned in documents dating from 1291, when it was owned by Count Amédée V of Savoy. The building, made … Read more » “Rolle Castle”
12 May 2022
Landowners built the St. Margaretha Church in Binningen in the 9th or 10th century. After their death, they were buried in their church. The Bishop of Basel possessed the villages of Binningen and Bottmingen (canton of Basel-Landschaft). After the Reformation (1527), the City of Basel, the church’s owner, sold it to private persons. Johann von … Read more » “The St. Margarethen Church of Binningen and David Joris”
