Schwyz is a canton in central
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
between the
AlpsThe Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
in the south,
Lake LucerneLake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.The lake has a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² , an elevation of 434 m , and a maximum depth of 214 m . Its volume is 11.8...
in the east and
Lake ZurichLake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates ....
in the north, centered around and named after the town of
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
.
It is one of the founding
cantons of SwitzerlandThe 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
; Switzerland's Standard German name,
Schweiz, is derived from the name of the canton, and the
flag of SwitzerlandThe flag of Switzerland consists of a red flag with a white cross in the centre. It is one of only two square sovereign-state flags, the other being the flag of the Vatican City...
from its coat of arms. For the history of the name, see
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
. The Swiss Federal Charter is on display in
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
. Northeast of the town of Schwyz is the
Einsiedeln AbbeyEinsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
.
In June 2008, Schwyz was the only one of Switzerland's 26 cantons to vote in favor of a failed measure that would have subjected Swiss citizenship applications to a popular vote.
History
There are findings that show that people were living in the area of the canton of Schwyz thousands of years ago. Many of these findings are concentrated in the north of the canton, in the area of Hurden and
FreienbachFreienbach is a municipality in Höfe District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Freienbach has an area, , of . Of this area, 40.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23.8% is forested...
on Lake Zürich. Many of the findings date back 5000 years. Stone and bronze tools were recovered from these sites.
About 1400 years ago, the Allemanni settled in the area of the canton. This influenced agriculture and the way of living of the locals. Christianity only arrived in the area by the late 7th century. There are churches in
TuggenTuggen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Tuggen has an area, , of . Of this area, 62.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 22.1% is forested...
and
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
that date back to this time.
In the 10th century the abbey of Einsiedeln became more and more powerful. It soon controlled many of the surrounding lands, many of which are outside the area today covered by the canton of Schwyz. The economy benefited from the transit across the Gotthard, but these profits attracted other powers, such as the Habsburgs.
On 1 August 1291 the canton of Schwyz founded the Swiss Confederation together with
UriUri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
and
UnterwaldenUnterwalden is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or Talschaften, now organized as two half-cantons, an upper part, Obwalden, and a lower part, Nidwalden.Unterwalden was one of the three participants...
(
RütlischwurThe Rütlischwur is a legendary oath of the Old Swiss Confederacy, taken on the Rütli, a meadow above Lake Lucerne near Seelisberg. The oath is notably featured in the Wilhelm Tell drama of 1804 by Friedrich Schiller.-Early accounts:...
, Pact of the Rütli). It is one of the Four Forest Cantons (
Vier Waldstätten): Schwyz, and the cantons of
UriUri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, Obwalden and Nidwalden — the latter two being traditional subdivisions of the canton of
UnterwaldenUnterwalden is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or Talschaften, now organized as two half-cantons, an upper part, Obwalden, and a lower part, Nidwalden.Unterwalden was one of the three participants...
— all located on the shores of the
Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Lucerne). The canton of Schwyz took the leadership in the confederation early on. As early as 1320 the name of the canton was applied to the whole of the confederation. It was only in 1803, howerver, that the name
Schweiz as derived from the canton of
Schwyz became the official name of Switzerland. The flag of
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
is derived from the banner of Schwyz.
The rulers of
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
, little by little, expanded their area of influence. This included a number of small battles, such as the
Alt Zürcherkrieg. In 1386 the canton of Schwyz won the
Battle of SempachAn armistice was agreed upon on 12 October, followed by a peace agreement valid for one year, beginning on 14 January 1387.The battle was a severe blow to Austrian interests in the region, and allowed for the further growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy....
and, as a result, greatly expanded its area. The Protestant reformation was resisted in the canton. At the Battle of Kappel in 1531 troops of Schwyz beat those of the reformation leader
Huldrych ZwingliUlrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
. Zwingli himself was the most prominent to die at this battle which killed hundreds of soldiers.
Between 1798 and 1803 the canton of Schwyz was part of the
Helvetic RepublicIn Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
.
Joseph Thomas FassbindJoseph Thomas Fassbind was a pastor and historiographer of Schwyz.He was educated at Einsiedeln, Bellinzona, Como and Besançon.In 1798 he was convicted of treason for his refusal to vow loyalty to the Helvetic Republic, and exiled to Engelberg monastery.He returned from exile in 1800 and became...
compiled a history of the canton during this period, published in the 1830s.
After 1803 Schwyz regained its independence and most of the changes introduced by Napoleon were reverted. This led to frictions within the canton, leading to the separation of part of the canton. A canton of Schwyz
Outer Countries was created in 1830, only to be re-unified with the other half in 1833. In 1845 the canton joined the separatist Roman Catholic league (
SonderbundThe Sonderbund War of November 1847 was a civil war in Switzerland. It ensued after seven Catholic cantons formed the Sonderbund in 1845 in order to protect their interests against a centralization of power...
). The venture of this league failed and the canton re-joined the confederation as an ordinary member.
The constitution of 1848 ended the openair assemblies (
LandsgemeindeThe Landsgemeinde or "cantonal assembly" is one of the oldest forms of direct democracy. The first historically documented assembly took place in 1294...
). The constitution was revised in 1876 and 1898.
Geography
The canton of Schwyz is located in central Switzerland. The river
SihlThe Sihl is a river of Switzerland. It rises at Drusberg in the Canton of Schwyz. It passes through the Sihlsee near Einsiedeln, and then enters the Canton of Zurich, flowing through the Sihl valley at the foot of the Albis, passing the Sihlwald, the largest remaining deciduous forest of the Swiss...
and the smaller Muota traverse the canton. About three quarters of the total area is considered productive land. Most of the land is hilly rather than mountainous, making it suitable for agriculture. Of the productive land, about 240 km² are forests. Lakes take up 65 km². This area is made up of parts of
Lake ZürichLake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates ....
and Lake Lucerne. Only a small part of Lake Zug is within the canton of Schwyz. The smaller lakes Lauerz (
Lauerzersee) and Sihl (
SihlseeThe Sihlsee is an artificial lake near Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland.- Geography :...
), however, are completely within the canton of Schwyz.
The highest elevation is the
Bös FulenThe Bös Fulen is a mountain in the Glarus Alps, located on the border between the cantons of Schwyz and Glarus. It overlooks the valleys of Muotathal and Linthal. It is the highest summit of the canton of Schwyz. Braunwald is the nearest locality....
at 2,802 m. Although not as high, the summits of the
Rigi- Mt. Rigi in Art:Mt. Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were by JMW Turner, including "The Blue Rigi, Lake of Lucerne, Sunrise"...
massif (
Kulm, 1,798 m, and
Scheidegg, 1,665 m) are probably the most famous mountains within the borders of the canton. The area of the canton is 908 km².
Political subdivisions
The Canton is divided into six districts and 30 municipalities, although the Einsiedeln, Küssnacht and Gersau districts comprise the municipality of the same name. The largest towns are
KüssnachtKüssnacht am Rigi is a district and municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, consisting of three villages: Küssnacht, Immensee and Merlischachen...
and
PfäffikonPfäffikon is the principal town of the Municipality of Freienbach in canton Schwyz in Switzerland. Together with Wollerau, Pfäffikon is considered the principal town of the borough Höfe and the center of the region of Ausserschwyz. The former farm town is known today as cultural, economic and...
.
| District |
Municipalities |
| Schwyz District |
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
, ArthArth is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Arth has an area, , of . Of this area, 40.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 46.3% is forested...
, IngenbohlIngenbohl is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Ingenbohl has an area, , of . Of this area, 31% is used for agricultural purposes, while 49.1% is forested...
, MuotathalMuotathal is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The eponymous valley is formed by the Muota river, which joins Lake Lucerne at Brunnen.-Geography:...
, SteinenSteinen is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Steinen has an area, , of . Of this area, 52.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 22.1% is forested...
, SattelSattel is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. Its name is the German word for saddle.-History:thumb|left|Battle of Morgarten Chapel...
, RothenthurmRothenthurm is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:The French invasion of Switzerland in 1798 brought about a swift end of the Ancien Régime. The French victories against the larger cities of the swiss plateau led to the creation of the French...
, OberibergOberiberg is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:Oberiberg is first mentioned around 1217-22 as Yberge. Until the separation, in 1884, into Unteriberg and Oberiberg the independent municipality was known simply as Iberg.-Geography:Oberiberg has an...
, UnteribergUnteriberg is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:Unteriberg is first mentioned around 1217-22 as Yberge. Until the separation, in 1884, into Unteriberg and Oberiberg the independent municipality was known simply as Iberg.-Geography:Unteriberg has an...
, LauerzLauerz is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Lauerz has an area, , of . Of this area, 44.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 35.7% is forested...
, SteinerbergSteinerberg is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Steinerberg has an area, , of . Of this area, 62.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 31.8% is forested...
, MorschachMorschach is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Morschach has an area, , of . Of this area, 52.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 36.2% is forested...
, AlpthalAlpthal is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Alpthal has an area, , of . Of this area, 32.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 62.8% is forested...
, IllgauIllgau is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Illgau has an area, , of . Of this area, 62% is used for agricultural purposes, while 31.1% is forested...
, RiemenstaldenRiemenstalden is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The villages can be reached by road from Sisikon .-Geography:...
|
| Einsiedeln District |
Einsiedeln Einsiedeln is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey. Einsiedeln is also the birthplace of Paracelsus, a Renaissance physician and alchemist who is credited with first naming zinc.-Prehistoric...
|
| Gersau District |
GersauGersau is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Gersau was for many centuries an independent micro-state in permanent alliance with the Swiss Confederation.-History:...
|
| Höfe District |
WollerauWollerau is a municipality in Höfe District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Wollerau has an area, , of . Of this area, 56.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 13.6% is forested...
, FreienbachFreienbach is a municipality in Höfe District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Freienbach has an area, , of . Of this area, 40.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23.8% is forested...
, FeusisbergFeusisberg is a municipality in Höfe District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:Feusisberg is first mentioned in the 13th Century as Berg and Uffenberg. In the 16th Century it was known as Fessisskilch and in 1590 it was mentioned as Föussisberg.-Geography:Feusisberg has an area, , of...
|
| Küssnacht District |
Küssnacht am Rigi |
| March District |
Lachen Lachen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Lachen has an area, , of . Of this area, 26.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 5.8% is forested...
, AltendorfAltendorf is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Altendorf has an area, , of . Of this area, 52.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 37.5% is forested...
, GalgenenGalgenen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Galgenen has an area, , of . Of this area, 50.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 39.8% is forested...
, VorderthalVorderthal is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Vorderthal has an area, , of . Of this area, 35.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 59.8% is forested...
, InnerthalInnerthal is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:Innerthal is first mentioned in 1259 as Wegental. Until 1888 it was known as Hinterwäggithal.-Geography:...
, SchübelbachSchübelbach is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Schübelbach has an area, , of . Of this area, 48.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 42.8% is forested...
, TuggenTuggen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Tuggen has an area, , of . Of this area, 62.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 22.1% is forested...
, WangenWangen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Wangen has an area, , of . Of this area, 64.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 10.3% is forested...
, ReichenburgReichenburg is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-History:It was founded in 1403 by the Dominican friar Gregory of Moorlock on the site of a spring used by pilgrims to wash their feet.-Geography:...
|
Demographics
The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the population included 24,262 foreigners, or about 17.2% of the total population. The official language is German, although the people speak the
Swiss GermanSwiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
dialect of central Switzerland. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic (72%) with a
ProtestantProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
minority (13%).
Economy
Most of the canton relies on agriculture. The local breed of brown cattle is renowned. The textile industry used to be of great importance in the canton but has now almost ceased to exist; remnants are concentrated around the capital
SchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
. Located in the same area are many producers of fine furniture. There are a few large hydroelectric power plants in the canton.
Tourism is of importance in a number of regions, most notably in the centre of pilgrimage
EinsiedelnEinsiedeln is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey. Einsiedeln is also the birthplace of Paracelsus, a Renaissance physician and alchemist who is credited with first naming zinc.-Prehistoric...
. Einsiedeln is also a centre of winter sports. The mountain railways on the
Rigi- Mt. Rigi in Art:Mt. Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were by JMW Turner, including "The Blue Rigi, Lake of Lucerne, Sunrise"...
are well known around the country.
FreienbachFreienbach is a municipality in Höfe District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Freienbach has an area, , of . Of this area, 40.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23.8% is forested...
, in the north of the canton, is known for the lowest taxes in Switzerland. This has attracted a number of the rich.
The best known, worldwide product of the canton is the
Swiss Army KnifeThe Swiss Army knife is a brand of pocket knife or multi-tool manufactured by Victorinox AG and Wenger SA. The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by US soldiers after World War II due to the difficulty they had in pronouncing the German name....
manufactured by
VictorinoxVictorinox is a knife manufacturer based in the town of Ibach, in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. Since its acquisition of rival Wenger in 2005, it has, once more, become the sole supplier of multi-purpose knives to the Swiss army.-History:...
in Ibach just downhill from the main town of Schwyz.