Schwyz

Schwyz is a town and the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. It is an important place in Swiss history because the Federal Charter of 1291, which helped create Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum. People in Schwyz mainly speak German, but they also use a special local way of speaking called the Alemannic Swiss German dialect.

Name

The name Schwyz first appeared in records in the year 972 as villa Suittes. Over time, the name changed. It was written as Schwitz in the 1300s and Schweitz in the 1600s and 1700s. We still do not know exactly where the name came from.

Old stories said the name came from a legendary person named Suito or Switer. Others have suggested many different origins. Some thought it came from words meaning "to burn" or from old languages. Today, scholars are not sure about the true origin of the name.

The name Schwyz later came to represent not just the town, but the whole area around it and even the entire country we now call Switzerland.

Further information: Name of Switzerland

History

Schwyz has a long history. The oldest signs of people living there come from the 8th century, with an old cemetery and a church. Over time, many churches were built and later replaced. A big fire in 1642 destroyed many buildings, but the town was rebuilt with a new town square and larger buildings.

Because Schwyz is the capital of its canton, the town's history is closely linked to the canton's history. The town once had a village square, a church, a town hall, and wooden houses. After the fire, it was rebuilt with new urban-style houses.

Geography

The town of Schwyz is part of a larger area with villages like Ibach, Seewen, and Rickenbach. To the east, there are mountains such as Hochstuckli, Kleiner Mythen, Grosser Mythen, Rotenflue, and Furggelenstock. The river Muota begins in these mountains and flows through the area to Lake Lucerne. There are also passes like Haggenegg and Holzegg that lead to Alpthal, and the Ibergeregg Pass leads to Oberiberg.

Schwyz covers an area of 53.2 square kilometers (20.5 square miles). Most of the land is used for farming or covered in forests, with some space for buildings, roads, rivers, glaciers, and mountains.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Schwyz has a special design. It shows a white cross on a red background. This symbol is important to the town.

Demographics

Schwyz had a population of 15,435 as of December 2020. In 2008, about 15.6% of the people living there were from other countries. Most people speak German as their first language, with smaller groups speaking Serbo-Croatian, Italian, French, and Romansh.

In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. Many people were born in Schwyz, while others were born in different parts of Switzerland or abroad. Children and teenagers made up about a quarter of the population, adults made up over half, and seniors made up the rest. There were many married people, some single individuals, and some divorced people. Most apartments in Schwyz were permanently occupied, with only a few available for seasonal use or empty. The cost to rent an apartment varied depending on its size.

Historic population

The historic population of Schwyz is shown in a chart.

Heritage sites of national significance

Schwyz has many special places that are important to Switzerland's history. The Bundesbriefmuseum shows old Swiss papers that helped create the country. Other important sites include the Dominican nuns' Convent of St. Peter am Bach, the Hermitage with its chapel, and the Forum of Swiss History. Many old houses and buildings in Schwyz, like the Ab Yberg im Grund House and the Catholic Parish Church of St. Martin, are also protected.

Politics

In 2007, the SVP was the most popular party in Schwyz. The CVP, SPS, and FDP were also popular. Many people voted, and voter turnout was high.

Economy

Schwyz has many jobs for people. Some jobs are in farming and cutting trees. Others are in making things, building, or helping with services like shopping, hotels, and hospitals.

Many people travel to Schwyz to work. Some people drive their cars, while others use public transportation.

Religion

In the year 2000, most people in Schwyz, about 81.6%, were Roman Catholic. A smaller group, around 4.9%, followed the Swiss Reformed Church. Other religions included Orthodox Christianity, another Christian church, Jewish faith, and Islamic beliefs. Some people were Buddhist or Hindu. About 2.73% of the people did not belong to any church and were either agnostic or atheist. A few did not answer questions about their religion.

Education

Schwyz has many students and schools. Many people there finish upper secondary school, and some go to university or special college. Most students are Swiss, with a few from other countries.

The city has a big library called Kantonsbibliothek Schwyz. It has over 100,000 books and lends out many each year. The library is open almost every day.

One important school is the Kantonsschule Kollegium Schwyz (KKS). It has been around for more than 150 years and offers general and vocational education. The first Latin school in Schwyz opened in 1627.

Weather

Schwyz gets rain about 149 days each year and usually has 1,629 mm (64.1 in) of precipitation. August is the rainiest month, with about 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain. June has the most rainy days, but only 182 mm (7.2 in) of rain. February is the driest month, with around 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain.

Transport

The A4 motorway connects Zürich to Brunnen and passes through the western part of the area. The town is linked to this motorway by main roads and junctions. Other important roads connect the town to Lucerne along both sides of Lake Lucerne, to the Gotthard Pass and southern Switzerland, and to Pfaffikon and Einsiedeln in the northern part of the canton of Schwyz. A smaller road goes over the Ibergeregg Pass to Oberiberg, offering another way to reach Einsiedeln. There are also smaller roads that lead close to the tops of Haggenegg Pass and Holzegg Pass, though only hiking paths cross these passes and continue to Alpthal.

The Schwyz railway station is found about 2 kilometers outside the town, in the area of Seewen. It is on the Gotthard railway and is served by InterRegio and S-Bahn trains.

In the past, there were plans for the Schweizerische Südostbahn to have the Pfäffikon SZ–Arth-Goldau railway end at Brunnen railway station instead of Arth-Goldau railway station. If this had happened, the center of Schwyz would have had its own railway station.

From October 6, 1900, to December 14, 1963, trams ran between the Schwyz railway station and the town center. On May 8, 1915, the tram line was extended to Brunnen See and the old tram line between Schwyz SBB and Schwyz was closed. These trams were later replaced by buses run by the Auto AG Schwyz, which now operates 12 bus lines in the areas of Lucerne and Schwyz.

The Rotenfluebahn connects Rickenbach to the top of Rotenfluh mountain. In summer, this is a favorite spot for viewing Lake Lucerne, and in winter, it becomes a popular ski area.

Notable people

Schwyz has been home to many interesting people. Some became famous in their jobs. For example, Theodor von Reding was a general. Carl Elsener Sr. helped create the Swiss Army knife.

Others have done well in sports. Oscar Camenzind was a professional cyclist. Corinne Suter won a gold medal in skiing at the Winter Olympics.