Stunning Views of Switzerland

When most people think of Switzerland, they envision a country of beautiful mountains, yodeling, Kitsch clocks, and of course, irresistible chocolate! While it is true that the Germans invented the beloved cuckoo clock, they also produced a number intellectual people associated with several Nobel prizes and numerous patents, in fact more per capita than any other nation on the planet. In this country, you will discover a wonderful mesh of German, Italian, and French that when coupled with the magnificent Alpine landscape leave travelers mesmerized.

A Celtic tribe called the Helvetia was the first people to inhabit Switzerland. Then around 107 BC, the Romans appeared through the St. Bernard Pass. However, the Germanic Altemanni tribe began pushing the Romans out of the country, finally themselves settling in the 5th century. Around 1032, the Holy Roman Empire had united the territory but overall control was not well established. Therefore, when the Habsburgs rose to power in central Europe, they brought things under control.

Rudolph I was the leader of the Habsburg family but in 1291, he died leaving an open door for other local leaders to step up to grab independence. Although there were many struggles in doing so, the Swiss slowly became successful at territorial expansion, gaining independence in 1499 from the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I. Through several military victories, the Swiss joined forces with the French and Venetians in 1515. However, realizing they were no match for the larger powers armed with more and better equipment, they declared neutrality.

Then when the Reformation of the 16th century occurred, much of Europe was faced with unrest. Even so, while all of Europe was busy fighting the Thirty Years’ War, the Swiss chose to shut down ranks, thus staying out of trouble. When the war finally ended in 1648, the Swiss were recognized in the Treaty of Westphalia, naming them as a neutral state. Sadly, this did not stop the French Republic from invading in 1798, establishing the Helvetic Republic. As you can imagine, the Swiss did not appreciate this type of central control and following Napoleon’s defeat in the Prussians at Waterloo, he was forced out. The result was that the Congress of Vienna provided independence to Switzerland in 1815, allowing them to remain permanently neutral.

Over the years, the capital city of Bern was established, the federal assembly was created, and the country had the opportunity to focus on social and economic issues. This led to the development of industries consisting of skilled labor, new roads and railways, and finally, the opening of earlier inaccessible Alpine regions, which meant the beginning of tourism. Other great things happened for Switzerland, seen with the introduction of free education, the founding of the international Red Cross, and more. When World War I broke out, Switzerland was extremely careful in protecting their neutrality, getting involved with the war only in the form of organizing Red Cross units.

However, by World War II, things would be very different. With this war, Switzerland began to launder money for Nazi Germany, shutting down borders to Jewish refugees and turning over escapees back to the Germans, even though they knew it would likely cost them their lives. Europe struggled for years to rebuild from the devastating war while Switzerland remained with a strong financial, commercial, and industrial foundation. Soon following, an international banking system and insurance center was developed in Zurich, and many large organizations were moving their headquarters to Geneva.

When asked to join the United Nations, Switzerland declined worried they would lose their coveted neutrality. Instead, the country joined the European Free Trade Association, eventually applying for membership with the European Union. Interestingly, for Switzerland to receive full membership status, they would have to join the European Economic Area. The result was that Switzerland’s application to the Europe Union was put on hold. Then to help compensate all the relatives of holocaust victims, Switzerland’s government paid out $1.2 billion (US).

Today, Switzerland makes an excellent European destination with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. The culture includes things such as Swiss wrestling, yodeling, and the alp horn. Because of the various ethnic groups living in Switzerland, you will hear several languages spoken with German being the most common. However, other languages include French, Italian, and Romansch.

As far as “Swiss food”, they typically borrow German and French dishes. However, one of the foods you will see eaten with most meals and even as a snack is cheese. Often, Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses are cooked with white wine for a magnificent fondue served with bread cubes. Other common dishes include a German dish called Rosti, wonderful, crispy, fried, and shredded potatoes. Of course, with so many lakes, fresh fish is also a common menu item, especially trout and perch. However, the best is Swiss chocolate, which can be found in cakes, cookies, candies, and other delectable desserts.

Located in the western region of Europe, Switzerland boasts the famous Alps that occupy both south and central regions. Along with the Alps, there are other smaller mountain ranges, along with beautiful hills, winding valleys, rivers, and lakes. In fact, more than 60% of the country is comprised of mountains with 25% being beautiful forests. When visiting Switzerland, you will be impressed with all the outdoor activities but keep in mind that this country also offers a good deal of celebrations such as the Fasnacht, a carnival held in the month of February. For a real treat, you should visit the lower Valais anytime from March to October where you can witness Combat de Reines, or cow fighting.

Some people prefer the capital city of Zurich, which is an extremely creative city that offers historical sites, old churches, museums, and an excellent nightlife. However, you might prefer to visit the peaceful shore of Lake Geneva, which is a clean city great for boating excursions, walks around the lake, cable car rides, sightseeing, and dining. Finally, for some of the most spectacular in the entire country, a trip to the Jungfrau Region is in order. There, you will see the triple mountain peaks of Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch, along with great hiking trails, cable cars, and in the wintertime, excellent skiing.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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