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 appears in records from the year 972 as villa Suittes. Over time, the name changed and was written in different ways, such as Schwitz in the 1300s and Schweitz in the 1600s and 1700s. Exactly where the name comes from is still a mystery.

Some old stories said the name came from a legendary founder named Suito or Switer. Others have suggested many different origins, like words meaning "to burn" or names 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 from that time. Over the years, several 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 that includes the villages of Ibach, Seewen, and Rickenbach. To the east, this area reaches up to mountains such as Hochstuckli, Kleiner Mythen, Grosser Mythen, Rotenflue, and Furggelenstock. The river Muota starts in these mountains and flows through the area on its way to Lake Lucerne. There are also passes like Haggenegg and Holzegg that lead to Alpthal, and the Ibergeregg Pass leads to Oberiberg.

As of 2006, Schwyz covers an area of 53.2 square kilometers (20.5 square miles). About 46.4% of this land is used for farming, 39.1% is covered in forests, 8.7% has buildings or roads, and the remaining 5.8% includes 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 part of the history and identity of 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 charters 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 as important heritage sites.

Politics

In the federal election of 2007, the most popular party in Schwyz was the SVP, with 39.91% of the votes. The next three popular parties were the CVP with 26.12%, the SPS with 17.05%, and the FDP with 12.72%. A total of 5,554 people voted, and voter turnout was 57.8%.

Economy

Schwyz is a busy place with many jobs. In 2008, there were about 8,570 jobs where people could work full time. Some jobs were in farming and cutting trees, while many others were in making things, building, or helping people with services like shopping, hotels, and hospitals.

Many people travel to Schwyz to work. In 2000, around 4,484 people came into the town for jobs, while about 2,168 people left to work elsewhere. Most people, about 45%, drove their own cars to work, while around 14% used 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. About 35% of people there finished upper secondary school, and about 11% went to university or a special college. Most of these students are Swiss men and women, 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. It 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 both general and vocational education. The first Latin school in Schwyz opened in 1627 and had a long history before becoming the KKS we know today.

Weather

Schwyz gets rain about 149 days each year and usually has 1,629 mm (64.1 in) of precipitation. The rainiest month is August, with about 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain over 13.9 days. June has the most rainy days, about 14.8, but only 182 mm (7.2 in) of rain. February is the driest month, with around 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain over 13.9 days.

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 throughout history. Some were famous in their jobs, like Theodor von Reding, who was a general, and Carl Elsener Sr., who helped create the Swiss Army knife.

Others have done well in sports, like Oscar Camenzind, a former professional cyclist, and Corinne Suter, who won a gold medal in skiing at the Winter Olympics.