“Switzerland is a paradise” - this is how Queen Elizabeth briefly and very accurately spoke about this country.
There is an old parable that tells how, when God distributed the natural resources on our planet, he did not have enough for only a small Switzerland.
And to restore justice, the Lord gave this country mountains with snow-white peaks, reminiscent of castles in the sky, mesmerizing waterfalls, countless rivers and lakes and picturesque fertile plains. Thus, Switzerland has become a real embodiment of divine wisdom, more like paradise than reality.
Regions of Switzerland
Switzerland can be roughly divided into three main geographical region: the Jura mountain range, the Swiss plateau, and, of course, the calling card of the country - the Alps. The area of the entire territory is 41,285 km2. Switzerland borders five countries: Italy to the south, Germany to the north, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, and France to the west. Thus, three European cultures come into focus here - French, German and Italian.
The Swiss Confederation has 20 cantons and 6 half-cantons, each of which has its own culture, customs and capital. Some cantons are German-speaking, some are French-speaking, and one is Italian-speaking. In addition, there are bilingual cantons - German and French are spoken there.
According to the Constitution official languages The languages considered in Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh.
German
The bulk of the Swiss population lives in the German-speaking cantons. In 19 of the 26 cantons, Swiss dialects are spoken predominantly.
French
In the west of the country, in Romande Switzerland (Suisse romande) they speak French. 4 cantons are French-speaking: Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel and Jura. 3 cantons are bilingual: in the cantons of Bern, Friborg and Wallis they speak German and French.
Italian language
In the canton of Ticino and in the four southern valleys of the canton of Grisons, Italian is spoken.
Romansh language
In the canton of Graubünden, three languages are spoken: German, Italian and Romansh. The Romansh people are Switzerland's smallest language group, making up 0.5% of the total population.
Other languages
The linguistic diversity of Switzerland, which has developed historically over many centuries, is complemented by the languages of foreigners emigrating to this country. As shown by the 2000 census results, emigrants from the countries of the former Yugoslavia constitute the largest linguistic group among other foreigners, accounting for 1.4% of the total population.
Linguistic minorities
About 35,000 Romanians speak, as a rule, German in addition to their native language. They have no other choice because they belong to linguistic minorities. The Italian-Swiss also cannot do without knowledge of other national languages.
The outnumbered and economically developed German-speaking part of Switzerland encourages Italian-speaking Swiss to study German to maintain the economic and political significance of their region.
Cantons of Switzerland
West Switzerland this territory is a huge natural park with deep canyons, beautiful lakes and picturesque mountain slopes, planted vineyards and stretching from Lake Geneva through the Jura mountain ranges to the plains of the Rhine. The western part of Switzerland covers several French-speaking cantons: Vaud, Valais, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Friborg, Solothurn, Valais and parts of Basel-Landland.
This region is most often called the “Swiss Riviera”. Here are the largest Alpine lakes - Lake Geneva (Leman) and Lake Neuchâtel, located in the so-called Valley of the Hours not far from the French border.
Northern part The country stretches along the Swiss plateau, starting from Lake Geneva and ending at Lake Constance; it abuts the Jura Mountains in the northwest and smoothly passes into the foothills of the Alps in the south. Here is located a large number of ancient cities, clear lakes, waterfalls and emerald green vineyards on vast plains.
East End Switzerland is considered one of the most picturesque regions of Europe. Hidden between the mountain ranges are the most beautiful natural lakes, surrounded by a colorful flower carpet of alpine meadows. This part of the country is the main sports center of the country. For fans of active recreation, the doors of numerous resorts, hotels and traditional chalets in small villages are open all year round.
central part The country is considered “the most Swiss” - here are the most developed mountain regions, magnificent green valleys, endless alpine meadows of the Bernese Highlands with clear mountain rivers and lakes and many colorful settlements with ancient castles, cozy chalets and modern hotels.
In central Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Zurich, the most Big City countries - Zurich is the financial and economic center of the country. The lake gives the city a unique charm. One of best places For evening walks in Zurich there is a lake shore, along which there is a chain of parks and embankments.
Here in central Switzerland is Lake Lucerne - the lake of the Four Forest Cantons. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and emerald forests. On the charming shores of the lake there are cozy resort towns: Brunnen, Vitznau, Weggis and the center of the country's cultural life - Lucerne.
South part Switzerland covers the three largest cantons. In the cantons of Valais and Graubünden is located largest number famous ski resorts.
And the canton of Ticino, being the southernmost and sunniest region, offers its guests a relaxing holiday on the shores of clear lakes or hiking in the mountains, which offer beautiful panoramic views.
The south of the country borders Italy and is an elegant resort area with embankments, fashionable shops, restaurants, cafes and stunningly beautiful landscapes.
Lugano is called the European Rio de Janeiro in miniature. This is an excellent resort for a classic holiday with a mild Mediterranean climate. In the same region is Lake Maggiore, with a typically Italian landscape and lush vegetation.
The uniquely located town of Ascona - on the shore of a lake, between the mountains, at an altitude of only 194 meters above sea level - is one of the most prestigious lake resorts in Switzerland.
Along with watches, chocolate, cheese, herbal candies and the guards guarding the Pope, among the most important export successes of Switzerland last centuries we can safely name one intangible value - figurative “Switzerland”, found in folk tourism and quite official names picturesque mountainous landscapes. “Siberian Switzerland”, “African”, “Kazakhstan” or various “Little Switzerlands”…
Their number around the world is close to two hundred, that is, approximately equal to the number of states included in the UN. It would be quite possible to create something like the United Switzerland Organization, but, as is known, the original Switzerland itself does not show any special desire for membership in international political structures and strategic alliances. It even joined the UN only in 2002 - after long discussions about its own permanent neutrality, the traditions of which go back to the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
Of course, neutrality probably had and still has a positive impact on the willingness of residents of foreign countries to name their native landscapes in honor of this small and proud country, however, the first “Switzerland” entered into speech back in the days when the Swiss could be found in the fields of a variety of European wars - right up to the battle on the Berezina in Napoleon's army.
Nostalgia and its consequences
Mountainous beauty is a terrible force, and numerous noble, rich and creative visitors to this country (the latter in particular) over the course of a couple of centuries have made their contribution to the formation of a cozy and romantic image of Switzerland - in personal stories, books, paintings, and musical works. If Switzerland did not exist, it would have to be invented so that there would be something to compare with.
This comparison is not protected by copyright or other rights, although the authors are known for certain. The first foreign "Switzerland" owes its appearance not to foreigners, but to two Swiss - artists Adrian Zingg and Anton Graff. In the second half of the 18th century, they were invited to Dresden to teach at the Academy of Fine Arts, which had just been created by the will of the then Saxon Elector. In the vicinity of the city, Tsing and the Count were especially delighted by the Elbsandsteingebirge, which reminded them of their native landscapes of the Swiss Jura. Nostalgia took over. Soon one of Tsing’s paintings painted here received the name “Saxon Switzerland” (Sächsische Schweiz). The victorious march of the “Switzerland” across the planet had begun.
Adrian Tsing is considered the founder of the new Dresden school of landscape painting. Anton Graf is an outstanding portrait painter of his time. His brushes included, in particular, the textbook portraits of the Prussian king Frederick the Great (Friedrich II.) and the writer Friedrich Schiller, and in 1796, by order of Catherine II, he made copies of a number of paintings from the Dresden Art Gallery for the Hermitage. The Count turned to landscape in the late period of his work, significantly influencing Caspar David Friedrich, the author of the most famous painting with a view of “Saxon Switzerland” - “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog”, one of the iconic works of painting of the entire Romantic era.
The Germans and the birthplace of William Tell
It was during this period that the Germans began to develop a special interest in Switzerland. The reasons can be understood from the example of Friedrich Schiller's drama "William Tell", which was based on a Swiss legend. It best reflected their own search for national identity, as well as the desire of the inhabitants of the disparate German states for unity, freedom and independence.
A vivid and colorful confirmation of the Germans' attention to Switzerland during this period is the unique collection of old stained glass windows from Swiss castles and churches, collected by Prince Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau. It is now kept in the Gothic House of Wörlitz Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The prince was one of the outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment in Germany, a dreamer and a progressive ruler. He went down in history as the creator of the Park Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz with the oldest German buildings in the style of classicism. The Swiss are now filled with envy when they see their stained glass windows collected by this German prince in a German museum.
On his behalf, a special antiquarian agent traveled around Switzerland. Many stained glass windows were rescued from collapsing buildings or purchased before they were rebuilt or repaired, and also needed restoration. Most of the acquisitions, at the will of the prince, were then inserted into the windows of his private residence - the Gothic House, where they remain to this day, making a stunning impression not only on guests from the Alpine regions. Many of them, in addition to scenes from the legend of William Tell, depict the Oath of Rütli - the national myth of Switzerland, which tells how the first three cantons promised each other help and support in the 13th or one of the subsequent Middle Ages. There is still debate about the date of this event, as well as about the fact itself.
"Switzerland" on the map
It is not surprising that today the united Germany is the absolute world champion in the number of “Switzerland” on its territory. According to strict calculations, on its unofficial tourist map one can find 74 landscapes with Swiss traces in their names. With a more generous and less scrupulous approach - about a hundred. In addition to "Saxon Switzerland", the most famous is Fränkische Schweiz - "Franconian Switzerland", located in the triangle between Bamberg, Nuremberg and Bayreuth. Both regions are rich not only in natural beauty and amazing landscapes, but also in architectural and historical monuments.
In Russia and other countries former USSR There are fewer “Switzerland” than in Germany, but some of them have long roots. For example, in Latvia there is a whole resort - “Livonian Switzerland”, which gained European fame at the beginning of the last century and arose around the estate of the then vice-governor Prince Nikolai Kropotkin.
A small “Switzerland” appeared in 1903 Nizhny Novgorod- a park laid out by local teachers and schoolchildren. During its history, it managed to visit the Lenin Komsomol Park, but now it again bears its original alpine-romantic name. In the Altai Territory, around Lake Teletskoye, lies the “Siberian Switzerland”... The United States also has quite a lot of its own “Switzerland”, but most of them owe their names, first of all, to immigrants from this country. For example, Switzerland County in Indiana. The farthest from the original "Switzerland" - New Zealand, nicknamed "Switzerland" Pacific Ocean".
See also:
A unique collection of medieval Swiss stained glass windows
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Gothic house
Wörlitz Park is the main part of the Park Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. We have already talked in detail about this World Heritage Site in our tourism section “Window to Germany”. Among its many cultural and historical values, a unique collection of world significance stands out - the collection of medieval stained glass windows in the Gothic House (Gotisches Haus).
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
William Tell
Of the more than two hundred works, the main part consists of medieval Swiss stained glass windows with images of various national heroes, the most honorable place among which is, of course, William Tell. In addition to Swiss stained glass, works by German, Flemish and French masters are also presented here. Prince Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau began his collection in 1783.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Apple scene
Whether he actually lived or is merely a hero of national myth, William Tell is the world's most famous Swiss. As punishment for disobedience, the emperor's viceroy forced him to shoot an arrow at an apple placed on his son's head... Many centuries later, the story attracted the attention of Friedrich Schiller, thanks to whom it became known far beyond the borders of Switzerland.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Unique collection
In 2012, at the request of the Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz, a complete two-volume museum catalog with illustrations and commentary, “Die Glasgemälde im Gotischen Haus zu Wörlitz” (Mylène Ruoss, Barbara Giesicke), was published. As its authors emphasize, the collection in Wörlitz is, of its kind, the oldest, largest and most versatile in the whole European continent.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
National myth
While most visitors have no questions about William Tell and the biblical stained glass windows, some key exhibits require explanation. Especially if we're talking about not about guests from Switzerland: they will immediately recognize in this image the so-called Rütli Oath, symbolizing the birth of the Swiss Union, which existed from 1291 to 1798.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Exhibits in the windows
During the prince's lifetime, most of the collection's exhibits were mounted in the windows of the Gothic House - one of the first neo-Gothic buildings in Germany. From the outside, they are protected from the sun by white fabric blinds, but enough light gets inside to appreciate the play of colors and the skill of the creators, for example, this monumental stained glass window with the coats of arms of the cantons - Zurich, Basel, Appenzell...
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Defense of honor
Another key moment in Swiss history is associated with the peasant Konrad Baumgarten from Altzellen. In 1307, he killed the burgvogt, the Habsburg official Wolfenschissen, who managed the local castle. This act became a signal for an uprising against Austrian rule. The lustful representative of the authorities has long had his eye on the peasant’s wife. One day, when he went into the forest to get firewood...
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Signal for an uprising
Burgvogt came to his house, ordering the woman to prepare him a bath and treats, and then take part in the bathing in order to achieve intimacy. The peasant returned home on time and did not allow shame, and the murder of a rapist while attempting to commit a criminal act was a completely legitimate act according to the laws of that time, but raising a hand against the burgvogt was unheard of.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Siege of Besançon
One of the halls of the Gothic house is called the War Cabinet. It contains not only stained glass windows, but also other exhibits - armor, weapons, paintings. For example, this stained glass window was made in the canton of Zug at the end of the 17th century and is dedicated to the siege of Besançon in 1674, then a Spanish city, by the troops of the French king Louis XIV. Events are conveyed here with reportage accuracy.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Wörlitz Park and its residences
The prince wanted to admire this collection of his every day, so in the Gothic house, his private paradise in which he lived with his morganatic wife and illegitimate children, almost all the windows served as a kind of exhibition space. Located in the same park next door, the main palace, a key monument of early classicism, became a kind of museum during his lifetime.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Recovery and restoration
Many stained glass windows that came to Wörlitz, having gone through many hands and changed several owners, needed restoration. Where possible, they were painstakingly restored: broken fragments were joined using brass frames, missing parts were replaced transparent glasses. In some cases, suitable fragments of other works were selected. Most of them were then placed in windows.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Religion and Church
A special part of the collection consists of stained glass windows on biblical themes. Unlike temples, in this museum they can be seen in close proximity, and not somewhere in the distance or high on church windows. Scenes permeated with light seem to come to life. Many of these stained glass windows were made based on illustrations to religious books and paintings on these subjects, for example, about the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is one of the most common themes in religious art in the history of Christianity. This stained glass window, rich in detail and with short inscriptions, dates from 1649. Judging by the coat of arms, he came to Wörlitz from the Swiss canton of Zug. The figures in the lower part were supposed to serve as a warning against sins and temptations, and in the upper...
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
“He will come in His glory”...
...demonstrate what awaits the righteous. In order not to end the report on such a serious topic, we will follow the example of museum guides. In one of the last halls of the Gothic house, a magnifying glass is prepared for visitors on the windowsill, with the help of which they are invited to look at a miniature dove, taking a closer look at its gaze.
Swiss stained glass windows of a German prince
Additional Information
An accidental or intentional effect causes a surge of general tenderness and complacency... The museum in the Gothic House (Gotisches Haus) is open from April 1 to October 31. Opening hours by day of the week and month can be found on the website of the Park Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz: www.gartenreich.com. Entrance fee - 5 euros.
German in Switzerland
How is German different in Switzerland?
How does the German language in Germany differ from the German language in Switzerland? (Suitcase forum - forum.chemodan.com.ua)
They write in German, and speak, as I already wrote, in this dialect of theirs. Officially it is called Schweitzer Deutsch (Swiss German), but in their language it sounds like Schwitzer Dütsch.
Moreover, there is not one, but several slightly different dialects: Basel-Dutch, Zurich-Dutch and, the coolest, Bern-Dutch. And this despite the fact that the distance from Zurich to Basel is 80, and to Bern - a little more than 100 kilometers.
In Schwitzer Dutsch there is a different, simpler grammar, many completely different words, and even those that are common are often pronounced completely differently. This language has a lot of funny words in our opinion. For example, a thousand is thousand in German, but they pronounce it - tuzik, Sunday (zontag) - umbrella, and Monday (montag) - montik. They also pronounce my wife (meine Frau) very funny - mini Frau, even if this Frau is very impressive in size.
But the most important thing is that it has a completely different melody. And when the Swiss speak German, most of them have a strong “Swiss-German” accent (the French and Italian Swiss, of course, have a completely different accent).
Swiss German (www.swissworld.org)
Swiss people living in German-speaking cantons speak Swiss German (Schweizerdeutsch), which is divided into many local dialects: Bernese, Basel, Zurich, Welsh, etc.
People who speak German will have difficulty understanding the Swiss dialect, since not only the pronunciation, but especially the grammar and lexicon are strikingly different from the German literary language.
1 day
Zurich
Arrival in Zurich. Transfer to the hotel.
Zurich sightseeing tour - 2 hours: Walk through the center of the largest and most significant region in Switzerland...
Bahnhofstrasse, a unique street of banks, every meter of which is worth all the gold. Exclusive fashion boutiques, department stores and street cafes. Lindenhof is an oasis of relaxation in the old town, offering magnificent views of the right bank of the Limmat River. On this hill you will find the ruins of the Roman fortress Turicum. Goethe himself used to stay here...
The largest clock face in Europe (8.7 m in diameter) on the oldest church in Zurich - St. Peter's Church. Fraumünster is a former church and shelter for noble maidens, and also a gift to the city from King Ludwig of Germany. The world-famous windows of Marc Chagall adorn this particular church. Grossmünster is the symbol of the city with its 2 towers, from where the reformation began under the leadership of Zwingli and Bullinger in the first half of the 16th century. Niederdolf, a pedestrian area with small streets where you can find many small shops, bars and restaurants. Spiegelgasse is the street where Lenin worked at house number 14 to prepare the Russian Revolution.
Day 2
Zurich - Rhine Falls - cities on the Rhine - Zurich
Excursion to the Rhine Falls and cities on the Rhine - 5 hours: Travel to the largest and most powerful waterfall in Europe - the Rhine Falls. Such a volume of falling water will surprise everyone without exception.
A walk through the fabulous cities on the Rhine - Schaffhausen and Steim am Rhein. The latter is located right on the border with Germany and has one of the most beautiful squares in Switzerland with painted houses. Schaffhausen is a medieval town with a round fortress from the 16th century.
Day 3
Zurich - Rapperswil (Zug, Winterthur) - Lucerne
Check out from the hotel.
Excursion to Rapperswil - 3 hours: If you love roses, then you simply cannot help but visit this city on the shores of Lake Zurich. A 13th-century castle whose entrance, instead of a massive oak door and iron bars, is made of roses. At the foot of the mountain on which the castle stands, there is a vineyard and a rose garden with a collection of more than 600 types of roses.
There is also a wonderful embankment in Rapperswil, with the already familiar beggar swans and ducks that have retained the remnants of self-respect and feed on something they independently caught from the water. The embankment is lined with strange trees, somewhat reminiscent of chestnuts. Walk through the old town.
Excursion to Winterthur - 3 hours: Visit to a quiet, green university town where the means of transportation is bicycles. Winterthur's photography museum is one of the best in Europe, and on the top of a wooded hill above the city sits the Oscar Rinehart Museum, home to an amazing collection of art from Holbein to Renoir.
Transfer to Lucerne (40 min). Hotel accommodation. Night in Lucerne.
4 day
Zurich - Lucerne
Sightseeing tour of Lucerne - 2 hours: On the edge of Lake Vierwaldstätt, among the gentle hills, lies Lucerne, famous for its unique surrounding landscapes throughout the world. A walk around the city will help you discover everything that this magical city is famous for. Water tower (Wasserturm) and covered bridge, built in the first half of the 14th century. The famous paintings that appeared under the ridge of the bridge in the 17th century reflect events from the history of Switzerland of that period and the biography of Leodegar and Mauricius, the patron saints of Lucerne. The bridge is the oldest surviving wooden bridge in Europe! A walk along the Weinmarkt square, where the inhabitants of Lucerne once decided to unite with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwald, which gave birth to the Swiss Confederation. Visit to the Franciscan Church, considered one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in central Switzerland, and home to the most beautiful priest's pulpit in the country. Inspection of the tower-fortified Musegg wall, which is considered today one of the longest and best-preserved fortress walls in Switzerland. The oldest clock in the city, built by Hans Luther in 1535, is located on the Zit tower. This clock is allowed to ring every hour one minute earlier than all other Lucerne city clocks! "The Dying Lion" is one of the most famous monuments in the world. Visit to the Hof Church - the most important Renaissance church building in Switzerland.
5 day
Lucerne
A boat trip on the lake. Free time. Night in Lucerne.
Day 6
Lucerne - Bern
Check out from the hotel. Transfer to Bern (1 hour by car or train).
Sightseeing tour of Bern - 2 hours: Visit to the Old Town, inspection of the famous Bern fountains dating back to the 16th century, the Parliament building, the ancient Cathedral, Clock Tower (one of the oldest clock mechanisms in Europe, clock with strikes and figures), Opera House and Town Hall. The famous Bearpit is a pit with bears, the symbol of Bern.
Day 7
Berne
Excursion to the medieval village of Gruyères - 6 hours: The Swiss are firmly convinced that their cheese is the best in the world. And if they do not have the same reverent attitude toward him as their French neighbors, it is only out of national modesty. One of the main centers of cheese making is Gruyères. A visit to the medieval castle of the 11th century, the local cheese factory, the frightening and slightly gloomy museum of the Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger, who received an Oscar for the scenery for the film released in 1979. The film "Alien", Giger's bar in the style of horror films, as well as tasting traditional Swiss cheese dishes in a restaurant in a medieval village.
Day 8
Bern - Zurich
Transfer to Zurich airport (1 hour by car or train). Return flight.
