Discover 34 curated stories about Schwyz in Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
The Benedictine monk Meinrad was brutally murdered by vagrants on January 21, 861, at his hermitage on the Etzel mountain. According to legend, two ravens pursued the murderers and led them to justic…
Einsiedeln monastery · · 💀 Dark history
In a gruesome case of poaching, two men set up six steel wire snares in a forest near Pfäffikon SZ in December 2024, intending to catch wild animals in a notoriously inhumane way, causing severe inju…
Pfäffikon SZ · · 💀 Dark history
An 84-year-old driver intentionally pushed people with his car to clear a path on Schützenstrasse in Ibach during the Schwyzer Sennenchilbi festival.
Schwyzer Sennenchilbi · · 🤯 Weird
The name 'Schwyz' has a mysterious etymology, with various theories suggesting it could come from an Old High German verb 'suedan' meaning 'to burn', or from a Celtic root '*sveit-' meaning 'clearing…
Schwyz · 🤯 Weird
The Bundesbriefmuseum in Schwyz houses the Federal Charter of 1291, a document that led to the foundation of Switzerland, and is a must-see for anyone interested in the country's history.
Bundesbriefmuseum · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Bundesbriefmuseum in Schwyz houses the Bundesbrief of 1291, a historic document that founded the Swiss Confederation. This ancient parchment is a testament to the country's rich history. The muse…
Bundesbriefmuseum · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Victorinox AG, famous for its Swiss Army knives, is headquartered in Schwyz. The company's history is closely tied to the region, and its products have become synonymous with Swiss quality and pr…
Victorinox AG · 🏛️ Legendary
The Federal Charter of 1291, a foundational document of Switzerland, was once disputed as a forgery, but radiocarbon dating revealed it was likely created between 1252 and 1312. This document is now…
Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Federal Charter of 1291, which is considered the founding document of Switzerland, was chosen as the country's founding document in 1891, and its discovery led to the establishment of the Swiss N…
Federal Charter Museum · · 🏛️ Legendary
Meinrad of Einsiedeln, the founder of Einsiedeln Abbey, was brutally murdered by two robbers in 861. His hermitage was later built into the abbey, which became a major pilgrimage site. By 861, pilgri…
Einsiedeln Abbey · · 💀 Dark history
The Einsiedeln Abbey was occupied by French revolutionary soldiers in 1798, losing its status as an independent principality. The monks were forced to flee, but they were able to return in 1801. The…
Einsiedeln Abbey · · 💀 Dark history
In 1314, the Einsiedeln monastery was attacked and plundered by a group of Schwyz peasants on the night of January 6, known as the 'Marchenstreit'. The monks were taken captive and led to Schwyz, but…
Einsiedeln monastery · · 💀 Dark history
The Einsiedeln monastery has a unique connection to the Zürich Reformation, as the famous reformer Huldrych Zwingli worked as a priest in the monastery from 1516 to 1518. One of the last monks of the…
Einsiedeln monastery · · 🏛️ Legendary
A mysterious figure known as the 'King of Burgdorf' has claimed ownership of nearly 19,000 square meters of land in Schwyz, including parts of the Stelzliweg in Seewen and the Quellweg in Unteriberg,…
Schwyz · · 🤯 Weird
A wolf, known as Wolf M633, was found dead on the Viadukt in Euthal after being hit by a vehicle in 2025.
Euthal · · 💀 Dark history
The Haus Bethlehem in Schwyz is the oldest wooden house in Europe, dating back to 1287, and now serves as a museum.
Haus Bethlehem · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Chöpfenberg wolf pack, the only one in the canton of Schwyz, was regulated by the authorities, who decided to cull two-thirds of the pack's young wolves.
Chöpfenberg · · 💀 Dark history
A wedding ceremony of a leading Hammerskins member, a neo-Nazi group, took place at the Sempacher Schlachtdenkmal, a monument commemorating the Battle of Sempach in 1386, where a Swiss politician, Ch…
Sempacher Schlachtdenkmal · · 💀 Dark history
A gigantic catfish, measuring 2.43 meters in length and weighing 100.5 kilograms, was caught in the Neuenburgersee, potentially setting a new Swiss record for the largest catfish ever caught.
Neuenburgersee · 🤯 Weird
In the summer of 2022, a fish breeder in Einsiedeln, Schwyz, caused the deaths of 2000 trout due to severe overfeeding, which led to a toxic algal bloom and oxygen depletion in the pond.
Einsiedeln · · 💀 Dark history
On the Jucker Farm in Seegräben, a gigantic pumpkin weighing 766 kilograms was grown by Florian Isler, setting a new Swiss record in 2025.
Jucker Farm · · 🤯 Weird
Hans Bitzi grew a massive sweet potato weighing 3.383 kilograms, setting a new Swiss record, while the Meier family achieved a world record with their sweet potato plant weighing 43.2 kilograms at th…
Jucker Farm · · 🤯 Weird
A luxury events ship, Romandie I, sank in the Broye Canal without a valid permit, revealing a shocking case of negligence and expired licenses.
Broye Canal · · 💀 Dark history
The town of Schwyz was almost completely destroyed by a fire in 1642, which allowed for a complete rebuilding of the town center with a new, larger town square and urban townhouses.
Schwyz town center · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Ital-Reding-Haus in Schwyz is a historic house museum that showcases the life and times of the region. With its well-preserved interiors and furnishings, it offers a glimpse into the past. The ho…
Ital-Reding-Haus · 🔍 Hidden gems
In the city of Schwyz, the Federal Charter of 1291 inspired the date of Swiss National Day, celebrated on August 1st, which was officially introduced in 1994, over 700 years after the document's crea…
Switzerland · · 🏛️ Legendary
The original Federal Charter of 1291, a significant document in Swiss history, was rediscovered in the archive tower of Schwyz in 1758. This document, written in Latin, is now preserved at the Federa…
Federal Charter Museum · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Bundesbriefmuseum in Schwyz has a sculpture called 'Wehrbereitschaft' by Hans Brandenberger, which was created for the 1939 National Exhibition and is a symbol of military readiness. The museum i…
Bundesbriefmuseum · · 🏛️ Legendary
During World War II, the Bundesbriefmuseum in Schwyz served as a refuge, highlighting the museum's role in the country's history beyond just housing historical documents. The museum's building, const…
Bundesbriefmuseum · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Archivturm, a medieval residential tower, served as the state archive from the 15th century to 1936.
Archivturm · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The town of Reichenburg has enshrined the regular ringing of church bells in its building regulations, making it the first municipality in the canton of Schwyz to do so.
Reichenburg · · 🤯 Weird
The Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation in Schwyz was first proposed in 1891 but took over 40 years to be realized, finally opening in 1936 as the Bundesbriefarchiv. It was renamed and reno…
Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation · · 🔍 Hidden gems
A monumental sculpture 'Wehrbereitschaft' was erected in the park of the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation, symbolizing the readiness to defend the nation, but its significance has faded…
Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Ital-Reding-Haus, built in 1609, has been a museum showcasing the living culture and family history of the Reding family since 1982.
Ital-Reding-Haus · · 🏛️ Legendary
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Hidden stories of Switzerland beneath your feet
Facts are sourced from various open websites and may have been edited. Copyright of original content belongs to their respective owners.
Finding your location…