Glarus Canton

To the south of the picturesque Walensee the little canton of Glarus, occupies the basin of the River Linth, one of the most beautiful transverse valleys in the Alps, with the ridge of Glärisch (2,332 m/7,651ft) rearing above it on the west and the massive bulk of Tödi (3,614 m/11,858ft) closing its southern end. Surrounded on three sides by mountains, the canton is linked with the neighboring canton of Uri by a road which runs southwest from Linthal over the Klausen pass.

The 37,000 inhabitants of the canton (area 685 sq. km/264 sq. mi), the land of St Fridolin, who appears on Glarus' coat of arms, are an independent-minded race, formed by this rugged mountain world. Industry (in particular the cotton industry; spinning, weaving, colored prints) established itself here at an early stage, using the water-power provided by the Linth. The main valley is served by a branch railroad line from Zurich to Chur at Ziegelbrücke. From Linthal there is a cableway to the traffic-free resort of Braunwald, and there is a bus service from Schwanden to Elm in the Sernf valley. From 1288 Glarus was under Habsburg jurisdiction, and after repeated threats to its independence became the sixth canton to join the Confederation. Since 1387 the cantonal meeting (Landesgemeinde) has been held every year in the Zaunplatz in Glarus on the first Sunday in May. In 1388 the men of Glarus finally shook off the Habsburg yoke by their victory in the Battle of Näfels. During the Reformation the canton was divided into two cantons, one Protestant and the other Catholic, but the two halves were reunited under the 1836 constitution.

Local culinary specialities are Schabzieger, a herb cheese, and Glarner Pasteten (fruit tarts).