The old town of Schwyz, which gave its name to the whole country, is capital of the canton of the same name. It is charmingly situated on the edge of the orchard-covered plain between Lake Lucerne and the Lauerzer See, under the towering twin horns of the Mythen (1,815 and 1,902 m/5,955 and 6,259ft).
Schwyz has many beautiful 17th and 18th C. patrician houses. In the main square is the richly decorated Baroque parish church of St Martin (1774), and opposite it the Rathaus (1642-43), its facade decorated with frescoes (1891) of scenes from Swiss history. The Great Council Chamber contains a series of portraits of Landamänner (cantonal presidents) from 1544 to 1850; the Little Council Chamber has beautiful paneling and a carved ceiling of 1655 (restored 1989/90).
In the tower south of the Rathaus is the Cantonal Historical Museum and a small geology collection.
Address: Schwyz Museum Historisches, Archivgasse, CH-6430 Schwyz, Switzerland
The Ital-Reding Haus in Reckenbachstrasse offers an insight into 17th C. social history. On the same site is the Haus Bethlehem, the oldest wooden house in Switzerland (1287; restored 1988/89).
Address: Ital Reding-Haus und Hofstatt, Rickenbachstrasse 24, CH-6431 Schwyz, Switzerland
Hours:
May 1 to October 31: 10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Tue:10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Wed:10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Thu:10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Fri:10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Closed: Mon
In Schwyz's Bahnhofstrasse (the road to Seewen) can be seen the Bundesbriefarchiv, in which the original deed of confederation (Bundesbrief) between Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden, signed on August 1, 1291, is displayed as well as other historic documents and mementos.
From Schwyz it is a four-hour walk by way of the Holzegg inn (1,407 m/4,617ft; cableway from Brunni) to the summit of the Grosser Mythen (1,902 m/6,240ft), with a splendid view of central Switzerland.
From Bisisthal the road up the Starzlenbach valley comes in 1km/ 0.6mi to the entrance to the Höllochgrotten, a cave system with extensive branches (total length of passages about 93km/58mi; 1km/ 0.6mile open to visitors), and ends in 5km/3mi at the Gutentalboden (1,281 m/4,203ft), from which it is a 2.75 hours' walk on a bridle-path over the Pragel pass (1,554 m/5,097ft) to Richisau in the Klöntal.
This driving tour in the Muota valley is 20km/12mi from Schwyz to Bisisthal.
The road (in good condition as far as Bisisthal) climbs through flourishing fruit orchards to the foot of the Giebel (918 m/3,012ft), where it enters the wooded gorge of the Muota. From here it is 4km/2mi to Schlattli.
This site reviews the period from the beginning of the 14th century through to the beginning of the 19th century. The Swiss National Museum emphasizes the everyday life and culture of all classes in the population of Switzerland.
Address: Forum of Swiss History, Box 140, CH-6431 Hofmatt, Switzerland
Hours:
10am-5pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: January 2nd Holiday - Switzerland (January 2), New Year's Day (January 1), Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (December 26), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Muotathal (612 m/2,008ft) has a beautiful parish church (1792) and the picturesque nunnery of St Joseph (1684-93). 2km/ 1mi: Hinterthal, where a road goes off on the left into the Starzlenbach valley. 6km/4mi: Bisisthal (870 m/2,854ft), in a beautiful setting.
1.8km/1mi southeast of Schwyz is Rickenbach, from which a cableway 2,466 m/8,025ft long ascends in two stages by way of Husernberg to the upper station (1,565 m/5,135ft) on the Rotenfluh.
In Schlatti (5,73 m/1,880ft) is the lower station of the Stoos funicular. The road continues past a number of beautiful waterfalls, running through the hamlets of Ried (chairlift via Illgau to the Oberberg, 1,150 m/3785ft) and Föllnis. From here it is 8km/5mi to Muotathal.
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