Page 184 - DIVA_MY WORKS 1918-2022

culture Culture

historical passes of switzerland

By Evelina Rioukhina

of the Alps, the source of Europe’s great rivers,
the crossroads of Swiss culture, and a symbol of
independence, cohesion and national identity.
It saw the swearing of allegiance between the
country’s three founding communities – Uri,
Schwyz and Unterwalden – agreeing their
Oath on the Rütli meadow in 1291. It was later
the scene of heroic resistance against Austrian
occupiers.
especially the Schöllenen Ravine leading to it.
According to the Swiss historian Morerod, Schöllenen Gorge. Although the pass has
over time the region became an emblem of been known locally since ancient times, the
independence, then cohesion, as well as the Romans avoided the immense mass of the
crossroads of languages and national cultures. Gotthard, because travel involved fording the
Morerod explains how the Gotthard gained turbulent Reiss, increased by melting snow
this mix of reputations: “There was certainly in early summer, across the narrow, steep
a connection between the commercial Schöllenen Gorge below Andermatt. The
th
Last year we importance of the Gotthard in the 13th century Pass only gained significance in the early 13
promised an article and the local communities’ rising against the century, when the first wooden bridge over the
on historical Swiss Habsburgs. Uri, which had most benefited turbulent Schöllenen Gorge was built around
mountain passes, and from mercantile trading, was given imperial 1220. This allowed traffic to penetrate the full
as we are near Swiss privileges because it controlled the pass. It was length of the Reuss valley from Fluelen to the
National Day it seems the first of the Waldstätten [founding cantons] pass itself. A continuation road followed the
appropriate to tell to receive these privileges. When the political valley of the River Ticino all the way south
you about the most situation which had formerly protected them to Bellinzona and Milan. So, the pass quickly
significant of these. changed, the Wäldstätten rebelled. They gained importance.
All the passes in this swore to help each other should anyone try
th
article are under a to subjugate them, and it was against this The 13 century wooden bridge was rebuilt
day’s journey from background that the famous Rütli Oath several times, and replaced by a stone bridge
Geneva. was made. This mythical dimension to the around 1585. The first document with the
birth of Switzerland has spread through oral name “Devil’s Bridge” appeared at this time.
Between the Alpine and Jura mountain ranges retelling”. The first stone bridge lasted for only 60 years,
there are more than a hundred mountain providing access to the Schöllenen Gorge and
passes. Many are historically significant, but William Tell. The White Book of Sarnen, the carrying traffic across the Gotthard Pass. In efforts of the people of Uri to build a mule
none so much as the most famous of all Alpine first chronicle of the fight for freedom of the 1640 a huge storm destroyed it, flooding the track through the narrow Schöllenen Gorge
passes, the St Gotthard or San Gottardo Gotthard communities, combines the story whole valley. The bridge was rebuilt between and build a stone bridge at the point where
(2108m). of the 1291 Rütli Oath with the 1307 story of 1828 and 1830 by Swiss engineer Karl Emanuel the young Reuss river pushes through vertical
William Tell. The book itself dates from 1470, a Müller and today one can only see the remains rock walls. In his despair, the “Landammann”
Gothard – the king of all passes, good 150 years afterwards. Thereafter, Tell – of of the bridge’s original foundations. A new shouted: “Shall the Devil build a bridge?”
the Cradle of switzerland apple-shooting fame – was often represented Devil’s bridge was built between 1955 and The Devil appeared and said, “I will build a
The Gothard Pass is legendary; with all its with the country’s founding fathers, and the 1956. bridge for you. But the first soul to go over it
associations to the nation’s birth it has a myth lives on. The mountain was already a shall be mine.” The people of Uri agreed to the
great historical and mythical importance to source of great fascination to 18th century The legend of the Devil’s Bridge. The narrow bargain and after three days a bridge arched
the Swiss. It also has a unique aura, rich in travellers such as the German authors Goethe rock bar above Göschenen had always blocked over the Reuss. On the other side the Devil
symbolism - even the Matterhorn does not and Schiller. For the French writer Lamartine access to the Gotthard, and thus passage to the sat and waited for his reward. Instead of a
have the same symbolic value as this massif. – like Schiller, the author of a William Tell South, as it was extremely difficult to build a human, however, the people of Uri sent a billy
It is the cradle of the confederation, the centre story - it was a “sight that crushes and terrifies”, bridge there. The legend tells of the futile goat over. “You may keep it” they shouted,

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