Page 40 - Bulletin_Vol.82 No.3_December 2023
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2023 MARKED 175 YEARS OF THE SWISS
CONSTITUTION
By Evelina RIOUKHINA
1848 saw the creation of the Swiss of 1291. This place is considered as a
federal state and with it, the first Federal national monument, and the annual
Constitution – the country’s basic rule celebration of the Swiss National Day
book and the centrepiece of every takes place there on 1 August. This
st
democracy. place is only accessible by boat (Lake
Lucerne) or by foot from Seelisberg. As
However, “Switzerland” as such already for Willhelm Tell, you will not regret
existed.
visiting the capital of the Canton of Uri
The Federal Charter (The Oath of Rütli). Altdorf, as the monument in the central
For a long time, the year 1307 – when square is a masterpiece, and if you are
the Austrian bailiffs were expelled from curious enough, you can also visit the
Switzerland – was considered the time it Tell’s Chapel (Tellskapelle) with its
all began. This is why this date can still marvellous frescoes. It is a symbol of
be seen on the base of the Wilhelm rebellion that led to the foundation of the
Tell monument in Altdorf. However, the Old Swiss Confederacy. The Chapel is
year 1291, and to be more precise, located on the foot of the cliff, on the
August 1291, is considered and agreed shore of the Lucerne Lake, and is
by historians to be marked as the start accessible by boat only.
of the democratic process. On that day, 12 September 1848: While many events
beginning of August, the Oath of Rütli, since the Oath of Rutli mark several
which is the Federal Charter, a treaty of centuries of the history of Switzerland,
alliance, was signed by aristocratic 12 September 1848 is particularly
th
representatives of the important: this is the date of the
three founding cantons in central establishment of the Swiss federal state,
Switzerland – Schwyz, Uri and which was possible only thanks to the
Unterwalden (today Obwalden and Constitution. On September 12, 1848,
Nidwalden), marking the date of the the Federal Diet, a legislative assembly
federal state foundation. In this bringing together the Swiss cantons,
document, the founding cantons adopted the first federal constitution.
promised to support each other militarily The Federal Constitution was accepted,
and economically. The 1st of August is with a majority of 15½ cantons
celebrated as Swiss National Day.
(including Lucerne) out of 22 the then
If you happen to be in the Capital of the Cantons. Berne was designed as the
Canton of Schwyz, please visit the federal capital.
Museum of the Federal Charter, where The constitution included the basic
you will see the famed Federal Charter principles such as:
of 1291. You can also take a boat trip to
visit the Rütli meadow (Canton of Uri), to • Declaration of fundamental
breathe in this important historical event individual rights
AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 82 No.3, 2023-12 38
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