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History Switzerland

Switzerland
Switzerland

Our expert Switzerland

Rooksana Hossenally Section editor

Travel is my driving force in life, and although I have had the privilege of visiting 30 countries so far, my heart will always remain in India...

map of Switzerland

map of Switzerland

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Weather

  • Bern  12°C 12°C 10°C 11°C
  • Geneva  14°C 12°C 10°C 9°C
  • Zurich  11°C 12°C 9°C 13°C
  • Sion  15°C 15°C 13°C 10°C
  • Lugano  21°C 20°C 16°C 13°C
  • St Moritz  6°C 6°C 2°C 1°C

Switzerland : Discover the country's history

 Historical dates

58 BC war of the Gauls, the Romans overcome the Helvetians.
260 AD first invasion of the Alamans.
888, Helvetia belongs to the Burgundians.
1100, the Zähringen family settles in the Aar basin and founds the cities of Berne and Fribourg.
13th Century, William Tell and the cantons defend their territory against the Habsburgs.
1291, faced with Austrian ambitions, the Waldstättens (forest lands, including Uri, Schwyz and Nidwald) decide to come together to form a confederation.
1474, the Confederates who already run 8 cantons, invade the land of Vaud and defeat the troops of Charles the Bold.
1515, following the battle of Marignan lost against François I, signing of a peace treaty with France.
1525, start of reforms in German-speaking Switzerland.
1648, treaties of Westphalie and independance of the Swiss Confederation.
1685, revocation of the Nantes Edict. The French Huguenots went on mass exile to French-speaking Switzerland.
1815, the Vienna congress recognises the independence and neutrality of the country.
1848, formation of a federal State with Berne as capital.
1979, formation of the Jura canton.
1986, the population rejects membership of the United Nations by referendum.
1992, rejection of membership of the EEC, but joins the IMF and World Bank.
1997, Flavio Cotti is appointed president. The same year, the scandal broke out concerning funds stolen from the Jews in the Second World War. For the first time in its history, Switzerland accepts to disclose banking secrets. A compensation fund with 7 billion Swiss francs is formed for survivors of the Holocaust.
1999, the Socialist, Ruth Dreifuss, becomes the first woman to rule the Swiss Confederation.
2002, Pascal Couchepin is voted president.