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Schwyz
The lively town of Schwyz, capital of the canton with the same name, is home to the Forum of Swiss History and important founding documents of the Swiss Confederation. Schwyz and the area surrounding it, is famous for its cherry blossom and numerous cherry specialities. And Schwyz is also where the famous Swiss army penknives come from.
Switzerland owes its name and coat of arms to the town of Schwyz located between Lake Lucerne and the small Lake Lauerz. In 1291 the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden entered into an alliance, and in 1315, by winning the Battle of Morgarten, they managed to drive out the Austrians. The Museum of the Swiss Charters houses the most important documents of the early Swiss confederacy, including the confederation's founding document. And the Forum of Swiss History provides an opportunity for a multi-media experience of everyday life between 1300 and 1600.
The people of Schwyz have not always been prosperous. From the 16th century onwards many of the canton's men were forced to serve as soldiers in foreign armies. They proved to be brave warriors, frequently returning home wealthy and in a position to build the proud houses which to this day are a feature of the town of Schwyz. A few individual Schwyz houses, such as the Hofstatt Ital Reding dating from 1609, are among the most magnificent secular buildings in Switzerland.
Schwyz is also where the world-famous Swiss penknives come from: in excess of 25'000 of the red all-rounders leave production daily. It is hardly surprising then that the tourism destination surrounding Schwyz meanwhile goes under the name of "Swiss Knife Valley".
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