Einsiedeln (German pronunciation: [ˈaɪnziːdl̩n]) is a municipality and district in the Canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey , established in the 10th century.

There was no permanent settlement in the area prior to the early medieval period, but numerous artefacts left by prehistoric hunters, dated to the Mesolithic to Bronze Age were recovered.

The original "hermitage" is associated with St. Meinrad, a Benedictine monk from the family of the Counts of Hohenzollern. According to legend, Meinrad lived on the slopes of Mt. Etzel from 835 until his death in 861.