Confederation Day in Switzerland

Confederation DaySwiss Confederation Day is considered to be the oldest day of independence. It commemorates an event that took place in August 1291, when the three forest cantons Unterwalden, Uri and Schwyz declared an eternal alliance and alliance. In fact, the document was not only a declaration of independence, but also a treaty of mutual defense in view of possible aggression by the Holy Roman Empire.

Subsequently, other cantons joined the eternal union. They were not prevented, but the formal recognition of Switzerland came only in 1648, when its independence from the Holy Roman Empire was officially confirmed by the Treaty of Westphalia.

The official holiday of Switzerland on August 1 was declared only in the 70s of the XIX century. In 1994, it was declared an official non-working day. On August 1, many children and adults rejoice in anticipation of fireworks, lampions and bonfires on the tops of the mountains, which along with solemn speeches are attributes of the holiday.

The tradition of lighting bonfires on mountain tops dates back to the Middle Ages, when a chain of watch hills was built along the territorial borders, on the tops of which signal bonfires were lit when the enemy approached. According to legend, these fires, burning on the mountains between the lakes of Geneva and Biel, scared off the “barbarians” who made their way to this territory. Seeing the glare on the shimmering surface of the water, they thought that they were on the edge of the Earth and that the road goes straight to Heaven.