Little Things: Schwyz - Brunnen (Part 2)

Took a bus from Schwyz Post to Brunnen which takes about 30mins. Alternatively, you could take a boat from Lucerne (1hr 45mins). Taking the train is cheaper and faster (about an hour from Zurich and change at Zug or Arth-Goldau).

Brunnen is snugged in between Lake Lucerne and Lake Uri, facing the Rütli and Schillerstein mountains. It's an ideal place for sailing, windsurfing and paragliding with the winds from the mountains, and not to mention, the mesmerizing views :)

On our way to Rutli Meadow, the birthplace of the Swiss Confederation, where the Oath of Eternal Alliance is said to be signed by Schwyz, Uri and Nidwalden in 1291.

Here comes the steam boat that whistles upon its arrival.

Only 5 mins to Rutli Meadow.

I can imagine seeing empty seats outside if this is in SG ;p

The 30m-tall Schillerstein at the entrance to Lake Uri, on route from Brunnen to Rutli.

Also known as the "Stone of Myths", this rock had to be shortened for safety reasons. It became a natural monument and was renamed as "Schillerstein" (Schiller Stone) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Schiller, German poet and author of the drama Wilhelm Tell (William Tell), where it had a huge influence on the history of Switzerland. Not only that, if you recall the scene of shooting an apple off the head using a crossbow, that was where it originated from.

Bearing the inscription in gold:
"To the singer of Tell/ F. Schiller/ The Founding Cantons/ 1859".

To keep the meadow free from any commercial development, it was purchased with the aid of a collection by schoolchildren in 1859 and subsequently donated to the state with the proviso that it should remain sacrosanct. Hence, it is a quiet and peaceful sanctuary where as what Uncle Tan's colleague had advised - bring the grill there for a BBQ ;p

At the jetty of Rutli Meadow.

Crystal clear waters.

Taking the historical path...

An apple tree! Never seen one till I'm 30. So deprived...

This path leads to the camp site which you see on the right.

The Legend of William Tell, the Swiss national hero of liberty

Towards the end of the 13th century, the Habsburgs were sent to the central cantons as governors appointed by the emperor with the objective of oppressing the population. In a bid to test the allegiance Governor Hermann Gessler ordered everyone to greet his hat on a rod in the square of Altdorf by doffing their hats to it as a sign of respect.

William Tell and his son walked heedlessly past the hat and was forced by Gessler to shoot an apple off his son's head with a crossbow. Tell hit the apple but had also prepared a 2nd arrow to shoot Gessler should he miss. Gessler got to know of that and arrested Tell and sent him to the fort at Kussnachet for life imprisonment. However on the way, the boat met with a violent storm and they had to relaese Tell, who was also renowned as helmsman, to steer them out of danger. Tell directed the boat to the shore of Axen, where he jumped off while pushing the boat back into the waves. Later, it was said that he shot Gessler to death at Hohle Gasse, near Kussnacht.

There is a Tell's Chapel at Axenstrasse (next to Hotel Tellsplatte). It's decorated with 4 frescoes depicting the Tell myth - The Rutli Oath, Shooting the Apple, Tell's Leap and The Death of Gessler in the Hohle Gasse.

However, there seems to have no historical evidence that whether Tell may have ever existed. Not even his name (or any similar name) is mentioned on any known document from this time. But the legend is so wide-spread, with its popularity propelled by the play.

A happy farmer ploughing a heap of cow dung... aka bull shit akakaka ;D

It was on this meadow above the Urnersee that Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden reinforced their alliance in 1291 and swore mutual support against any form of foreign domination. Too bad there wasn't any wind when we were there. Hence, 1291 is taken as the birth date of the nation, and 1 Aug is the official Swiss national holiday.

Well, there are some controversies over the authenticity of the Rutli Oath as some historians doubted that such an important document in formal Latin would have been written and signed in a meadow. Some claimed that the 3 reps who met at Rütli, were merely renewing their formal written pledge of 16 years before. While others suggested that there was either no movement of resistance against the Habsburgs in 1291 at all, or that the oath was merely one in an array of other equally “eternal” alliances between valley communities.

That said, the story has over the years, come to represent much more than its bare facts might suggest. The Charter of Confederation, has become symbolic for the Swiss, and the Rütli itself has become a place of nationalistic pilgrimage and focus of the country’s national celebrations every August.

Back to the jetty to wait for the boat to return to Brunnen.

It was a catamaran instead of the steam boat :(

Back in Brunnen where we took a short walk to the lake.

These statues are actually made of steel which had rusted. Ingenious huh :)

Does this picture remind you of the icon you see whilst you wait for the loading of your pictures in the Windows Photo Gallery?

Against the backdrop of the twin peaks.

Dipping duckies ;p

We took a rest at a nearby park and saw this "Floating Chair". One fella was dozing off on one of the chairs so we didn't wana disturb him by walking too close to take a picture.