Platz der Auslandschweizer

Platz der Auslandschweizer in Brunnen (municipality of Ingenbohl, canton of Schwyz) is a lakeside square on a peninsula of Lake Lucerne. Officially known as the Auslandschweizerplatz, it serves as a gathering place for the roughly 788,000 Swiss citizens living abroad. It faces the Rütli meadow, the legendary birthplace of the Confederation, and looks out toward the Mythen peaks and the Rigi.

What is this square?

The site covers about 5,400 square metres and was bought with donations from Swiss expatriates plus federal funding. A foundation runs it. Its board brings together the federal government (through the foreign ministry, FDFA), the canton and district of Schwyz, the municipality of Ingenbohl, Schwyz Cantonal Bank and the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (ASO), which holds the largest number of seats. For Swiss people on other continents it stands for the bond with home. For a visitor it is a quiet green spot with an open view across the water.

When did it open?

The square was inaugurated on 1 August 1991 as part of the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation. President Pascal Delamuraz opened it together with the entire Federal Council. The peninsula itself grew over time, as a former headland was gradually extended with fill. The grounds were renovated in 2016. A block of Grimsel granite at the entrance commemorates the gifts that paid for the purchase and the refurbishment.

What can you see here?

• the lake and the Rütli on the opposite shore,
• a panorama of the Mythen and the Rigi,
• the granite block at the entrance,
• the Föhn harbour next door.

The square is the end point of the Weg der Schweiz, the trail around the southern arm of the lake, and the start of the Waldstätterweg. That makes it a natural stop on a longer lakeshore walk. Brunnen also has a short and a long cultural route through Ingenbohl-Brunnen, linking local sights.

How to get there and when to visit

Brunnen sits on the lake in canton Schwyz and is served by trains and lake boats. The square lies close to the harbour, so it is an easy walk from the landing stage. A clear day gives the best views of the Mythen and Rigi. The square is sometimes hired out for events, so check the foundation's or the FDFA's website before you go in case a private function is under way.

Frequently asked questions

Is Platz der Auslandschweizer the same as the Auslandschweizerplatz? Yes. Both names refer to the square for Swiss citizens abroad in Brunnen.

Why does the square matter to the Swiss? It was created from donations by Swiss living abroad and symbolises their tie to Switzerland. It opened in the jubilee year 1991.

Are there hiking trails nearby? Yes. The Weg der Schweiz ends here and the Waldstätterweg begins here.

What can you see from the square? Lake Lucerne, the Rütli meadow, and the Mythen and Rigi mountains.