Rathaus

Rathaus in Schwyz is the town hall at Hauptplatz 1, the main square of the old market town in central Switzerland. Painted facades make it stand out, and Swiss guidebooks rank it as the most important secular building on the square. It is listed in the Swiss inventory of cultural property.

When and why was it built?

A fire in 1642 destroyed much of the settlement, including the previous town hall. The replacement went up in 1642–45 on the foundations of an earlier building from 1593. Its present outer form comes from a remodelling in 1777–79 led by Carlo Andrea Galetti.

What are the paintings on the facade?

The walls carry scenes from the founding story of the Swiss Confederation and from the history of Schwyz, including the Battle of Morgarten, plus painted architectural trompe-l'oeil. They are younger than the building. Munich history painter Ferdinand Wagner created them in 1891 for the 600th anniversary of the Confederation. The facade has been restored in recent decades, with the paintings conserved.

What is inside?

The building holds two council chambers, which the GSK art guide cites as good examples of late Renaissance style in central Switzerland. The hall still serves administrative and political purposes, so plan on admiring it mainly from the square.

What else is nearby?

After the 1642 fire, Hauptplatz was laid out in Baroque style. The late Baroque parish church of St Martin, built in 1769–74 by the Tyrolean Singer brothers, rises on a terrace above the square. A short walk away, Hofstatt Ital Reding at Rickenbachstrasse 24 is regarded as the grandest patrician estate in Schwyz, with a manor house from 1609 and a garden.

When should you go?

Visit in daylight, when the sun lights the facades and the painted scenes show best. The square is open year-round, and a loop around the town hall takes a quarter of an hour. Schwyz combines well with a day trip around Lake Lucerne.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Schwyz town hall? At Hauptplatz 1 in the centre of Schwyz, canton of Schwyz.

When was it built? In 1642–45, after the fire of 1642. A remodelling in 1777–79 gave it its present look.

Who painted the facade? Ferdinand Wagner of Munich, in 1891, for the 600th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation.

Is it worth a stop if I am not a history buff? Yes. Most of the appeal is outside, and together with St Martin's church and Hofstatt Ital Reding it forms a compact walk through historic Schwyz.