The "culture of Switzerland" is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. Traditionally Switzerland is not considered one of the centres of European culture, but this perception might be deceptive. The Culture of Europe might better be described as a series of overlapping cultures of Europe. ...

A number of culturally active Swiss have chosen to move abroad, probably given the limited opportunities in their homeland. This is particularly true for architects. At the same time, the neutrality of Switzerland has attracted many creative people from all over the world. In war times the tradition of political asylum helped to attract artists, whilst recently low taxes seem predominant. During the rise of fascism in the 1930s and 1940s a number of German, Austrian and Italian writers have sought refuge in Switzerland, such as Thomas Mann, Stefan George and Ignazio Silone. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann (June 6, 1875 – August 12, 1955) was a German novelist, social critic, philanthropist, and essayist, lauded principally for a series of highly symbolic and often ironic epic novels and mid-length stories, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and intellectual. ... Stefan George (1910) Stefan George (Bingen, Hesse, July 12, 1868 – Locarno, December 4, 1933) was a German poet and translator. ... Ignazio Silone (May 1, 1900 - August 22, 1978) is the pseudonym of Secondo Tranquilli, an Italian author. ...

Strong regionalism in Switzerland makes it difficult to speak of a homogeneous Swiss culture. The influence of German, French and Italian culture on their neighbouring parts cannot be denied. The Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is robust.

Media

Newspapers have a strong regional character, but some are renowned for their thorough coverage of international issues, such as the Neue Zürcher Zeitung of Zürich and Le Temps of Geneva. Zürcher Zeitung, No. ... Location within Switzerland (help· info) (German pronunciation IPA: ; in English often Zurich, without the umlaut) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... Le Temps is one of Switzerlands leading daily newspapers. ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German: (help· info) //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland, situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River. ...

As elsewhere, television plays a great role in modern cultural life in Switzerland. The national public broadcaster, SRG SSR idée suisse, offers three networks, one each for the German, French and Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. In the German-speaking part, television from Germany is popular, as is television from France in the French-speaking part and television from Italy in the Italian-speaking part. American movies and television series are influential in all areas. SRG SSR idée suisse is the Swiss public broadcasting organisation, founded in 1931. ...

In film, American productions constitute most of the programme, although several Swiss movies have enjoyed commercial successes in recent years. Maybe due to the multilingual culture, almost all movie theatres play movies in their original language with subtitles, and films on television are often broadcast in original and synchronized versions. Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ...

Folk Arts

Folk art is kept alive in organizations all over the country. In Switzerland it is mostly expressed in music, dance, poetry, wood carving and embroidery. There are also a great number of regional and local rites demarcating times of the year. Yodelling, despite being stereotypical for Switzerland, is not widely spread and limited to some mountain areas. The same is true for the accordion which is sometimes called Schwiizerörgeli rather than Handorgel in German, implying that it was a Swiss musical instrument. Music is conceptual time expressed in the structures of tones and silence. ... For other uses, see Dance (disambiguation). ... Poetry (from Ancient Greek: (poiéo/poió) = I create) is traditionally a written art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... Carved wooden cranes Wood carving is the process whereby wood is ornamented with any design, by means of sharp cutting tools held in the hand. ... Gold Embroidery Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. ... A button accordion An accordion is a musical instrument of the handheld bellows-driven free reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as squeezeboxes. ...

A Swiss playing an alphorn near a lake

The alphorn, sometimes called the alpenhorn, is a trumpet- like musical instrument made of wood. It is thought to have the perfect form for a musical wind instrument. The use of the alphorn is limited to mountainous areas, but like yodelling or the accordion, it has become an epitome of traditional Swiss music. Download high resolution version (897x687, 159 KB)A Swiss playing an alphorn near a lake This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (897x687, 159 KB)A Swiss playing an alphorn near a lake This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... D Dießner alphorn players Alpenhorn or alphorn, a wind instrument, consisting of a natural wooden horn of conical bore, having a cup-shaped mouthpiece, used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland and elsewhere. ...

The melodies of folk music vary between regions. Generally those in pastoral areas are floating and wide- ranging. In the inner and southern Alps, however, the melodies are more songlike but of more limited range. Common and popular themes are about love and the homeland, but patriotic and pastoral as well as hunting themes are also commonplace.

The Alpine folk culture is characterized by very expressive dances. The Schuplattler is one example of such an expressive dance. Its rapid sequence of jumping and hopping make it visually attractive. Small musical ensembles can be found in the more mountainous areas, particularly in the French speaking part of Switzerland.

The most common form of woodcarving is chip carving. Such carving is normally for the decoration of everyday objects, such as milk stools, neckband for bells, wooden spoons or walking sticks. Figure carving is also common, particularly of Nativity figures. In some areas the facades of houses are richly decorated using woodcarving. This is widespread in the Bernese Oberland region where Protestant Christianity predominates. In Roman Catholic regions this is far less common. View of Thun and Lake Thun from the Niederhorn The Bernese Oberland (Bernese highlands) is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the South of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps (thus, the inhabitable parts from...

Embroidery is common on traditional clothing, particularly women's clothing. Embroidery is often limited to prominent points, such as cuffs, hats and scarves. In the past embroidery was a home industry in the northeast and the east of Switzerland. Embroidery is also used for the decoration of fabric. In recent days, embroidery is confined to tourism, as traditional clothes are no longer in use.

Architecture

There is a strong architectural tradition in Switzerland. The Romanesque style of the 12th century can be found in the cathedrals of Basel, Sion, Chur, Geneva and Lausanne. This style, which is rich in expression, can also be found on many castles and fortresses around the country, many of which preserved in a good condition. The cathedrals of Schaffhausen, Zug and Zürich are of the Gothic style, whilst the churches of Einsiedeln and St. Gallen are of Baroque style. Location within Switzerland Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian and Spanish: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands... Location within Switzerland Notre Dame de Valère above the city Sion is a town in Switzerland, on the Rhône River. ... Chur is a town in Switzerland. ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German: (help· info) //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland, situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River. ... Lausanne is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura hills to its north. ... Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland; it has an estimated population of 33,527 as of March 31, 2005. ... Zug : also the name of a character from childrens series TUGS Location within Switzerland Zug, capital of the Swiss canton of that name, is a picturesque little town at the northeastern corner of the lake of Zug, and at the foot of the Zugerberg (3255 ft. ... Location within Switzerland (help· info) (German pronunciation IPA: ; in English often Zurich, without the umlaut) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... Einsiedeln may refer to: Einsiedeln abbey Einsiedeln, Switzerland This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Location within Switzerland St. ...

During the Renaissance, a large number of architectural masters gave their talents to Italy. Most of these came from the southern canton of Ticino. The Prisons near the Doge's Palace in Venice and the Rialto Bridge in Venice were built by Antonio da Ponte. The Bridge of Sighs in Venice was built by Antonio Contino, whilst Domenico Fontana (1543-1607) designed the entire Lateran Palace in Naples as well as the facade of the St. John Lateran Church and the Royal Palace in the same city. Fontana's nephew Carlo Maderno was an architect to Pope Paul V. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, the gallery of the Palazzo Spada and the Filippini monastery were built by Francesco Borromini, whilst Carlo Fontana was responsible for the facade of San Marcello al Corso and the Montecitorio Palace; Baldassare Longhena, from Maroggia, built the church of Santa Maria della Salute, the Rezzonico and the Widmann palaces; all in Venice. In the traditional view, the Renaissance is understood as an historical age that was preceded by the Middle Ages and followed by the Reformation. ... Canton Ticino or Ticino (German: (help· info)) is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venexia) , the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice in Italy. ... The Rialto Bridge Rialto Bridge The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) spans the Grand Canal in Venice. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venexia) , the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice in Italy. ... The Rialto Bridge Antonio da Ponte (1512-1595) was an Italian engineer most famous for his rebuilding the Rialto Bridge in Venice. ... Domenico Fontana (1543 – 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance. ... Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Nàpule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ... Façade of St. ... Painting of Pope Paul V by Caravaggio Paul V, né Camillo Borghese (Rome, September 17, 1550 - January 28, 1621) was Pope from May 16, 1605 until his death. ... Bernardino Cardinal Spada (April 21, 1594 – November 10, 1661) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and a great patron of the arts, whose collection may be seen at Palazzo Spada, Rome. ... Francesco Borromini (September 25, 1599 – August 3, 1667 in Rome) was a prominent and influential Baroque architect, and active in Rome and contemporary with the prolific papal architect and often rival, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. ... Carlo Fontana (Bruciato, Canton Ticino, 1634 or 1638 - Roma 1714) was an Italian architect, sculptor, engineer and author of important writings on the St. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venexia) , the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice in Italy. ...

D.A. Gillard rebuilt the Kremlin in Moscow at a later period, and his son Domenico Gilardi was in charge of the rebuilding of Moscow's State University. Domenico Trezzini built many places in St. Petersburg by the orders of Peter the Great. Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) was probably the most creative Swiss architectural export in the 20th century. He was the driving force behind the International school of architecture that heavily influenced almost every trend in buildings throughout the entire Western hemisphere in the recent past. The Moscow Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin ( Russian: Московский Кремль) is the best known kremlin ( Russian citadel). ... Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: ) is the capital of Russia and the countrys principal political, economic, financial, educational and transportation center, located on the river Moskva. ... Peter and Paul Cathedral is the most celebrated work by Domenico Trezzini. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland... Portrait of Peter by Paul Delaroche Peter I (Russian: Пётр I Алексеевич or Pyotr I Alexeyevich) (Peter Alexeyevich Romanov) (9 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672– 28 January 1725 O.S.] [1]) ruled Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death. ... Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887–August 27, 1965) was a Swiss architect famous for his contributions to what is now called modernism, or the International Style. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Distinctive architecture of high quality can be found around Switzerland. It is often considered as particularly innovative modern architecture. Mario Botta is a famous architect who influenced modern architecture. The architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron from Basel in the north of Switzerland have enjoyed fame in recent years, such as through the building of Tate Modern in London. Mario Botta (born April 1, 1943) is a famous modern architect born in Mendrisio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. ... Herzog & de Meuron is a Swiss architect firm with an international reputation, founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog (born 19 April 1950 in Basel) and Pierre de Meuron (born 8 May 1950 in Basel), its two main partners. ... Herzog & de Meuron is a Swiss architect firm with an international reputation, founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog (born 19 April 1950 in Basel) and Pierre de Meuron (born 8 May 1950 in Basel), its two main partners. ... Location within Switzerland Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian and Spanish: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands... Tate Modern from the Millennium Bridge Tate Modern from St Pauls Cathedral. ... This article is about the British city. ...

Visual arts

In the 16th century Protestantism had a strong influence on visual arts in Switzerland. There was almost no influence from Italian or French Renaissance. Only in modern times Swiss artists began to emerge internationally. Alberto Giacometti is said to have derived much of his inspiration from the Etruscans, but became internationally known. Jean Tinguely fascinated people from all over the world with complex moving sculptures constructed entirely from scrap materials. Paul Klee is sometimes regarded as Switzerland's most original and impressive painter. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Alberto Giacometti (October 10, 1901 – January 11, 1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draftsman and printmaker. ... The Etruscan civilization existed in Etruria and the Po valley in the northern part of what is now Italy, prior to the formation of the Roman Republic. ... Image:Basel. ... Paul Klee (December 18, 1879 – June 29, 1940) was a Swiss painter. ...

The Dada movement originated in Switzerland during the 1910s. Cover of the first edition of the publication, Dada. ...

Despite the relatively small number of internationally famous artists, there are considerable art collections in renowned museums around Switzerland. These are not only found in the cities of Zürich, Basel and Geneva but also in smaller towns such as Schaffhausen, Martigny and Winterthur. The museums in the smaller towns pride themselves for their contribution to the arts, which exceed what is commonly found in provincial areas. Location within Switzerland (help· info) (German pronunciation IPA: ; in English often Zurich, without the umlaut) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... Location within Switzerland Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian and Spanish: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German: (help· info) //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland, situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River. ... Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland; it has an estimated population of 33,527 as of March 31, 2005. ... There are a number of communes that have the name Martigny In France Martigny, in the Aisne département Martigny, in the Manche département Martigny, in the Seine-Maritime département Related Martigny-Courpierre, in the Aisne département Martigny-le-Comte, in the Saône-et-Loire département Martigny-les-Bains, in the... Winterthur is a city in the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. ...

Graphic arts flourish in Switzerland, as does creative photography. Examples of this can be found on calendars, magazines and outdoor billboard advertisements.

Literature

Main article: Swiss literature

In the field of literature Switzerland produced a number of very well known writers. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was from Geneva. The critic and historian Jacob Burckhardt was from Switzerland. The house of Germaine de Staël in Coppet was a centre of European literary life during the 18th century. Other writers include Gottfried Keller, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Jeremias Gotthelf and Charles Ferdinand Ramuz. Hermann Hesse and Carl Spitteler both won a Nobel Prize for their works. There is no such thing as a Swiss national vernacular literature properly speaking, this being explained by the diversity between the states of which it is composed, which has not favored any common intellectual life. ... Jean-Jacques Rousseau (June 28, 1712 – July 2, 1778) was a Franco-Swiss philosopher of the Enlightenment whose political ideas influenced the French Revolution, the development of socialist theory, and the growth of nationalism. ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German: (help· info) //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland, situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River. ... Jakob Burckhardt (May 25, 1818 - August 8, 1897) was a Swiss historian of art and culture. ... Madame de Staël Anne Louise Germaine de Staël (April 22, 1766 – July 14, 1817) was a French author who determined literary tastes of Europe at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. ... Coppet is a village in the Nyon district in Canton Vaud in Switzerland, on the Lake of Geneva. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Gottfried Keller (July 19, 1819 – July 15, 1890) was a Swiss writer who is best known as the master of the Novelle. ... Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (October 11, 1825 - November 28, 1898), a poet and, as he was born in Zürich, is a fellow-townsman of Gottfried Keller. ... Albert Bitzius (October 4, 1797 - October 22, 1854), Swiss novelist, best known by his pen name of Jeremias Gotthelf, was born at Morat, where his father was pastor. ... Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz (September 24, 1878 – May 24, 1947) was a French-speaking Swiss writer. ... Hermann Hesse in 1927 Hermann Hesse (2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. ... Carl Friedrich Georg Spitteler (April 24, 1845 – December 29, 1924) was a Swiss poet of visionary imagination and the author of pessimistic yet heroic verse. ... Sir Edward Appletons medal Photographs of Nobel Prize Medals. ...

In the 20th century the plays of Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Max Frisch impressed readers beyond the borders of Switzerland. There are a great number of regional dialects, especially in the German language. Even though standard German is commonly used for writing, there is a living dialect literature in many areas. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Friedrich Dürrenmatt (January 5, 1921 – December 14, 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist. ... Max Frisch (May 15, 1911 – April 4, 1991), was a Swiss architect, playwright and novelist, one of the most representative writers of the German literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of personal identity, morality and political commitment. ...

For children's culture there is the cartoon character Globi. Globi is a Swiss cartoon character often referred as Switzerlands Mickey Mouse. ...

Music

Main article: Music of Switzerland

Alphorn players

Switzerland is not commonly considered a leading musical nation. However, in the 20th century it produced a number of composers, such as Arthur Honegger, Othmar Schoeck and Frank Martin, all of whom have gained international renown. In Lucerne an annual festival of international music takes place. Other places have similar festivals, ranging from country and western to pop and jazz. The Montreux Jazz Festival is particularly well known. Switzerland has long had a distinct cultural identity, despite its diversity of German, French and other ethnicities. ... Alphorn, D Dießner alphorn players. ... Alphorn, D Dießner alphorn players. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Arthur Honegger in 1921. ... Frank Martin (September 15, 1890 – November 21, 1974) was a Swiss composer, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands, but always remained famous in Switzerland. ... Location within Switzerland View of the city from Lake Lucerne Another view across Lake Lucerne The Lion Monument Lucerne (German: (help· info)) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (December 31, 2003), capital of the Canton of Lucerne. ... Poster designed by Keith Haring The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland. ...

Science

There has been a long tradition of Swiss scientists ever since Paracelsus (real name Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim). Paracelsus introduced the field of chemistry into medicine in the 16th century. The Bernoulli family from Basel is known for their significant contributions to mathematics over a time span of three generations. Leonhard Euler is another innovative mathematician. Horace-Bénédict de Saussure was a naturalist and pioneer in Alpine studies. The Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich has produced a great number of Nobel Prize winners. Ferdinand de Saussure was an important contributor to the field of linguistics. Physicist Albert Einstein, born in Germany, moved to Switzerland in 1895 at the age of 16 and became a Swiss citizen in 1901. Paracelsus Paracelsus (November 11 or December 17, 1493 - September 24, 1541) was a famous alchemist, physician, astrologer, and general occultist. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Location within Switzerland Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian and Spanish: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands... Leonhard Euler by Emanuel Handmann. ... Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (February 17, 1740 - January 22, 1799) was a Swiss physicist and Alpine traveller. ... The ETH Zurich, often called Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is a science and technology university in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. ... Location within Switzerland (help· info) (German pronunciation IPA: ; in English often Zurich, without the umlaut) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... Sir Edward Appletons medal Photographs of Nobel Prize Medals. ... Saussure Ferdinand de Saussure (November 26, 1857 - February 22, 1913) was a Swiss linguist, considered by many to be the father of structuralism. ... Linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and someone who engages in this study is called a linguist. ... Albert Einstein, photographed by Yousuf Karsh in 1948. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Leisure

The close proximity to the mountains in all areas in Switzerland has greatly influenced the leisure of Swiss people. The growth of ski and mountaineering resorts in the Swiss mountains have caused the Swiss to become very sports conscious. Apart from skiing and mountaineering, Swiss-style wrestling (Schwingen) is still popular in rural areas. Sunday-morning shooting sessions and Hornussen (a kind of Alpine baseball) are two other traditional Swiss sports. Tennis, golf, ice hockey, football (soccer), basketball, handball, gliding, paragliding, sailing, swimming, volleyball, floorball, mountain biking and hiking in the forests and mountains are all popular pastimes. Fishing is commonplace in the many lakes and rivers, but often a licence is necessary. Many mountain lakes freeze over during winter and are used for curling, horse and dog racing, particularly around St. Moritz. Hornussen is an indigenous Swiss sport and is like a cross between baseball and golf. ... Tennis ball This article is about the sport. ... Golf (gowf in Scots) is a game where individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed standard playing area. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation). ... Handball (also known as team handball, field handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport where two teams of seven players each (six players and a goalkeeper) pass and bounce a ball trying to throw it in the goal of the opposing team. ... Gliding (or soaring) is a recreational activity and competitive sport where individuals fly un-powered aeroplanes known as gliders or sailplanes. ... Paragliding (known in some countries as parapenting) is a recreational and competitive flying sport. ... Sailing at sunset Wooden sailing boat Sailing is the skillful art of controlling the motion of a sailing ship or smaller boat, across a body of water. ... A breaststroke swimmer Swimming is a technique to move unaided through water. ... Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams, separated by a high net, hit a ball back and forth over the net between the teams. ... A floorball match between powerhouses Sweden (yellow) and Finland (white) Floorball is an indoor team sport played using composite sticks with a plastic vented blade where the aim is to put a light plastic ball into the opponents goal. ... Mountain biker riding in the Arizona desert. ... Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... St. ...