Altdorf – history and modernity in the birthplace of the Swiss nation
Well worth a visit: The heartland of Uri and a safe haven for gold
Picturesque Altdorf (450 metres above sea level) lies at the heart of the canton of Uri above Lake Lucerne, surrounded by magnificent Alpine peaks. Now Uri’s economic and social capital, Altdorf is renowned for its history, culture and legendary association with William Tell. A popular tourist destination at any time of year, Altdorf is also a safe place to store gold in Switzerland.
JD-Fotografie.ch © - stock.adobe.com
Since 2006, the Swiss Gold Safe head office has been located in the canton of Uri, with its unique blend of tradition and modernity. Our specialist storage company deliberately chose this location – because this site of the confederate Rütli oath represents the soul of Switzerland and its people sworn to uphold traditional values such as security, trust and reliability. These attributes are a perfect fit with our own philosophy, because we aspire to offer our clients comprehensive support of outstanding quality characterised by personal service, absolute discretion, and uncompromising protection of personal and commercial privacy.
Altdorf’s central position and its role as a regional hub of political, economic and cultural importance make it an optimal trading location with so much more to offer. We would like to introduce you to the town and its wealth of possibilities: So why not combine your next visit to us with a long weekend or an adventure holiday in the Uri region?
A general overview and some interesting facts about Altdorf
The municipality of Altdorf/UR came into being at the end of the 13th century through the reclamation of the lower slopes of the Reuss River valley. However, the oldest evidence of a settlement dates right back to the La Tène period around 400 BC. Altdorf was first mentioned in documented sources in 1223. Three major fires in the years 1400, 1693 and 1799 respectively, destroyed much of the old town. In the great fire of 1799, during the French occupation, more than 400 buildings were consumed by the flames – including the state archives and a Capuchin monastery built in 1581. The Uri town hall was rebuilt between 1805-1808. Today, Altdorf has a population of almost 10,000 and covers an area of some 1,021 hectares.
Altdorf features in numerous myths and legends, such as the Rütli oath. However, the most famous story is probably the tale of Swiss folk hero William Tell which dates from the 13th century. Closely linked to the history of the founding of Switzerland itself, this legend was introduced to a wider audience as a result of Friedrich Schiller’s play ‘William Tell’, published in 1804. According to legend, the hunter William Tell visits Altdorf with his son Walter, where Gessler, the local governor (landvogt), has put his hat on public display. All visitors and citizens of the town must salute Gessler’s hat, but Tell refuses to do so. As a punishment, Tell is forced to use his crossbow to shoot and split an apple placed on his son’s head. Tell, a skilled crossbowman, succeeds, but the governor still imprisons the marksman. Tell then escapes, and later kills the tyrant. This inspires the people of the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden to form an alliance and revolt against foreign intruders. The Swiss comrades swear an oath against injustice and violence on the Rütli, a forest clearing above Lake Uri. This same peace pact (the Old Swiss Confederacy) is recorded in the Federal Charter of 1291. So, according to legend, the Rütli is considered to be the place where the nation of Switzerland was founded. You can read more about the myths surrounding Altdorf in the illustrated PDF brochure about the Canton of Uri.
In 1895, the people of Uri erected a monument in the middle of Altdorf to honour their Swiss national hero. The four-metre-high bronze statue by Richard Kissling depicts William Tell, holding his crossbow, and standing on a pedestal with his son Walter. Today, the Tell monument is a famous Altdorf landmark which has pride of place in the town hall square. It is guarded by the old Türmli Tower built in 1250, which stands nearby.
Christian Tobler © - stock.adobe.com
Altdorf and its pivotal position in Central Switzerland
Altdorf is centrally located at the very heart of Switzerland, and thus lies at the centre of Europe too. Situated north of the Gotthard tunnel, Altdorf sits beside Lake Uri, part of Lake Lucerne, at the foot of the Uri Alps which overlook the Reuss River valley. The important A2 (E35) highway runs north-south from Basel to Lugano through the outskirts of the town, with direct access via junction 36. It takes just one to one and a half hours by car or train to journey from Zurich or the international airport to Altdorf, while a trip on the Tell Bus from Altdorf to the centre of Lucerne takes 43 minutes. Thanks to Switzerland’s excellent public transport network of trains, buses, mountain railways and ferries, travellers have a flexible range of options to reach the town and other regional destinations. In addition, Zurich Airport’s facilities and access to one of Europe’s best rail networks, means Switzerland is easily accessible to visitors from all over the world.
Swiss Gold Safe’s high-security safe deposit box facilities in Altdorf are located outside larger urban areas and far away from any major cities. They are designed to meet, and even exceed, the latest safeguarding standards. For example: The exact locations of our bank-independent safe deposit boxes in Switzerland are known only to our clients – i.e. they are not publicly disclosed for security reasons. Yet, thanks to a modern, efficient infrastructure, these facilities can be reached by car or public transport all year round. Our company’s administrative head office is housed not far from the town hall square with its Tell monument. At this venue no precious metals or other valuables are stored. Our safe deposit facilities can be found in the Gotthard region, an ideal location for the storage of valuable assets.
Two of our six Swiss Gold Safe warehouses are located in former military bunkers in the Gotthard massif. Because of their past role and unique security aspects, these bunkers are also known as the Gotthard vaults. The site also boasts substantial natural barriers: The facilities can only be reached from the north via the Seelisberg motorway tunnel and the Axenstrasse highway, named after the Axen cliff that stands above the eastern shore of Lake Uri and winds through many tunnels and spectacular rockfall galleries.
There’s lots to do in and around Altdorf
Although Switzerland is a safe haven for your gold and Altdorf’s unique geographic location seems custom-built for storing valuables, the town and its environs also have a lot to offer. The stunning panorama of the Alpine foothills creates the backdrop to this diverse, majestic landscape. The region is dominated by the vast expanse of Lake Lucerne, which stretches from Lucerne to Altdorf via Küssnacht, Horw and Brunnen. Overall, this vast lake in Central Switzerland, bordered by Alpine peaks, covers an area of 114 square kilometres and is around 30 kilometres long. A typical fjord-type glacial basin lake, this Lucerne waterway has numerous branch basins along its picturesque shoreline which stretches for almost 150 kilometres. There are many hiking trails beside the lake, enabling visitors to access and enjoy its stunning natural beauty.
A trip to the Eggberge sun terrace by bus and cable car takes you up 1,500 metres to enjoy truly breathtaking views over Lake Lucerne and the Uri Reuss Valley. Alternatively, you could take a cruise around the lake aboard the super-yacht ‘MS Diamant’. The route explores historical sites such as the Rütli, the legendary birthplace of the Swiss Confederacy, as well as the Tellsplatte, where William Tell leapt into the water to escape the clutches of the tyrant Gessler. One of the Diamant’s popular attractions is a ‘Nautilus room’ built into the hull of the boat which offers passengers amazing underwater views.
William Tell is omnipresent in Altdorf itself, and a visit to the Tell monument and the Türmli Tower is highly recommended. The Tell Festival also takes place every four years in the Tellspielhaus theatre in Altdorf. The Capuchin Convent of St. Karl stands in the town centre, and the parish church of St. Martin and the Suvorov-Haus – built in 1550 and considered to be the oldest, and culturally and historically most important town house in the canton of Uri – are also really worth a visit. And with its numerous museums, the House of Art Uri and the Capuchin All Saints monastery, Altdorf has a wealth of cultural attractions for visitors to explore. Find out more about Altdorf’s cultural riches on the homepage for the municipality of Altdorf.
The spellbinding beauty of the mountain massifs is only fully revealed when travelling over the Gotthard Pass by car or motorbike. The Suvorov Monument and 365-metre-high Devil’s Bridge over the steep Schöllenen Gorge await visitors at the entrance to the Ursern Valley. You can also visit Gotthard’s legendary military fortress, the largest publicly accessible fortification in Switzerland. The “Sasso San Gottardo” served as troop accommodation and a fire control centre during the Second World War. The Gotthard fortress area was originally designed as part of the Swiss Réduit strategy, an impregnable system of military defences protecting Switzerland’s central regions. And if you would prefer to experience the unique landscape of Urschweiz (the original Swiss Confederacy) in a more contemplative fashion, you can book a six-hour trip on the Gotthard Panorama Express. This combination of train and boat travel runs between Central Switzerland and Ticino in both directions, traversing the historic Gotthard route.
Canton of Uri: One of Switzerland’s original cantons
Beyond Altdorf, the Urnerland corridor also has plenty to offer to visitors and holidaymakers. The original Swiss canton of Uri extends from Lake Lucerne in the north to the Gotthard Pass in the south – a total area of 1,077 square kilometres rising up to 3,629 metres above sea level. Including the principal town of Altdorf, the population of the canton of Uri is 37,047.
Further sites worth a visit include the Hohle Gasse monument located between Küssnacht and Immensee, where, according to the famous legend, William Tell shot his adversary Gessler. The site can be accessed in both summer and winter and involves little more than a leisurely walk. If you prefer more active pursuits, you could try the Flying Fox high-rope slide facility in Morschach instead. This adventure experience offers various zip line trails and climbing opportunities for young and old – each guaranteed to include thrills, sport and adventure. You could follow this with a visit to the Morschach adventure pool which has a whitewater channel, a waterfall, and a 100-metre-long waterslide. Lucerne has an old town with some charming cultural attractions including its iconic wooden chapel bridge over the Reuss with a water tower in the middle. Elsewhere, you will find the poignant Lion Monument, commemorating the fallen Swiss Guards who defended the Tuileries Palace in Paris in 1792, during the French Revolution.
More than 30 cable cars carry visitors to the heights across the Uri adventure region. Fantastic mountain landscapes, wonderful panoramic views, and idyllic mountain stations await hikers, families or experienced, high-altitude mountaineers. Here you can experience nature for yourself or take a guided hiking tour from spring through to autumn. And during the winter months, there are extensive winter sports areas with gold-standard facilities which will challenge you to perform at your personal best, or allow beginners to gradually develop their skills.
Conclusion: Combine business and pleasure
As this account reveals, the Swiss Alps (and the canton of Uri in particular) are a popular and rewarding travel destination. And there is no better way to confirm this than to sample these diverse landscapes, activities and cultural experiences for yourself. The optimal solution would be to combine your next visit to our safe deposit facility with a short or longer holiday break in the beautiful Uri region. Of course, the same opportunity is also open to new clients wishing to open a safe deposit box at Swiss Gold Safe in Altdorf. You can find out who we are and what we can offer you by clicking on more information about Swiss Gold Safe.
An overview of Altdorf and the Urnerland
- Altdorf is the capital of the Uri canton and is considered the economic, political and cultural hub of the region. It lies at an altitude of 450 metres on the shores of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) in the Reuss River valley surrounded by the alpine foothills of the Gotthard region.
- This location in the heart of Europe is a renowned safe haven for gold storage. Swiss Gold Safe maintains private high-security systems which contain bank-independent safe deposit boxes. It is not uncommon for clients to combine their regular visits with a holiday in the picturesque Uri canton.
- Altdorf is associated with numerous myths and legends, such as those recounting the exploits of the legendary national hero William Tell and his crossbow marksmanship, or the story of how the historic Rütli oath helped to launch the Swiss Confederacy.
- Visitors and holidaymakers can enjoy a wealth of unique experiences in and around Altdorf: The William Tell monument, the Tell playhouse, and the Capuchin monastery await your visit. Popular excursion destinations include the Eggberge sun terrace, a boat trip around Lake Lucerne, or the journey over the Gotthard Pass with a visit to the Gotthard Fortress.
- In summary, the canton of Uri offers a wide range of adventures and holidays for hikers, skiers, families and those simply looking for relaxation. More than 30 mountain cable cars take visitors up to higher altitudes to explore unique mountain destinations with amazing panoramic views.