The Rütli meadow: visiting the birthplace of Switzerland

The Rütli is a sloping meadow above the Urnersee that you can reach only by boat or on foot. Here, according to tradition, the men of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden swore their everlasting alliance in 1291. Unlike many places of national importance, the Rütli is barely laid out. You will find a flagpole, a plain plaque at the place of the oath and an inn, along with the wide view over the lake. There are no monuments, turnstiles or souvenir stalls. That restraint is precisely part of the character of the place.

The history in brief

Whether the oath took place on this meadow, in this form and in that year is disputed among historians. Over the centuries the Rütli legend and the federal charter kept in Schwyz have together become part of the national identity. More on the charter in the article Federal Charter Museum and Forum of Swiss History.

What is documented, by contrast, is that a public collection bought the meadow in 1859 to save it from hotel plans. A year later it was given to the Confederation. That was probably the first heritage protection project in Switzerland. Since then the Rütli has been a place of national celebration: every year on 1 August the address for the national holiday is given here. In November the traditional Rütlischiessen shooting event recalls the oath.

Together with two neighbouring places, the Rütli forms a small triangle of the founding story. Here lies the meadow; in Schwyz the charter of 1291 is kept; and in Brunnen the Bundeskapelle recalls the renewal of the alliance in 1315. All three places lie within sight of each other across the water. So the story of how Switzerland came about can be followed at its own settings in a single afternoon.

Arriving by boat (the easy way)

The classic way to the Rütli has led across the water for seven centuries:

• From Brunnen: the scheduled boat takes about 10 minutes to the Rütli landing stage. From there you walk 7–10 minutes up the footpath or the steps to the meadow. In season the boats run roughly hourly.
• From Lucerne or Flüelen: the same scheduled boats also call at the Rütli on the long voyage across the lake. From Lucerne allow about two hours on the water.
• On all scheduled boats the GA travelcard, Swiss Travel Pass and half-fare card are valid. There is no road to the Rütli. The fact that you can only get there by boat or on foot contributes much to the calm of the place.

Up top the meadow awaits you with the flag and the place of the oath. At the Rütlihaus you can have lunch on the terrace, with the Urnersee below you.

On foot to the Rütli

The Rütli is the starting point of the Swiss Path. The 35 km commemorative trail around the Urnersee was laid out for the 700th anniversary in 1991. Each canton built a section whose length matched its population. The classic first stage looks like this:

1. By boat from Brunnen to the Rütli.
2. From the meadow up through the forest to Seelisberg. The village lies like a balcony about 350 m above the meadow and offers a wide view back over the lake and down to the Rütli.
3. On past Beroldingen castle and down the well-known 960 stone steps to Bauen on the lake (the whole stage measures 9.1 km).
4. By boat back to Brunnen.

There is a more comfortable version: take the boat from Brunnen to Treib and from there the small red Treib–Seelisberg funicular (in service since 1916) up the slope. From Seelisberg you stroll comfortably downhill to the Rütli in about an hour and take the boat back.

Is the visit worthwhile?

Anyone expecting something spectacular should know that the Rütli is deliberately kept very plain. If you have a grand national monument in mind, you are standing here on a meadow. The meaning of the place comes above all through its history: for more than 700 years this piece of land has stood for freedom in the eyes of many Swiss people. Whether that appeals to you depends chiefly on your interest in Swiss history. Together with the boat trip, a detour to Seelisberg and lunch it makes a varied half day in Central Switzerland which, apart from the meal, costs hardly anything if you hold a GA travelcard or a Swiss Travel Pass.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to the Rütli meadow? By scheduled boat you are at the Rütli in about ten minutes from Brunnen; boats also run from Flüelen and Lucerne. From the landing stage you walk a short way up. On foot you can also reach the meadow from Seelisberg. There is no road.

What is there to see at the Rütli? You see the meadow itself, the place of the oath, the Swiss flag and the Rütlihaus inn. Everything is deliberately plain; the place and its history are what matter.

Is there an entrance fee for the Rütli? No, the meadow is freely accessible all year. You only pay for the boat, which is included with the GA travelcard and the Swiss Travel Pass.

How long does a visit to the Rütli take? For the boat trip, the meadow and the return an hour is enough. If you visit Seelisberg or walk a stage of the Swiss Path, you need half a day to a full day.

Did the Rütli oath really take place? The alliance of 1291 is documented by the federal charter in Schwyz. The oath on the meadow, by contrast, moves between history and founding legend. The Charters of Confederation Museum in Schwyz shows this tension vividly.