| Brunnen-Mändl |  |
| On the Hauptplatz (main square), a hexagonal fountain has a medieval knight on its shaft. Curiously, we found no information about this fountain, apart from its name. As a lion's head, the emblem of the Habsburgs, lies at the foot of the soldier, one can assume that the Mändl fountain symbolises the victories of the first Confederates over the Austrian Empire... |
| Chapel Entrance | |
| On the way down to the northern door of St. Martin's Church, we pass the entrance to the beautiful Heiligkreuzkapelle, where we will of course take a look. |
| Church of St. Martin (1) | |
| You will know at a glance that St. Martin's is a Catholic church. The richness of the decoration is particularly ostentatious and the pulpit, among other things, is a real work of art. |
| Church of St. Martin (2) | |
| The Catholic Church of St. Martin, built between 1769 and 1774, is in the late Baroque style with classical elements. It is the seventh religious building to be built on this site and is a listed monument. It is dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, who also became the patron saint of the entire Schwyz region. In the first half of the 8th century, when the first church was built, Martin was the patron saint of the Frankish kingdom, of which Schwyz had been a part. |
| Hauptplatz (1) | |
| View of Schwyz's main square, the Catholic church of St. Martin and the peaks of the two Mythen. One can only dream of a square completely free of cars, which clutter up the landscape... |
| Hauptplatz (2) | |
| Two of the façades of the Town Hall are covered with paintings depicting historical scenes such as the Battle of Morgarten. These paintings only date from the end of the 19th century, but the building itself is much older. The building was first mentioned in 1314, was destroyed by fire in 1642 and rebuilt on its burnt walls, way too fragile. So it had to be completely rebuilt in 1777. |
| Heiligkreuzkapelle | |
| According to historical records, the cross of this chapel, which is covered only with wood, survived the great fire of 1642 without damage, which destroyed 47 buildings, including the large church next door. |
| Hirzengasse | |
| At the bottom of the Hirzengasse, you will find the stairs leading up to the church parvis, a map and signs for hiking. At the top of the Hirzengasse, turn right and follow Rickenbachstrasse to go to Ital Reding estate. |
| Ital Reding Hofstatt | |
| At the back of the courtyard stands the Ital Reding house, dominated by the two Mythen, the symbol of the canton of Schwyz, which rise to 1898 and 1811 metres. On the right we see the façade of the Bethlehem House, built in 1287, making it the oldest wooden house in Europe. It has been converted into a museum and is said to be worth a visit. |
| Ital Reding House | |
| This former manor is located near the heart of the old town and was built in 1609. Today, its wall houses a museum and the cantonal library. The site is also used for events and a visit is not to be missed, as the whole complex is an architectural marvel that evokes fairy tales. |
| Kerchel | |
| The Kerchel was built between 1517 and 1518 and was spared by the village fire in 1642. Its crypt-like lower room, divided into two naves by two pillars, has distemper paintings dating from the time of its construction in the vault calottes above the choir. |
| Metzghofstatt | |
| Opening onto Strehlgasse, right next to the town hall, the Metzghofstatt probably takes its name from the local butcher's shop (Landesmetzg) which was housed in the 13th century tower at the bottom of this small square until 1642. |
| Passage to St Martin | |
| The building on the left is the Kerchel, a 16th-century ossuary, topped by the Michaelskapelle. This ossuary probably stood in the same place before and may have been part of the Romanesque church of 1121. The chapel on the right is the Heiligkreuzkapelle. Both of these old buildings were spared from the fire that ravaged Schwyz in 1642. |
| Pfarrgasse | |
| If you want to know more about Switzerland, its founding myths and its entire history, follow this alley and you will arrive at the Forum of Swiss History, a branch of the Swiss National Museum, a museum network which also includes the Landesmuseum in Zurich and the Castle of Prangins near Nyon, between Geneva and Lausanne. |
| Rathaus | |
| Classified as a Swiss cultural asset of national importance, the Schwyz Town Hall stands on the main square of the old town, which is unfortunately largely occupied by a car park that spoils the show. A pity, because the Hauptplatz is one of the most beautiful baroque squares in Switzerland. |
| Rickenbachstrasse (1) | |
| On the left, Hirzengasse leads directly down to the main square (Hauptplatz). A little further on, Rickenbachstrasse becomes Schulgasse, where we'll take a passageway down to St. Martin's Church. |
| Rickenbachstrasse (2) | |
| On the road to the neighbouring village of Rickenbach, you will see the entrance to the Ital Reding Hofstatt, a former manor house from the 17th century. Here you will find a museum, the cantonal library, a beautiful park and the oldest house in Switzerland. |
| Schulgasse | |
| At the bottom of Riedstrasse, behind the Michaelskapelle, Rickenbachstrasse continues into Schulgasse. A few steps further on, a passageway opens up on the left, leading down to St. Martin's Church, which we will cross to reach the Hauptplatz (main square). |
| St. Martin North Entrance | |
| Our virtual stroll of course visits this richly ornamented Catholic church, where we will enter through the north door before emerging on the other side to admire the view of Schwyz's main square and its painted town hall. |
| St. Martin Parvis | |
| The best view of the main square and the amazing Schwyz town hall can be had from here. As the Hauptplatz also serves as a car park, the view from the square is a bit spoiled! |
| St. Martin South Entrance | |
| The southern entrance to the church is on a long parvis overlooking the Hauptplatz (main square) and the Town Hall. For a good view of the square, walk along the church to the right of the door. |
| Treasure Tower | |
| The Archivturm (Archives Tower), built in 1200, is also known as Schatzturm (Treasure Tower) because since the 15th century it has housed the "Land Freedoms", documents which are now kept in the Federal Charter Museum. Today, the tower is an annex of the museum and serves as a medieval writing workshop where students can write a document on parchment paper with ink and a quill pen and seal it with a copy of the oldest seal in Schwyz. |
