Aug 01, 2019
Switzerland National Day 2019
This Doodle’s Key Themes
As multicultural people with no fewer than four national languages, the Swiss refer to their August 1st holiday by many names: Schweizer Bundesfeiertag (German), Fête Nationale Suisse (French), Festa Nazionale Svizzera (Italian), and Fiasta naziunala Svizra (Romansh).
Today’s Doodle celebrates Switzerland’s National Day, a commemoration of the 1291 alliance between the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden, resulting in the Swiss Federation. This historic pact is now regarded as the birth of modern Switzerland. The Schwyz coat of arms—a white cross within a field of red—eventually became the nation’s flag, as depicted in the Doodle art.
Many Swiss citizens start the holiday by visiting a farm for a traditional farmer’s brunch of Müsli cereal, eggs, and potato cakes or Rösti. Official festivities include concerts, cultural presentations, speeches, and fireworks in major cities like Zürich, Basel, Geneva, Bern, and Lugano. Some bakeries prepare special rolls called Zopf, and church bells in Switzerland ring in unison at 8 o’clock in the evening.
Special ceremonies take place at the Rütli Meadows by Lake Lucerne, where the Swiss Confederation is said to have been founded. On hills and other high ground around Switzerland, bonfires are lit while children carry paper lanterns through the streets.
Bonne fête nationale!
Frohen Bundesfeiertag!
Buona festa nazionale!
Buna Fiasta naziunala!
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