Aug 01, 2023
Switzerland National Day 2023
Today’s Doodle celebrates Switzerland’s National Day, a day when people from all 26 cantons (or districts) come together to honor the country’s history and culture. On this day in 1291, the three cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter and formed an alliance that promised unity against outsiders.
Exactly 600 years later, the historic pact was celebrated for the first time, in 1899, and has been an annual observance ever since. Festivities often start with a traditional farmers brunch offered by many local farmers on their estates to be continued by political speeches and a gathering on the “Rütli” Meadow where it's said that the confederates took their oath that formed the historic alliance. At night, bonfires on the many mountaintops and fireworks enlighten the sky.
Swiss flags, like the one waving in today’s Doodle, are flown across the country and even sit atop special bread rolls called zopf.
Happy National Day, Switzerland!
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