The "Area for the Swiss Abroad“ in Brunnen belongs to the over 776,000 Swiss living abroad. It symbolises their connection with their home country.
The “Area for the Swiss Abroad” is one of the few remaining monuments of the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation in 1991. It marks the final section of the “Swiss path”, a hiking path around Lake Uri, where every Canton is represented by a stretch of the track. The square shows the affiliation of the Swiss abroad to their home country.
The “Area for the Swiss Abroad” was handed over to the public on May 4, 1991, by the Swiss Federal Council Jean-Pascal Delamuraz. It was one of the main locations during the Swiss festivities of the 700th anniversary. In August 1991 it accommodated the beautiful marquee built by the famous architect Mario Botta. On August 1, 1991, the entire Federal Council of Switzerland marked its presence there as guests of the Swiss living abroad.
The legal owner of the square is the foundation “Auslandschweizerplatz Brunnen” founded in 1988. Members of the foundation are the Confederation of Switzerland, the Canton Schwyz, the Schwyz District, the community of Ingenbohl-Brunnen, the Schwyzer Kantonalbank as well as the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) which all provide members to the foundation board.
Donations made by Swiss citizens living abroad as well as significant financial assistance from the Confederation made it possible to acquire the 5400 square metre area. The granite donor board at the entrance of the square commemorates the generous contributors from Switzerland and from abroad.
The “Area for the Swiss Abroad” is being used as a park and attracts a vast number of visitors every year. Twenty large scale presentation boards were inaugurated in 2005 which inform the public of the diverse Swiss diaspora and the close relations existing between our fellow countrymen all over the world to Switzerland.
The “Area for the Swiss Abroad” often hosts public and private events. It may be rented for different events.
Reservation of the square. vermietung@auslandschweizerplatz.ch
