Swiss Stories

Mujinga Kambundji

How high will Switzerland climb up Tokyo’s Mount Olympus?

Society

On 31 July 1996, 25 years ago, Pascal Richard from Vaud won the holy grail of medals, becoming the Olympic cycling champion in Atlanta.

by Bertrand Monnard

Le Rhône

Enchanted Swiss waters

History
Lakes are deeply mysterious and provide the setting for an array of ancient tales. Lakes are steeped in myth, symbolising unknown realms. They are said to have purifying or life-giving powers.
swiss chocolate

Six reasons why Swiss chocolate is such a success

History
Exemplifying Switzerland’s capacity for innovation as well as its sense of tradition, chocolate is a source of pride for the country and contributes to its image throughout the world. But why is it such a success? Here are six reasons why.

by Tatiana Tissot

Federal Palace

Everything you need to know about the Swiss presidency

Society
If you have never lived in Switzerland, you may not be familiar with the intricacies of our political system. Our system, which is federal in nature and based on semi-direct democracy, is often described as unique. Switzerland is a federal state with three political levels: the federal government, the 26 cantons and almost 2,000 communes across the country.
CaSSIS

CaSSIS, a Swiss-made Mars camera

Science & Education
A Swiss-made device has been orbiting and photographing Mars since 2018. It has obtained over 30,000 images to date. Developed by a team at the University of Bern, the CaSSIS camera system has sent spectacular images of Mars that have created a global sensation.
Horse-drawn carriage

Across the Gotthard on foot and by train

Environment
Today's travellers have different ways of getting from one side of the Gotthard Massif to the other: they can either follow the old Gotthard Pass road, as our forebears did, or they can travel through the world's longest tunnel, the new Gotthard Tunnel.
Riverside bar scene, Lucerne (hi-res). Credit: © Simon Conway

Swiss Craft Beer Boom

History
Switzerland is famous for many things and now its burgeoning beer scene is beginning to gain recognition. The demise of the beer cartel at the end of the twentieth century opened up the industry and provided the space for Swiss brewers to create and flourish. They have responded by establishing breweries and microbreweries in unprecedented numbers and Switzerland has emerged as a major contributor to the ever-swelling European craft beer wave.