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Federal Chancellery, e-Government Section

Switzerland 26 times over

Take a look at Switzerland's 26 cantons. You will discover a varied and colourful picture which will help you get to know what is typically Swiss about each canton.

  • Canton Aargau

    AG - Habsburg castle on top of the Wülpelsberg in canton Aargau. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of Aargau holds many surprises, including the former seat of the Habsburg dynasty, the first Swiss capital, a mystical witch’s tower, dinosaurs and the Swiss spa.



  • Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden

    AR - Locals in traditional costume high up in the Alps. Link to the window of the canton.

    Small but growing. Appenzell Ausserrhoden offers a high quality of life and a great holiday destination set in a unique landscape. Guests, families and dynamic companies feel equally at home in an environment that makes every day feel like a holiday.



  • Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden

    AI - Street in Appenzell, the capital of canton Appenzell Innerrhoden. Link to the window of the canton.

    Innerrhoden is renowned well beyond its borders for its independence, creative ideas and its carefully nurtured customs and traditions!



  • Canton of Basel Land

    BL - The renowned cherry trees of Basel Landschaft in blossom. Link to the window of the canton.

    Basel Land, also known as Baselbiet in Switzerland, enchants visitors with its captivating sights and natural beauty spots, as well as its wide selection of culinary specialities and carefully preserved traditions.



  • Canton Basel-Stadt

    BS - The Rhine with Basel cathedral in the background. Link to the window of the canton.

    A rich and wide range of cultural offerings, progressive Innovation, research and education capacities combined with economic dynamism: The canton of Basel-Stadt guarantees its 187,000 inhabitants a high quality of life and ‘savoir vivre’.



  • Canton Bern

    BE - View of the rose garden above Bern's Old Town. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of Bern lies at the heart of Switzerland – at the crossroads between two cultures. It therefore has an important bridging role between the German and French-speaking regions, which is also one of the reasons why the city of Bern was chosen as the country’s capital and its political centre.



  • Canton Fribourg

    FR - Houses in the old town of Fribourg. Link to the window of the canton.

    Fribourg, mon amour… je t'aime pour toujours (Fribourg, my love … I shall love you for ever).



  • Canton Geneva

    GE - Geneva's landmark: the fountain. Link to the window of the canton.

    Geneva, which is well known for the quality of its living conditions, is the canton located furthest to the west in Switzerland.



  • Canton Glarus

    GL - On the way to the Glarus People’s Assembly. Link to the window of the canton.

    What makes Glarus so fascinating? Anyone who has already been there knows what it is. Those who have yet to visit will be impressed by its many facets.



  • Canton Graubünden

    GR - The Rhine originates in canton Graubünden. Link to the window of the canton.

    Graubünden, which is Switzerland’s only tri-lingual canton, is a place of economically, culturally and politically diverse. The Romansh language and culture is an important part of the Graubünden’s character.



  • Canton Jura

    JU - Franches-Montagnes horses are at home on the heights of the Jura. Link to the window of the canton.

    Jura is Switzerland’s youngest canton. It was founded in 1979 as a result of the fierce love of freedom of its inhabitants. It boasts vast stretches of land, horses and fir trees, and small towns with a wealth of history, and offers a high standard of living.



  • Canton Lucerne

    LU - The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne. Link to the window of the canton.

    Between the Alps central plateau, and between mountains, lakes and rivers, canton Lucerne brings together the traditional and the modern, the city and the countryside.



  • Canton of Neuchâtel

    NE - Creux-du-Van in canton Neuchâtel offers a spectacle of nature. Link to the window of the canton.

    From the lake to the ridges of the Jura mountain range, the region of Neuchâtel offers a surprising variety of landscapes.



  • Kanton Nidwalden

    NW - The Hammetschwand lift at the Bürgenstock in canton Nidwalden. Link to the window of the canton.

    Canton Nidwalden - a robust and colourful mix of the traditional and the modern right in the centre of Switzerland



  • Canton Obwalden

    OW - The geographic centre of Switzerland lies in canton Obwalden. Link to the window of the canton.

    Welcome to Canton Obwalden, Switzerland’s geographical centre and home to Switzerland’s first saint.



  • Canton Schaffhausen

    SH - Thundering torrent of water at the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of Schaffhausen is a lively and independent region at the northernmost tip of Switzerland between Zurich and Baden-Württemberg; and it has learnt to portray its smallness as an asset.



  • Canton Schwyz

    SZ - View of the Mythen mountain in canton Schwyz. Link to the window of the canton.

    Tradition, culture, business friendliness, open-mindedness, customs, and quality of life: these are the terms closely associated with canton Schwyz.



  • Canton Solothurn

    SO - St. Ursen Cathedral in the baroque town of Solothurn. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of Solothurn, which is centrally located and easily accessible, forms an island in Switzerland’s central plateau between the large agglomerations of Zurich, Bern and Basel.



  • Canton St. Gallen

    SG - The abbey of St. Gallen. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of St. Gallen offers both a high quality of life and locational advantages including intact natural surroundings and innovative businesses, cultural diversity and first class educational establishments, picturesque towns and urban centres, short commute times and efficient means of transport.



  • Canton Ticino

    TI - In the lanes of Morcote on Lake Lugano. Link to the window of the canton.

    Mild climate, mountains, hills and lakes, varied vegetation (Mediterranean and Alpine), strategic position, Switzerland’s third financial centre, tourist attraction, a Latin country steeped in tradition, architectural and cultural treasures, picturesque villages and large urban centres: this is what canton Ticino is famous for.



  • Canton Thurgau

    TG - On the shores of Lake Constance - the peaceful canton of Thurgau. Link to the window of the canton.

    Canton Thurgau – a discovery. Thurgau with its 230,000 inhabitants lies in the north-eastern corner of Switzerland on the shores of Lake Constance and the Rhine.



  • Canton Uri

    UR - The William Tell monument in Altdorf, the capital of canton Uri. Link to the window of the canton.

    Uri is the place where the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA) disappears into the Gotthard, where a new tourist resort is growing up and where taxes are falling. It is worth more than a fleeting visit!



  • Canton Vaud

    VD - The terraced vineyards of Lavaux on Lake Geneva. Link to the window of the canton.

    Canton Vaud has a central role in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It is well known for its political and financial stability, and is also characterised by its open-mindedness and its generous hospitality. It is the first Swiss canton to have granted women the right to vote in 1959.



  • Canton Valais

    VS - The Matterhorn, Switzerland's most famous peak. Link to the window of the canton.

    The Valais is a privileged spot on earth, boasting a wealth of climatic, geographical, biological and even cultural variations on its territory.



  • Canton of Zurich

    ZH - Winter is banished - burning of the Böög on the Sechsenläuten in Zurich. Link to the window of the canton.

    The canton of Zurich is a canton of contrasts, while also reconciling differences, such as the vibrant city life and the idyllic countryside.



  • Canton Zug

    ZG - The picturesque old town of Zug. Link to the window of the canton.

    Small but fine! Canton Zug excels in its diversity. Zug is not only an attractive location for business, but also offers a wealth of residential and recreation areas with a host of natural and cultural attractions.