วันอังคารที่ 14 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2555

Watches of Switzerland

Watches of Switzerland
 
 
 
The official dealer for more Swiss brands than any other UK retailer
  • Audemars Piguet
    Audemars Piguet

    Audemars Piguet is one of the undisputed leviathans of the watchmaking world. The brand started producing mechanical watches in 1875, and has become a master of high-end complications. Today, it’s perhaps most famous for its Royal Oak sports watches. The original was the first recognised luxury watch in stainless steel – an unthinkable proposition in 1972, but now commonplace. That’s the influence of Audemars Piguet – it leads, others follow.
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  • Baume & Mercier
    Baume & Mercier

    Baume & Mercier is one of the brands pioneering ‘affordable luxury’, creating quality Swiss timepieces that don’t cost the earth at its base in the Jura region, one of watchmaking’s historical epicentres. The brand’s collection focuses around four elegant lines: Capeland, Classima, Hampton and Linea. The latter is an innovative range of pieces designed exclusively for ladies that features an ingenious interchangeable strap system.
  • Bell & Ross
    Bell & Ross

    When Bell & Ross recently completed what it calls ‘the evolution of the military watch’. This process began in reverse with the ultra-modern BR 01 collection of square-cased watches over a decade ago, and finished in 2011 with the PW1 pocket watch. Bell & Ross’s military-inspired collections typically feature clear dials and rugged cases, conforming to a practical aesthetic that has become hugely desirable.
  • Blancpain
    Blancpain

    Blancpain is the world’s oldest watch brand. It was founded in 1735 and over nearly three centuries has proved one of the most prolific movement manufacturers, not least of high-end complications. Still a traditional company, Blancpain makes its minute repeaters, carrousels and perpetual calendars on two sites, one of which is a converted farmhouse in the village of Le Brassus, right in the heart of the Swiss watchmaking community.
  • Breitling
    Breitling

    Breitling is one of the original pioneers of the wristwatch chronograph, a complication that has come to define the brand’s collection. Breitling enjoys close links with the world of aviation, both through its collection of aeronautically themed timepieces and through associations with events such as the Reno Air Races. In 2009, Breitling unveiled its own chronograph movement, the Calibre 01, which was followed in 2011 by the Calibre 04.
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  • Cartier
    Cartier

    Ever since it first began crafting fine watches and jewellery back in 1847, Cartier has been a byword for luxury. The Parisian house is also universally revered as the brand that popularised the wristwatch at the turn of the 20th century, with the introduction of the original Santos. Ultimately, the brand stands for desirability – nothing says you’ve made it quite like Cartier.
  • Chanel
    Chanel

    Chanel’s high-end watch collection revolves around the many incarnations of the J12, a watch designed by the brand’s late artistic director Jacques Helleu. Launched in 2000 as a small collection of black and white ceramic mechanicals, it achieved what many watches before it failed to do – fuse the worlds of high fashion and specialist watchmaking in a package that had both broad appeal and horological credibility.
  • Chopard
    Chopard

    It’s been observed that you can gauge glamour and luxury by the celebrity it attracts. If that’s true, there’s no stronger claim to the title of world’s most glamorous watch brand than Chopard’s. Consider the little-known Chopard Oscar Winner’s Club – for the last nine years, every star wearing Chopard at the Academy Awards has walked off with a golden statue.
  • Edox
    Edox

    Edox is an independent watch house based in the Swiss Jura, where its been producing a collection of men’s and ladies’ watches since 1884. Notable achievements include the world’s thinnest calendar movement, which, at 1.4mm thick, has been a record since 1999. Today, the brand’s profile is maintained by sponsorship of the World Rally Championship and backed up by a collection of very reasonably priced watches.
  • IWC
    IWC

    If there’s one thing you can’t fake in the watch industry, it’s heritage. The International Watch Company has been with us since 1868 when Boston watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones planted his watch business in Schaffhausen, starting a business that has brought us some of the most iconic watches in history.
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre
    Jaeger-LeCoultre

    In its long and illustrious history, Jaeger-LeCoultre has produced over 1,000 different in-house calibres, an astonishing record the brand is rightly proud of. Sixty of those calibres (many of them among the most complicated in the world) feature across the contemporary collection, making Jaeger-LeCoultre one of the most prolific of today’s in-house movement manufacturers.
  • Longines
    Longines

    Longines has been one of the pillars of the watch industry since 1832 and is renowned for its mechanical timepieces, not least those in the Master Collection, a stunning range of watches that casts light on the brand’s long and illustrious watchmaking past. Longines is also known for its devotion to all things elegant and offers a vast collection of charming ladies’ timepieces, with lines carrying evocative, sensual names like DolceVita and PrimaLuna.
  • NOMOS Glashütte
    NOMOS Glashütte

    The quiet town of Glashütte is Germany’s watchmaking capital and home to a growing number of luxury watch brands, including NOMOS, a quirky young company making minimal-looking timepieces powered by movements developed in-house at its own manufacture. Nomos, which is Greek for ‘law’, has a growing reputation for offering some of the best-value watches with in-house movements in the world.
  • Omega
    Omega

    One of the giants of watchmaking, Omega enjoys brand recognition all over the world – and on the Moon. The famous Speedmaster Professional ‘Moonwatch’ accompanied the Apollo 11 crew to the Moon in 1969 and became the first and only watch to be worn on the lunar surface. In the process, it became one of the true iconic watch designs. Omega watches are known for their reliability, accuracy, performance and style.
  • Oris
    Oris

    Independently owned Oris will be familiar to Formula 1 fans because of the long-standing relationship it has with Williams F1. The brand’s collection is powered exclusively by mechanical movements – and the automatics are all fired by Oris’s signature red rotor. Ardent Oris followers talk of the incredible value you get from the brand’s timepieces, hence the company strapline, ‘real watches for real people’.
  • Panerai
    Panerai

    Sometimes a watch design comes to life in response to a challenge. When the Royal Italian Navy turned to Panerai in 1936 for a reliable, water-resistant watch, the result was the Radiomir. It was followed by the equally iconic Luminor, which, like the Radiomir, takes its name from the luminescent material Panerai developed to make its watches legible in dark conditions. Today, the Italian styling remains, backed up by Swiss-made movements.
  • Patek Philippe
    Patek Philippe

    Patek Philippe holds the rare distinction of being a deeply horological watch house and also a household name. The independent family company keeps production levels deliberately low to maintain exclusivity and watchmaking standards unstintingly high, even going so far as to introduce its own quality standard – the Patek Philippe Seal – because no other recognised mark of excellence was sufficiently thorough.
  • Rolex
    Rolex

    The leading name in luxury wristwatches, Rolex has been the pre-eminent symbol of performance and prestige for over a century. Headquarted in Geneva, Switzerland, with 28 affiliates worldwide and relying on 4,000 watch-makers in over 100 countries, Rolex continues to expand its long history of achievement and innovation.

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  • TAG Heuer
    TAG Heuer

    Watch brands don’t come much bigger than TAG Heuer – it is one of the most recognised brand names in the world. Part of the reason for this is a long-standing relationship with sports timing – motorsport in particular – but the brand’s success lies in a collection of watches inspired by 150 years of watchmaking history. From the Monaco to the new Monza, TAG Heuer’s catalogue of iconic watch designs just seems to get better with age.
  • U-Boat
    U-Boat

    The story behind U-Boat starts in 1942 with an Italian named Ilvo Fontana, who was asked by the Italian government to create a watch for the country’s navy. Fontana’s designs were overlooked (in favour of Panerai’s) and mothballed for over half a century until they were discovered by his grandson Italo in 1999. Today’s U-Boat watches are all powered by mechanical Swiss movements and are designed with unmistakable Italian flair.
  • Vacheron Constantin
    Vacheron Constantin

    There are older brands than Vacheron Constantin – only a few, mind – but none with a history that stretches back, uninterrupted, over 250 years to 1755. One of the great traditional brands, the Geneva-based company is a specialist movement maker. Many of its in-house calibres carry the prestigious Geneva Seal, one of the ultimate signs of watchmaking quality.
  • Zenith
    Zenith

    Under the leadership of founder Georges Favre-Jacot, Zenith became the first watch house in the world to undertake the many processes of watchmaking ‘under one roof’. That was in 1865. Today, the philosophy remains – current company president Jean-Frédéric Dufour has focussed the brand’s collection around Zenith’s two most celebrated in-house movements, the El Primero chronograph and the ultra-thin Elite.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Switzerland Visa Information

Switzerland Visa Information


Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

For Hotels, Hostels, Car Hire, Jobs and Schools in this country, see the menu options above. See our Travel Forum to create a travel topic and ask questions to fellow travelers.
Who requires a visa?

Switzerland has joined Schengen zone and became 25-th country – the participant of visa-free moving agreement. Under the Schengen agreement, transiting from one country to another within the Schengen area is done without border controls. The current Schengen area is composed of the following countries – Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.


Visa required for the airport transit
Citizens of the following states are required to hold an airport visa:
• Afghanistan 
• Angola 
• Bangladesh 
• Cameroon 
• Congo (dem. Republic) 
• Eritrea 
• Ethiopia 
• Ghana 
• Guinea 
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Lebanon
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Turkey



Visa is required for stays up to 3 months (90 days) by the nationals of the following countries:

Afghanian 
Algeria 
Angola 
Armenia 
Azerbaijan 
Bahrain 
Bangladesh 
Belarus 
Belize 
Benin 
Bhutan 
Bolivia 
Botswana 
Burkina Faso 
Burundi 
Cambodia 
Cameroon 
Cape Verde 
Central African Republic 
Chad 
China 
Colombia 
Comoros 
Congo (Brazzaville) 
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Côte d’Ivoire 
Cuba 
Djibouti 
Dominica 
Dominican Republic 
Ecuador 
Egypt 
Equatorial Guinea 
Eritrea 
Ethiopia 
Fiji 
Gabon 
Gambia
Georgia 
Ghana 
Grenada 
Guinea 
Guinea-Bissau 
Guyana
Haiti 
Hong Kong*
India 
Indonesia 
Iran 
Iraq 
Jamaika 
Jordan 
Kazakhan 
Kenya 
Kiribati 
Kosovo
Kuwait 
Kyrgyzan 
Laos 
Lebanon 
Lesotho 
Liberia 
Libya 
Macao 
Madagascar 
Malawi 
Maldives 
Mali 
Marshall Islands 
Mauretania 
Micronesia 
Moldova 
Mongolia 
Morocco 
Mozambique 
Myanmar (Burma) 
Namibia 
Nauru
Nepal 
Niger 
Nigeria 
Northern Mariana Islands 
North Korea 
Oman 
Pakistan
Palau 
Palestine
Papua New Guinea 
Peru 
Philippines 
Qatar 
Russia 
Rwanda 
Saint Lucia 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Salomon Islands 
Sambia 
Samoa (West) 
Sao Tomé and Principe 
Saudi Arabia 
Senegal 
Sierra Leone 
Somalia 
South Africa
South Korea 
Sri Lanka 
Sudan 
Surinam 
Swaziland 
Syria 
Tadjikian 
Tansania 
Thailand 
Timor-Leste 
Togo 
Tonga 
Trinad and Tobago 
Tunesia 
Turkey
Turkmenian 
Tuvalu 
Uganda 
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uzekistan 
Vanuatu (New Hebres) 
Vietnam Yemen 
Zimbabwe


* The following documents are valid for entry into Switzerland:

• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region People’s Republic of China Passport (HKSAR Passport); visaexemption – V1
• Hong Kong British National Overseas Passport (BNO Passport); visa exemption – V1
• Hong Kong Certificate of Identity; obligation to hold a visa – V
• Document of Identity for visa purposes containing under the heading “nationality” the entry “Chinese.” In this case, the document is a Chinese passport. (If holder’s nationality is not mentioned, the document is not valid for entry intoSwitzerland.); obligation to hold a visa – V
(The “Hong Kong British Dependent Territories Citizens Passport” is not valid anymore for entry into Switzerland.)



What documents will be required?
For student visas, the following documents are required:
1. 3 copies of completed application form.
2. 4 passport-size photographs (undamaged and of recent date).
3. Passport or travel document valid for at least 3 months after intended visit.
4. 3 copies of the passport including the signature page. 
5. Return/onward ticket and visa for next country of destination if required.
6. Proof of sufficient funds in the form of a recent bank statement.



Note: 
1. The visa application must be submitted to the Swiss Embassy/Consulate covering your place of residence.
2. You must be in possession of sufficient financial means to cover your cost of living in Switzerland.
3. The Swiss Embassy/Consulate may demand a declaration of guarantee.
4. You may not take up employment during your stay in Switzerland without the required permit nor take up studies exceeding a period of three months.
5. A student permit is valid for the length of the study period.



Residence permits are awarded to students who wish to study in Switzerland under the following conditions:
a. The applicant is coming to Switzerland alone
b. The applicant wants to attend a university or some other institution of higher learning
c. The program of studies is fixed
d. The institution attests in writing that the applicant has been accepted for studies
e. The applicant proves necessary financial means
f. The applicant guarantees departure from Switzerland at the end of studies.



Formalities to complete in Switzerland for all foreign students:
1. You must present yourself within ten days of arrival to the appropriate in the town where you will be living with the following documents:
i. Passport (with student visa, if required)
ii. Statement of arrival provided by the bureau of foreigners
iii. Student questionnaire provided by the bureau of foreigners
iv. Proof of acceptance from the school
v. 1 recent passport-style photo
vi. Proof of financial means for the duration of studies, or
vii. Proof of Swiss or foreign financial aid, with the amount indicated, or
viii. Guarantee from parents (form available from the bureau of foreigners). This must be completed by the father or mother, certified by local authorities, and accompanied by a permanent wire transfer order, or
ix. Guarantee from a third party (form available from the bureau of foreigners). The guarantor must live in Switzerlandand prove sufficient financial means for the student’s upkeep. The guarantor’s signature must be notarized by the local authorities.
x. The request for a residence permit will not be processed until all documents are submitted. Cost of residence permit is for 1 semester 15 to 22 ($US), for 2 semesters 18 to 25 ($US)

2. After matriculating in the university, you must pay fees for the first semester. You will not be definitively registered until you have done this and received the receipt by post. With this receipt, you must visit the town authorities a second time to prove that you are officially registered in the university.


Time required to issue a visa:
The procedure usually takes between 6–8 weeks, sometimes longer, depending on the season. We therefore recommend you submit your application as early as possible.



What is the cost of a visa?
Visa application fee in cash or postal orders: 
£50.00, adults
£30.00, children aged 6-12
£30.00, nationals of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
There is no visa fee for the following applicants:
– minors under the age of 6 years
– school pupils, students and accompanying teachers on study or educational trips
– Researchers
– spouses and children of EU nationals
Proof of relationship is required (original passport of EU spouse or children and original birth certificate/s of child/ren or marriage certificate). Documents not in English, German, French or Italian require a certified translation. Photocopies of documents are also required. All fees are non-refundable and will not be refunded if your visaapplication is not successful.



How long is the visa valid for?
A student permit is valid for the length of the study period.

Visitor visa is valid for up to 3 months.
Transit and airport transit visas are issued to nationals wishing to pass through Switzerland or continuing on a connecting flight to another country.Holders of transit visas must leave Switzerland within 24 hours of arrival and holders of airport transit visas must continue their journey within 48 hours.


Other information:
I would like to extend my visa. What must I do?
Based on the prevailing division of competence between the Federal Government and the cantons, the cantonal authorities are responsible for the extension of visas or the granting of aliens police residence permits. For this reason, we ask you to address your enquiry directly to the cantonal migration authorities responsible for your place of residence.
Please note that, in general, you are only permitted to stay in Switzerland for a maximum of 3 months within any 6 month period.



I have to send a letter of invitation. What format should I use, is there an official form?
You do not need a special form for the letter of invitation. However, the letter should contain the reason for, and the length of, the stay as well as details about who is financing the stay in Switzerland.



I have to submit a sponsorship declaration. Where can I find the form?
You will be given the sponsorship declaration form (formerly declaration of guarantee) at the Swiss representation when you present your visa application (provided a guarantee is considered necessary).



What documents must I present when applying for a visa?
Please contact the Swiss representation abroad responsible for your place of residence for detailed information.



I recently visited Switzerland on a visa. When may I return, what is the maximum length of time I can stay in Switzerland as a visitor?The duration of visits is limited to a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period, i.e. a total of 180 days within the course of a year. There must be an interruption of at least one month between two stays of 90 days. Shorter stays also marked in the visa remain reserved. There is, however, no automatic right to a visa.


My passport soon expires. Can I still use it to enter / leave Switzerland?
Please check the visa regulations for your nationality. If no specific information is indicated, your passport must simply be valid for the duration of your stay.



I would like to extend my visa. What must I do?
Based on the prevailing division of competence between the Federal Government and the cantons, the cantonal authorities are responsible for the extension of visas or the granting of aliens police residence permits. For this reason, we ask you to address your enquiry directly to the cantonal migration authorities responsible for your place of residence.



I have a Schengen visa. Do I also need a visa for Switzerland?
Before the entry into force of the Agreement between Switzerland and the EU Member States (probably not until December 2008 at the earliest), a Schengen visa does not entitle you to enter Switzerland. Thus you will need a visafor entry to Switzerland.


Exceptions: Holders of a valid passport and a valid Schengen visa from the following countries may enterSwitzerland without a separate visa: Taiwan, Thailand, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi-Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

Persons with a valid residence permit from Great Britain, Ireland, Canada or a Green Card from the USA require avisa for Switzerland.


I am travelling in Europe and would like to go on a trip to Switzerland. How can I get a visa?
As a rule, visa applications have to be filed at the Swiss representation responsible for your place of residence. Should this be impossible, please contact the nearest Swiss representation. There is, however, no automatic right toa visa.



I would like to travel through Switzerland during my journey by car. Do I need a visa?
There are no exceptional provisions for transit through Switzerland by car. The usual visa regulations apply.



Work Visa
If your employer has applied for your work permit in Switzerland and it has been granted, you still must apply for avisa to enter Switzerland with the competent Swiss representation abroad.

To apply for the visa, you must submit the following documents to the competent Swiss representation:
One national (type D) visa application form, fully completed and signed by the applicant. For stays up to 3 months or authorisations for a 120 day visa, the regular Schengen visa application form should be used. Applications which are not duly completed, dated and signed will not be accepted. Please also indicate your e-mail address and a contact phone number in case additional information is required.
Two passport photos per applicant (very strict requirements, please consult the details on the webpage)
Applicant’s valid original passport, plus a copy
Visa fee (only money order or cash)
If applying by mail: one prepaid, self-addressed, return envelope with a tracking number



Embassy contact information:
Please contact the 
nearest Swiss embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enterSwitzerland.
French Schools in Switzerland, Business & Hotel Management School, Culinary School, MBA


Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user’s sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
– Swiss Visa VFS Global – URL: http://ch.vfsglobal.co.uk
– Federal Office for Migration, Switzerland – URL: www.bfm.admin.ch
– Varsity Admission – URL: www.varsityadmission.com

The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user’s own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Culture of Switzerland

Culture of Switzerland
 
Strong regionalism in Switzerland makes it difficult to speak of a homogeneous Swiss culture. The influence ofGerman, French and Italian culture on their neighbouring parts cannot be denied. The Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is robust.
File:Telldenkmal.jpg
 
Folk arts
 
Folk art is kept alive in organizations all over the country. In Switzerland it is mostly expressed in music, dance,poetry, wood carving and embroidery. There is also a great number of regional and local rites demarcating times of the year. Yodeling, despite being stereotypical for Switzerland, is not widely spread and is limited to some mountain areas. The same is true for the accordion, which is sometimes called by the name Schwiizerörgeli, implying that it was a Swiss musical instrument, rather than the German Handorgel.
The alphorn, sometimes called the alpenhorn, is a trumpet- like musical instrument made of wood. It is thought to have the perfect form for a musical wind instrument. The use of the alphorn is seen mainly in mountainous regions, can be very popular in some areas, and like yodeling or the accordion, it has become an epitome of traditional Swiss music.
The melodies of folk music vary between regions. Generally those in pastoral areas are floating and wide-ranging. In the inner and southern Alps, however, the melodies are more songlike, and of more limited range. Common and popular themes are about love and the homeland, but patriotic and pastoral themes, as well as hunting themes, are also commonplace.

Alphorn concert on the Swiss National Day
The Alpine folk culture is characterized by very expressive dances. Small musical ensembles can be found in the more mountainous areas, particularly in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
The most common form of woodcarving is chip carving. Such carving is normally for the decoration of everyday objects, such as milk stools, neckbands for bells, wooden spoons,, or walking sticks. Figure carving is also common, particularly of Nativity figures. In some areas, the façades of houses are richly decorated using woodcarving. This is widespread in the Bernese Oberland region where Protestant Christianity predominates. In Roman Catholic regions, this is far less common.
Embroidery is common on traditional clothing, particularly women's clothing. Embroidery is often limited to prominent points, such as cuffs, hats and scarves. Embroidery is also used for the decoration of fabric. In the past, embroidery was a home industry in the northeast and the east of Switzerland. In recent days, embroidery is confined to tourism, as traditional clothes are no longer in use.
On certain autumn nights, children's processions with lanterns are common in Alemannic Switzerland. Lanterns (called Rääbeliechtli "turnip light") are hand-carved from root vegetables, generally turnips, by removing the interior and putting a candle inside. The Rääbeliechtli is carved with designs, such as the traditional sun, moon and stars. The lantern is then suspended by three chains. The children walk through the streets of their town with the lanterns and sing traditional songs. The custom originates with thanksgiving traditions at the end of harvest in November.

 

Architecture

 


There is a strong architectural tradition in Switzerland. The Romanesque style of the 12th century can be found in the cathedrals of Basel, Sion, Chur, Geneva and Lausanne. This style, which is rich in expression, can also be found on many castles and fortresses around the country, many of which preserved in a good condition. The cathedrals ofSchaffhausen, Zug and Zürich are of the Gothic style, and the churches of Einsiedeln and St. Gallen are of Baroque style. During the Renaissance, a large number of architectural masters gave their talents to Italy. Most of these came from the southern canton of Ticino. The Prisons near the Doge's Palace in Venice and the Rialto Bridge in Venicewere built by Antonio da Ponte. The Bridge of Sighs in Venice was built by Antonio Contino, and Domenico Fontana(1543–1607) designed the entire Lateran Palace in Naples as well as the facade of the St. John Lateran Churchand the Royal Palace in the same city. Fontana's nephew Carlo Maderno was an architect to Pope Paul V. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, the gallery of the Palazzo Spada and the Filippini monastery were built by Francesco Borromini, and Carlo Fontana was responsible for the facade of San Marcello al Corso and the Montecitorio Palace; Baldassare Longhena, from Maroggia, built the church of Santa Maria della Salute, the Rezzonico and theWidmann palaces; all in Venice.


Old wooden houses in Zinal
Giliardi and Oldelli families from Ticino set up architecture practices in Russia. Giovanni Giliardi built The Orphanage in Moscow, and his son Domenico Giliardi was in charge of the rebuilding Moscow public buildings, including the University, after the Great Fire of 1812. Domenico Trezzini built many places in St. Petersburg by the orders of Peter the Great; Pietro Trezzini (not related to Domenico) continued the tradition in 1740s. Le Corbusier(Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) was probably the most creative Swiss architectural export in the 20th century. He was the driving force behind the International school of architecture that heavily influenced almost every trend in buildings throughout the entire Western hemisphere in the recent past.
Distinctive architecture of high quality can be found around Switzerland. It is often considered as particularly innovative modern architecture. Mario Botta is a famous architect who influenced modern architecture. The architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron from Basel in the north of Switzerland have enjoyed fame in recent years, such as through the building of Tate Modern in London.

 

Visual arts

See also: Swiss Style
In the 16th century Protestantism had a strong influence on visual arts in Switzerland. Samuel Hieronymus Grimmwas a well-known 18th-century watercolourist and ink wash artist, although he created much of his notable work while in England. There was almost no influence from Italian or French Renaissance. Chiefly in modern times did Swiss artists begin to emerge internationally. Alberto Giacometti is said to have derived much of his inspiration from theEtruscans, but became internationally known. Jean Tinguely fascinated people from all over the world with complex moving sculptures constructed entirely from scrap materials. Paul Klee is sometimes regarded as Switzerland's most original and impressive painter.
The Dada movement originated in Switzerland during the 1910s.
Despite the relatively small number of internationally famous artists, there are considerable art collections in renowned museums around Switzerland. These are not only found in the cities of Zürich, Basel and Geneva but also in smaller towns such as Schaffhausen, Martigny and Winterthur. The museums in the smaller towns pride themselves for their contribution to the arts, which exceed what is commonly found in provincial areas.
Graphic arts flourish in Switzerland, as does creative photography. Examples of this can be found on calendars, magazines and outdoor billboard advertisements.


Literature

 

Main article: Swiss literature
In the field of literature Switzerland produced a number of very well known writers. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was fromGeneva. The critic and historian Jacob Burckhardt was from Basel. The house of Germaine de Staël in Coppet was a centre of European literary life during the 18th century. Other writers include Gottfried Keller, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Jeremias Gotthelf and Charles Ferdinand Ramuz. Hermann Hesse and Carl Spitteler both won a Nobel Prizefor their works.
In the 20th century the plays of Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Max Frisch impressed readers beyond the borders of Switzerland. There are a great number of regional dialects, especially in the German language. Even though standard German is commonly used for writing, there is a living dialect literature in many areas.
For children's culture there is the cartoon character Globi.

 Music

 

Main article: Music of Switzerland
Switzerland is not commonly considered a leading musical nation. However, in the 20th century it produced a number of composers, such as Arthur Honegger, Othmar Schoeck and Frank Martin, all of whom have gained international renown. In Lucerne, the annual Lucerne Festival[3] of international music takes place. Other places have similar festivals, ranging from country and western to pop and jazz. The Montreux Jazz Festival is particularly well known.

Media

Main article: Media of Switzerland
Newspapers have a strong regional character, but some are renowned for their thorough coverage of international issues, such as the Neue Zürcher Zeitung of Zürich and Le Temps of Geneva. As elsewhere, television plays a great role in modern cultural life in Switzerland. The national public broadcaster, SRG SSR idée suisse, offers three networks, one each for the German, French and Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. In the German-speaking part, television from Germany is popular, as is television from France in the French-speaking part and television from Italy in the Italian-speaking part. American movies and television series are influential in all areas.
In film, American productions constitute most of the programme, although several Swiss movies have enjoyed commercial successes in recent years. Maybe due to the multilingual culture, almost all movie theatres play movies in their original language with subtitles, and films on television are often broadcast in original and synchronized versions.

Science

There has been a long tradition of Swiss scientists ever since Paracelsus (real name Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim). Paracelsus introduced the field of chemistry into medicine in the 16th century. The Bernoulli family from Basel is known for their significant contributions to mathematics over a time span of three generations.Leonhard Euler is another innovative mathematician. Horace-Bénédict de Saussure was a naturalist and pioneer in Alpine studies. The Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich has produced a great number of Nobel Prize winners.Ferdinand de Saussure was an important contributor to the field of linguistics. Physicist Albert Einstein, born in Germany, moved to Switzerland in 1895 at the age of 16 and became a Swiss citizen in 1901.

 

Leisure

 

Main article: Sport in Switzerland
Common hiking signs
The close proximity to the mountains in all areas in Switzerland has greatly influenced the leisure of Swiss people. The growth of ski and mountaineering resorts in the Swiss mountains have caused the Swiss to become very sports conscious. Apart from skiing and mountaineering, Swiss-style wrestling (Schwingen) is still popular in rural areas. Sunday-morning shooting sessions and Hornussen (a kind of Alpine baseball) are two other traditional Swiss sports.Shooting, Tennis, golf, ice hockey, football (soccer), basketball, handball, gliding, paragliding, sailing, swimming,volleyball, floorball, mountain biking and hiking in the forests and mountains are all popular pastimes. Fishing is commonplace in the many lakes and rivers, but often a licence is necessary. Many mountain lakes freeze over during winter and are used for curling, horse and dog racing, particularly around St. Moritz.

 

 Cultural World Heritage Sites

 

See also

 

 

 References

 

  1. ^ The Legend of William Tell geschichte-schweiz.ch. Retrieved on 2009-06-24
  2. ^ Plättner, Anya (15 November 2006). "Rääbeliechtli, wo gaasch hii?". Fricktal24.ch.http://www.fricktal24.ch/Jugend.103+M5c40cd5d609.0.html. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  3. ^ Lucerne Festival

 

 External links