Swiss National Day 2026

About Swiss National Day

Swiss National Day is celebrated every year on August 1, the anniversary of the Federal Charter of 1291, the alliance of the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden that is regarded as the founding act of the Swiss Confederation. Across the country, the evening is marked by bonfires on hillsides, fireworks over lakes, lantern parades, and speeches that reflect on the country's unusual history of confederation.

The most famous ceremony takes place on the Rütli meadow above Lake Lucerne, where legend says the three cantons swore their oath; a public address given there is broadcast nationwide each year. Towns and villages hold their own observances, from small community bonfires to large festivals with brass music, and Swiss communities abroad organize celebrations of their own.

The holiday became an official nationwide public holiday only in 1994, after a national referendum, even though people had marked August 1 informally for decades. Today it blends patriotic ritual with summer conviviality: grilling by the lake, hiking, and watching firelight glow on the mountains.

When is Swiss National Day?

History of Swiss National Day

The date chosen for Switzerland's national day is rooted in the Federal Charter of 1291, a pact of mutual assistance among Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden that was rediscovered in the eighteenth century and embraced as the confederation's birth certificate. August 1 was selected in 1889, and the first major nationwide celebration followed in 1891, six hundred years after the charter. Through the twentieth century, observance grew steadily, with the Rütli speech, broadcast addresses, and widespread bonfires that echoed the legend of signal fires on the peaks. After a national referendum, the Swiss people approved making August 1 an official paid public holiday in a 1993 vote that took effect in 1994. Modern celebrations add fireworks displays over lakes, municipal ceremonies, and naturalization events, since many cantons schedule new citizens' swearing-in on the national day.

How to Celebrate Swiss National Day

• ✦ Attend a village bonfire or fireworks display and join the community singing and lantern parade.
• ✦ Watch the Rütli speech broadcast on Swiss television or streamed online.
• ✦ Hike to a viewpoint and look for the chain of bonfires lit across the hills after dark.
• ✦ Host an August 1 grill with Swiss cheese, rösti, and chocolate for dessert.
• ✦ Read the Federal Charter of 1291 — it is only a few lines long.