While traveling Switzerland and exploring its arts and architecture, one can find many monuments that commemorate the important milestones in Swiss history. Switzerland, situated in the heart of Western Europe, shares much of its history with neighboring countries. The country was forming during many centuries, little by little its regions were merging into one confederation until Switzerland became a centralized federal state in 1848.
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Due to its geographical position Switzerland has always been a good lure for conquerors. Thus 500 BC it was colonized by Celtic tribes, one of which – the Helvetians – settled in midlands, between Lake Geneva and Zurich. Nowadays the term “Helvetia” can be found on postal stamps and coins, reminding the Latin name of “Swiss confederation” – “Confoederatio Helvetica”, as far as Latin was brought to Switzerland by the Romans in 58 BC. These were the Romans who found the main Swiss cities – Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Chur and Lausanne.
About 400 AD the Romans, urged by the Germanic tribes, had to withdraw their troops from their territories north of the Alps. The Burgundians settled in western Switzerland, and the Alamannen conquered the northern part of the country. Here are the origins of French and German in Switzerland. As for Celtic culture, there is no signature of its influence except several geographical names.
One of the sorrowful pages of Swiss history is the Reformation. The spread of Protestantism by Zwingli and Calvin unleashed the war, and the country was split in two fractions – the big cities turned to the new confession while the rural dwellers remained catholic.
In 1798 Switzerland was occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte and returned to its federal structure only in 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon’s army in Russia and at Waterloo.
The 19th-20th centuries were marked by industrial and agricultural development. The political system gained stability and Switzerland became a member of some international organizations as the United Nations with the centre in Geneva. Switzerland also takes part in different scientific program of the European Union.