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Switserland UNESCO world heritage sites

Aargau canton [capital = Aarau]

Riesi Pile Dwellings in Seengen on Seeweg
The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
Aegelmoos Pile Dwellings in Beinwil am See at Staadmattstrasse 20
Aegelmoos, a Bronze Age lake shore settlement, is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Bern canton [capital = Bern]

Old City of Bern see detail
The buildings in the Old City, dating from a variety of periods, include 15th-century arcades and 16th-century fountains. Most of the medieval town was restored in the 18th century but it has retained its original character.
Lobsigensee Pile Dwellings in Lobsigen at Schiffacher 1
Based on several finds, the site has been dated to the second half of the 4th millennium BC. The first excavation was carried out in 1908, followed by test digs in 1924 and 1953. Starting in the 1950s private collectors found a number of artifacts in Lobsigensee. In 2005 and 2007 the site was explored again. The recent excavations discovered a burnt layer that indicated that at least one of the settlements was destroyed by a fire. The 2005 test borings identified numerous huts or houses.
Ruette Pile Dwellings in Sutz at Seestrasse 6A
The Sutz-Lattrigen–Rutte, named after the nearby von Rutte estate, was occupied during the final neolithic period and contains the remains of several settlements and artifacts from the rise of the Corded Ware culture. There are only a few Corded Ware culture sites in Europe and all the known settlements are in Switzerland. Additionally, the only western Swiss lakeside bell beaker pottery was found at the site.
Vingelz Pile Dwellings in Biel at Neuenburgstrasse 78
The Vingelz / Hafen site is buried under mud near the shore of Lake Biel. It is one of the best preserved sites on the lake and has had minimal research.
Bahnhof Pile Dwellings in Twann-Tuescherz at Im Moos 36
Twann Bahnhof is one of the best dated prehistoric lakeside settlements.
Strandboden Pile Dwellings in Vinelz at Seestrandweg 12
The Standboden site was extensively occupied during the Neolithic period.
Dorfstation Pile Dwellings in Luescherz at Schattenwil 10
The oldest settlement was a neolithic settlement in the Inner Site that has been some-what reliably dated to about 3590/3580 BC by tree rings. The second settlement, the Luescherz culture site, is in the Outer Site. The piles at that site have been dated to be from the period between 2792 and 2709 BC by reliable tree rings.

Freiburg canton [capital = Fribourg]

En Praz des Gueux Pile Dwellings in Noreaz on Le Palon
En Praz des Gueux is the only prehistoric lakeside settlement on the banks of a small lake in the Canton of Fribourg.
Spitz Pile Dwellings in Greng on Seeweg
It was occupied at least three separate times. The village sites are all located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Murten. Before the Jura water correction projects of the 19th century, the peninsula often became an island as the water levels in the lake changed. The earliest settlement was from a Cortaillod culture during the middle Neolithic and was located on the north-west of the peninsula. Some of the timbers from this era have been dendrochronologically dated to 3864-3820 BC. The second settlement was a final Neolithic settlement on the south-eastern part of the peninsula. The final settlement was a Bronze Age village located back on the north-west of the peninsula. The timbers from this site have been dated to 1058 to 954 BC.
Segelboothafen Pile Dwellings in Murten at Ryf 4
The Segelboothafen (sail boat haven/harbour) site is located along the lake shore at the foot of the old town's hill.
Motier I Pile Dwellings in Haut-Vully at Route du Lac 89
It appears to be the site of a Neolithic settlement, based on the discovery of stone axes, but has not been more exactly dated.
Les Greves Pile Dwellings in Gletterens on Chemin de la Plage
The Les Greves site is located about 200 m (660 ft) from the present shoreline.

Geneve canton [capital = Geneva]

Bourg Pile Dwellings in Versoix at Chemin J.-B.-Vandelle 1
The Bourg settlement is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bellerive I Pile Dwellings in Collonge-Bellerive at Chemin du Port-de-Bellerive 38
It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Port Pile Dwellings in Corsier at Quai de Corsier 20
The prehistoric lakeside settlement at Port is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Glarus canton [capital = Glarus]

Tectonic Arena Sardona in Muertschenstock + Gufelstock + Gulderstock + Foostock @
The Glarus thrust is a major thrust fault in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. Along the thrust the Helvetic nappes were thrusted more than 100 km to the north over the external Aarmassif and Infrahelvetic complex. The thrust forms the contact between older (Helvetic) Permo-Triassic rock layers of the Verrucano group and younger (external) Jurassic and Cretaceous limestones and Paleogene flysch and molasse.

Luzern canton [capital = Luzern]

Egolzwil 3 Pile Dwellings in Wauwil on Grosse Moosstrasse
The settlement is considered the oldest in Switzerland.
Halbinsel Pile Dwellings in Sursee at Seestrasse 20
At Zellmoos in the Halbinsel site, the bottom layer is from the Cortaillod culture while there are several Late Bronze Age layers above it. There are three Late Bronze Age layers at Gammainseli.
Seematte Pile Dwellings in Hitzkirch at Seetalstrasse 2
The site covers a strip about 400 m (1,300 ft) long along the northern end of Lake Baldegg.
Kehrsiten Pile Dwellings in Kehrsiten at Spichermatt 15
The prehistoric lakeside settlement at Kehrsiten and the Teller/Palisaden and Schnitzturm, all part of the medieval fortifications are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Graubuenden canton [capital = Chur]

Benedictine Convent of St John in Muestair on Via Maistra
It has Switzerland's greatest series of figurative murals, painted c. A.D. 800, along with Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes.
Rhaetian Railway from Sankt-Moritz to Tirano (Italy) @
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes, brings together two historic railway lines that cross the Swiss Alps through two passes. Opened in 1904, the Albula line in the north western part of the property is 67 km long. It features an impressive set of structures including 42 tunnels and covered galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61 km Bernina pass line features 13 tunnels and galleries and 52 viaducts and bridges.

Neuchatel canton [capital = Neuchatel]

Watchmaking Town Planning in Le Locle + La Chaux-de-Fonds
The site presents outstanding examples of mono-industrial manufacturing-towns which are well preserved and still active. The urban planning of both towns has accommodated the transition from the artisanal production of a cottage industry to the more concentrated factory production of the late 19th and 20th centuries.
La Saunerie + Les Graviers Pile Dwellings in Milvignes at Allee du Port 6 + Place des Perchettes 1
It is home to the La Saunerie and Les Graviers prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements which are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.
L'Abbaye 2 Pile Dwellings in Bevaix at Chemin des Saules 38
The former village at L'Abbaye 2 is about 180 meters (590 ft) from the lake shore and consisted of a number of stilt houses.
Les Argilliez Pile Dwellings in Chez-le-Bart at Chemin de la Greve 17
The remains of the villages are still quite visible underwater and stretch over an area of about 150 m x 50 m (490 ft x 160 ft).
Port-Conty Pile Dwellings in Saint-Aubin-Sauges at Avenue du Lac 25
Port-Conty has two neolithic settlements. The first is a Late Cortaillod or Port-Conty type Cortaillod village. One piece of timber from this site has been dated to 3574. The second village is a Late Horgen village. Five of the piles are from 3160 and 3159, and two piles are from 3064 and 3062.

Sankt Gallen canton [capital = Sankt Gallen]

Abbey in St Gall at Klosterhof 6B
The cathedral and the library are the main features of this remarkable architectural complex, reflecting 12 centuries of continuous activity.
Technikum Pile Dwellings in Rapperswil-Jona on Strandweg
Multiple palisades and a clear visible settlement structure, located on a former island in the Obersee, characterice the Early Bronze Age site dated in the 17th century BC.
Feldbach Pile Dwellings in Rapperswil-Jona at Zuercherstrasse 325
Distinctive house plans and a cultural layer dating from the middle phase of the Corded Ware period, is of particular importance in that multi-phase settlement, commonly named Seegubel.
Tectonic Arena Sardona in Pizol + Zanaihorn + Ringelspitz + Sazmartinshorn + Hangsackgrat + Tristelhorn + Fahnenstock
The area displays an exceptional example of mountain building through continental collision and features excellent geological sections through tectonic thrust, i.e. the process whereby older, deeper rocks are carried onto younger, shallower rocks.

Schaffhausen canton [capital = Schaffhausen]

Weier Pile Dwellings in Thayngen on Hugligrund
The settlements Weier I-III are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Schwyz canton [capital = Schwyz]

Hurden Seefeld Pile Dwellings in Hurden at Hurdnerstrasse 72
The layers are extraordinarily well preserved and hold valuable reserves of research material. Extending over 300 metres (984 ft) to 400 metres (1,312 ft) metres, the settlement is also of great interest due to its function and internal organization on this important transport route crossing the lake.
Hurden Rosshorn Pile Dwellings in Hurden at 9 Seedammstrasse
Freienbach-Hurden Rosshorn provides early evidence of transport routes combined with special metal finds interpreted as sacrificial offerings. The site includes several lake crossings beginning in the Horgen culture. Several Early Bronze Age construction phases have been identified, as well as remains from the Hallstatt culture and Roman era providing dendrochronological dates about periods from which no other sites are known.

Solothurn canton [capital = Solothurn]

Inkwilersee Insel Pile Dwellings in Bolken on Seemoosweg
The Inkwilersee, a paleolithic, neolithic and Bronze Age lake shore settlement, is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Burgaeschisee Ost Pile Dwellings in Seeberg at Hauptstrasse 26
The Burgaeschisee, a prehistoric lake shore settlement, is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Thurgau canton [capital = Frauenfeld]

Insel Werd Pile Dwellings in Eschenz at Insel Werd
Werd Island (a prehistoric lake shore settlement as well as the site of a Roman Vicus and bridge), Freudenfels Castle and the pilgrimage chapel of St. Otmar on Werd Island are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance.
Nussbaumersee Pile Dwellings in Huettwilen at Nussbaumersee
The prehistoric settlement at Nussbaumersee is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Egelsee Pile Dwellings in Gachnang at Im Giebel 3
The prehistoric settlement at Egelsee is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bleiche Pile Dwellings in Arbon at Salwiesenstrasse 8
The Bleiche 2-3 sites are prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements which are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ticino canton [capital = Bellinzona]

Castelgrande in Bellinzona at Salita Castelgrande 18
The walls that separate the three baileys all radiate from the 14th century Terre Nera, which is located in the center of the castle. To the east is a complex of buildings which were part of the old keep in the castle. In the center of the keep is the tallest tower of Castelgrande, the Torre Bianca or White Tower, which dates from the 13th century. Surrounding the Torre Bianca is the palace of the Bishop of Como (mentioned in the 12th century), which may contain masonry from an earlier 10th or 11th century structure. The nearby South Wing, which marks the southern boundary of the castle, was built in two stages during the 13th and 15th centuries on the foundations of an earlier building. To the west of the South Wing is a building that was built as an arsenal during the 19th century, and was fully renovated in the 20th century.
Montebello Castle in Bellinzona at Via Artore 4
It is surrounded by deep moats that protected the walls. The complex is rhomboid in shape and connected to the city walls on the south and north. The castle clearly shows the three stages of construction, with the original central keep surrounded by the 14th century walls which are in turn surrounded by the 15th century walls.
Sasso Corbaro Castle in Bellinzona at Via Sasso Corbaro 44
Unlike the other two castles Sasso Corbaro is not integrated into the city walls. The first part of the castle was the north-eastern tower which was built in 1478 to close a gap in the defenses of the city. In 1479 a small garrison was moved to the tower. During peacetime the tower was used as a prison, though at least one prisoner escaped in 1494. The walls and south-west tower were added later. The castle was struck by lightning multiple times during the 16th and 17th centuries, and by 1900 was falling into ruins.
Monte San Giorgio in Brusino Arsizio @
The pyramid-shaped, wooded mountain of Monte San Giorgio beside Lake Lugano is regarded as the best fossil record of marine life from the Triassic Period (245–230 million years ago). The sequence records life in a tropical lagoon environment, sheltered and partially separated from the open sea by an offshore reef. Diverse marine life flourished within this lagoon, including reptiles, fish, bivalves, ammonites, echinoderms and crustaceans. Because the lagoon was near land, the remains also include land-based fossils of reptiles, insects and plants, resulting in an extremely rich source of fossils.

Valais canton [capital = Sion]

Swiss Alps in Bietschhorn (Baltschieder) + Aletsch Glacier (Fieschertal) + Jungfrau (Lauterbrunnen)
The Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region is the most glaciated part of the European Alps, containing Europe's largest glacier and a range of classic glacial features, and provides an outstanding record of the geological processes that formed the High Alps. A diverse flora and fauna is represented in a range of habitats, and plant colonization in the wake of retreating glaciers provides an outstanding example of plant succession.

Vaud canton [capital = Lausanne]

Petite villa au bord du lac Leman in Corseaux at Route de Lavaux 21
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier exhibits an unprecedented interchange of human values, on a worldwide scale over half a century, in relation to the birth and development of the Modern Movement.
Vineyard Terraces from Corseaux to Lutry @
It is an outstanding example of a centuries-long interaction between people and their environment, developed to optimize local resources so as to produce a highly valued wine that has always been important to the economy.
Les Roseaux + Stations de Morges Pile Dwellings in Morges on Quai Igor-Stravinski
It is home to the Les Roseaux and Stations de Morges prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Baie de Clendy Pile Dwellings in Yverdon-les-Bains at Avenue des Sports 13
The prehistoric settlement at Baie de Clendy is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stations de Concise Pile Dwellings in Concise at Au Chaffard 6
The prehistoric settlement at Stations de Concise is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Corcelettes Les Violes Pile Dwellings in Grandson at Aux Viaules 2
It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Le Marais Pile Dwellings in Yvonand at Chemin des Cerisiers 27
The prehistoric settlement at Le Marais is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Village + La Bessime Pile Dwellings in Chevroux at Batterie du Port 1 + Pres-de-Ronzy 19
The prehistoric settlements at La Bessime and Village are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pointe de Montbec Pile Dwellings in Chabrey on Le Grand Chemin
The prehistoric settlement at Pointe de Montbec I is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chenevieres de Guevaux Pile Dwellings in Mur at Route du Lac 406-414
The prehistoric settlement at Chenevieres de Guevaux I is part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Zug canton [capital = Zug]

Oterswil / Insel Eielen + Riedmatt + Sumpf Pile Dwellings in Zug at Artherstrasse 212 + Riedpark 20 + Zugerstrasse 116
The prehistoric settlements at Oterswil/Insel Eielen, Riedmatt and Sumpf are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Zuerich canton [capital = Zuerich]

Vorder Au Pile Dwellings in Waedenswil at Im Auried
Located on the Au peninsula, the site has yielded special pottery from the transitional period between the Pfyn and Horgen cultures. The Corded Ware settlement phase contained a bell beaker, which allowed to draw conclusions on the links between the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker cultures. Since it has yielded a special type of pottery, the Early Bronze Age settlement phase is also important, and helps trace the distribution of Arbon style pottery in the region during the 17th century BC.
Rorenhaab Pile Dwellings in Meilen at Seestrasse 930
It is one of several sites in a small area illustrating the typical settlement dynamics of a micro-region during the Neolithic. All periods are represented here, usually with several settlement phases, but particularly from the Early Bronze Age interesting are numerous dendrochronological dates, which allow to study the development of this period.
Winkel Pile Dwellings in Erlenbach at Winkelstrasse 13
From the Early Bronze Age (20th/19th centuries BC) numerous finds and ground plans of Corded Ware culture houses are of particular interest. The latter are associated with material from the final phase of the Corded Ware culture marking a hiatus of 600 years until the Early Bronze Age in the period of constructing pile dwellings north of the Alps.
Robenhausen Pile Dwellings in Wetzikon at Aa Lake, Dorfstrasse
Wetzikon - Robenhausen is situated in the Robenhausen wetland between Seegraeben and Kempten covering an area of about 2 square kilometres (1 sq mi).
Storen-Wildsberg Pile Dwellings in Greifensee at Aussichtspunkt, Seestrasse
Characterized is the settlement Storen - Wildsberg, around 1.1 kilometres (1 mi) in the east of Boeschen by a large settlement area on a very steep slope on Greifensee lakeshore.
Enge Alpenquai Pile Dwellings in Zuerich at General-Guisan-Quai 17 + Utoquai
Alpenquai in the city of Zuerich is one of the most important Late Bronze Age lakeside settlements in Central Europe; its huge size and its almost uninterrupted occupation from 1050 BC to 800 BC, rich imports, and the excellent state of preservation of the layers with unique organic finds and architectural elements, mark it as a cultural heritage site of worldwide importance.