Zug

On 5 July 1887, a catastrophic shore collapse struck the Vorstadt district of Zug. Eleven people died, 35 buildings were destroyed, and approximately 650 people were left homeless. A bay roughly 150 metres long and reaching 70 metres inland opened up — today known as the Katastrophenbucht (Disaster Bay). The cause was the treacherous Seekreide (lake chalk) substrate, destabilized by new quay fill material. Geologists had warned of the danger three years earlier in 1884. An earlier collapse in 1435 had killed 60 people.

The Chriesisturm (Cherry Rush) dates to the 18th century. At noon, the Chriesiglogggä (cherry bell) at St. Michael’s Church would ring, announcing the cherries were ripe. Participants carrying 8-metre wooden ladders and woven baskets raced to the Allmend — the first to place a ladder on a tree earned the right to pick the finest cherries. Departing before the bell was strictly punishable; a Chriesiwwächter guarded the orchards. The tradition was revived in 2008 and celebrated annually since 2009.

The Zytturm (clock tower) stands 52 metres tall, the highest structure in Zug’s Old Town. The lower section was built in the 13th century as a gate through the town’s oldest wall. In 1478–1480, Bavarian master builder Hans Felder Sr. raised the tower. In 1574, the large astronomical clock was installed, with four specialized hands indicating the month, phase of the moon, day of the week, and leap year. The tower also served as a prison and fire watchtower.

On 15 November 1315, Duke Leopold I’s Habsburg army marched from Zug through the Morgarten Pass along Lake Ägeri. The confederates of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden ambushed the column, rolling boulders and tree trunks down the slopes. Over 1,500 Habsburg soldiers were killed. The Battle of Morgarten was one of the first in European history where dismounted commoners defeated armoured knights. Less than a month later, the Pact of Brunnen strengthened the Confederation.

The Zuger Kirschtorte was created in 1915 by confectioner Heinrich (Heiri) Höhn at his shop in Zug. It consists of layers of nut meringue, sponge cake, and butter cream, flavoured with local Kirschwasser. It won gold medals at exhibitions in Lucerne (1923, 1928) and London (1930). Registered as a Protected Geographical Indication in 2015. Burg Zug, dating to the 12th century with 26 building phases from the 8th to 20th century, houses the Museum Burg Zug since 1983.

In February 2014, 20-year-old Vitalik Buterin established the Ethereum Foundation in Zug, working from a modest house nicknamed Das Raumschiff (The Spaceship). In 2016, Zug became the first city in the world to accept Bitcoin for municipal fees. Today over 1,100 blockchain companies operate in the region, including foundations for Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, and Solana. The Crypto Valley concept was coined in July 2013 by Johann Gevers.

St. Oswald’s Church, whose foundation stone was laid on 18 May 1478 by master builder Hans Felder Sr., was financed with wealth gained from the Burgundian Wars. It is considered one of the most important Late Gothic ecclesiastical buildings in Switzerland. The main facade features saint figures including Oswald (an Anglo-Saxon king martyred in 642) and Michael. The Kolinbrunnen fountain on Kolinplatz dates to 1541. Zug’s cherry culture tradition spans over 600 documented years.

Zug’s Altstadt features cobbled streets lined with gabled, balconied houses with painted and frescoed facades in pastel colours, at least 500 years old. Kolinplatz is the central square dominated by the Zytturm. On 27 June 1352, Zug joined the Swiss Confederation through the Zugerbund. The Habsburgs renounced their claims after the Battle of Sempach in 1386. The Old Town’s colourful facades became a defining feature of the liberated city’s identity.