The best city hikes and walks in Schwyz

Railway junction. The COOP store (open until 10 pm) has a large selection and a covered seating area for coffee etc.

Arth – Goldau Station Goldau Becomes a Railway Junction On June 4, 1875, the Arth-Rigi Railway (ARB) began operations. Goldau's first small station, built behind the Pfrundhaus (parsonage), served travelers from Einsiedeln. However, until then, the idea was to bypass Goldau and build the Gotthard Railway station in Oberarth. Blasting work began a few weeks after the ARB opened. The plan was for a 2.5 km long tunnel to lead beneath the landslide area to Steinen. However, the development favored Goldau. In May 1876, work on the tunnel had to be halted due to a lack of funds. Various cost-saving measures were explored, one of which was to abandon the tunnel and build a station in the middle of the rubble area. The ARB Goldau station had to be relocated next to the Gotthard Railway line and received financial compensation for this. Diplomatically, the new station was named "Arth-Goldau." Construction work progressed rapidly, and in 1882 the line through the Gotthard to Italy was opened. Things followed quickly: In August 1891, the Südostbahn (Southeastern Railway) to the outer part of the canton of Schwyz was put into operation, and in June 1897, the line to Zug and Zurich opened. Goldau had become a railway junction with five railway lines leading in different directions. The Arth-Rigi Railway built the raised platform that still exists today in 1895. From 1897 to 1959, a tram ran from Arth to Goldau. The former tram line is still called the "Tramweg" (Tramway) and is a beautiful walking path between the three villages of Goldau, Oberarth, and Arth. The railway had a major influence on Goldau's development. The population grew rapidly. Many railway workers and SBB employees, such as locomotive drivers and conductors, moved to Goldau – and stayed. Population growth also led to construction development, until Goldau "overtook" the village of Arth. Yesterday and today, the railway and the train station play a major role in Goldau. While it was once the "railroad workers" who value the Arth-Goldau railway junction, today it is the "commuters" who appreciate it. Text / Source: Municipality of Arth, Town Hall, 6415 Arth https://www.arth.ch/geschichte/4254

The small Coop has very long opening hours, even on Sundays!

The Arth-Rigi railway is also located near the train station.

Arth-Goldau station is a station and railway junction in the political municipality of Arth in the Swiss canton of Schwyz. It is located in the center of the village of Goldau, which belongs to Arth. The Gotthard route leads south. The rack railway line to the Rigi mountain also begins here. The station is very busy and is highly recommended for railway enthusiasts.

nice village tour + museum

Archive Tower or Treasure Tower, Schwyz The Archive Tower is located on the Metzghofstatt (Meat Farm), a historic site. Until 1642, a state butcher's shop was located near the tower, which likely gave rise to the name "Metzghofstatt." Until 1890, the village washhouse also stood on the site. The stone Archive Tower, dating from 1200, was formerly a residential and administrative tower and was used as an archive for the preservation of the "state's liberties" since at least the 15th century. It is also known that it was once used as a prison. Despite the limited space and the demand for a new archive building, the tower continued to be used as an archive until the 20th century. In 1936, the space problems were temporarily resolved with the opening of the then "Federal Charter Archive," now the "Federal Charter Museum." However, space became scarce again in the 1960s as the administration continued to grow. This was temporarily addressed in 2002 with the opening of the new State Archives. Today, the Archive Tower serves as a medieval writing workshop for the Museum of Federal Charters. In a furnished writing room, students can write their own parchment certificate with ink and a goose quill pen and seal it with a copy of the oldest Schwyz state seal. Text / Source: Erlebnisregion Mythen https://www.erlebnisregion-mythen.ch/de/erlebnisse/kultur/sehenswuerdigkeiten/archivturm-metzghofstatt/

Federal Charter Museum, Schwyz The Federal Charter Museum (until 1992: Federal Charter Archive) was built in 1936 primarily for a single object: the Federal Charter of 1291. This document was considered the founding document of the Swiss Confederation and was venerated in the specially constructed building almost like a national shrine. In recent decades, the Federal Charter Museum has transformed into a modern historical museum. Today, not only the history of the Federal Charter is explained here, but also the way national history is dealt with. Serious political and economic crises shook Europe in the 1930s. Hitler's seizure of power was also perceived as an existential threat in neutral Switzerland. During this time of crisis, the "Spiritual National Defense" emerged in Switzerland. This was characterized by an intensive reflection on everything "Swiss" in history, politics and culture. Values that are considered typically Swiss, such as cultural diversity, democracy, the will to freedom and independence, were set against fascist and National Socialist totalitarianism. Text / Source: BUNDESBRIEFMUSEUM SCHWYZ, Bahnhofstrasse 20, CH-6431 Schwyz https://www.bundesbrief.ch/de/geschichte.html/7