schaechental
Tell’s story remains a mystery. And yet he is still omnipresent. Was he a hero, a rebel, a terrorist, a murderer? What has turned him into this all-purpose brand? One thing is for certain: He remains fascinating.

Tell-Museum Bürglen

The original idea had been to merely document the history of the Tell’s Chapel in Bürglen and the story of its renovation in 1949/50. Out of this effort grew, in 1956, the “Tell-Museumsgesellschaft Uri” (Uri Tell-Museum Society), which had the purpose of collecting, storing and preserving documents, objects and historical, artistic and traditional depictions of Tell as well as of events connected to the founding history of the Swiss Confederacy. Since 1966, that society has run the Tell-Museum, housed in Bürglen’s “Wattigwilerturm”. The museums’s founders had realized how important Tell’s myth was to Switzerland and all the world.

Treasure house and chamber of wonders

The Tell-Museum holds the most comprehensive collection of hictorical, artistic and highly original documents, pictures and objects from six centuries connected to Switzerland’s hero of freedom, William Tell, located right among the art-historical sights of Bürglen’s protected center. It also features an important collection of works by Basel painter Ernst Stückelberg (1831–1903), who had put up his studio in Bürglen and painted his four great frescos of the Tell’s Chapel on the “Urnersee” section of Lake Lucerne.
wasserfall
Tell’s story will take you out of the museum and transport you directly to the world of today.
Tellmap
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Hohle Gasse Küssnacht

It is here that, according to tradition, William Tell shot the Habsburg sheriff Gessler. To quote Friedrich Schiller from his play “Wilhelm Tell”: “Durch diese hohle Gasse muss er kommen. Es führt kein andrer Weg nach Küssnacht.” (Through this alleyway he has to come. There is no other way to Küssnacht.) The Tell’s Chapel dates from 1638. Today’s “Hohle Gasse” once was the road connecting Küssnacht and Immensee and was later on made narrower using large rocks.
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Schillerstein rock by the lake

As early as in the “White Book of Sarnen” (1470/72), there was mention of a rock named “Mythenstein” serving as a signpost pointing to the Rütli. Originally, the rocky ledge had been about 130 feet high. In 1838 it was reduced in height by a third. On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Friedrich Schiller, author of the play “Wilhelm Tell”, the original forest cantons decided in 1859 to dedicate the obelisk-shaped rock to Tell’s bard.
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Rütli

Legend has it that on an alpine meadow outside the Uri town of Seelisberg called the “Rütli”, the alliance between the three original forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden (Obwalden and Nidwalden) was forged. The site is therefore regarded as the birthplace of Switzerland. In keeping with this tradition of the national symbol, General Henri Guisan, on July 25, 1940, held his famous “Rütlirapport” here. It is also here that, since 1991, the Swiss Path starts.
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Tellsplatte Sisikon

It was here that, according to legend, William Tell leaped off Gessler the sheriff’s barge in a heavy föhn storm. In 1388, the first chapel was built. Today’s chapel dates from 1879/80. It is adorned with four frescos by Basel painter Ernst Stückelberg showing the Rütli Oath, the apple-shooting scene, Tell’s leap and Gessler’s death. Each year, on the Friday after Ascension Day, the people of Uri go on a pilgrimage, by boat, to the Tell’s Chapel.
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Tell-Museum Bürglen

The Tell-Museum shows the history of Switzerland’s liberation tradition and of its dissemination, and it interprets its transformation over several centuries as well as its recurring exploitation. It holds over 500 artistic, political, promotional and touristic documents and objects connected to Tell, and in its multimedia film exhibit, it reflects on the cycle of the Swiss heroic figure.
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Tell monument Altdorf

The bronze statue by Richard Kissling was dedicated on August 28, 1895. Its base is inscribed with the year of the Rütli Oath, 1307. The mural painting behind William Tell and his son Walter was created by Hans Sandreuter. The bronze plaque, referring to the apple shot in Altdorf, states (translated): “For as long as there are mountains here, the story of Tell, the marksman, will be told.”
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Tell’s Chapel Bürglen

Hans Scherer and Peter Gisler donated the chapel in 1582. It is located in the very spot where William Tell’s house once stood, according to legend. Peter Gisler, who had been made a Knight of the Holy Grave in Jerusalem in 1583, held office as a “Landammann” (bailiff) in 1596/97 and in 1615/16 in the canton of Uri. Its paintings (from 1588) in particular are a unique contemporary document – the oldest known picture cycle on the Tell myth in the oldest preserved Tell’s chapel.

Arrival Tell-Museum Bürglen

The public bus will take you to the Tell-Museums’ front door every half hour. Car parking is available nearby. Coaches are allowed to stop in front of the Tell-Museum for passenger loading and unloading; coach parking is available on the village outskirts.

Destinations Tell open-air exhibition

All Tell sites on Lake Lucerne are accessible by public transport – train, bus or boat. For times of arrival and departure, please check the schedules/timetables at: sbb.ch, aagu.ch or lakelucerne.ch
Planning a route

Opening hours

Open daily
mid-May through mid-October

May and June
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
1:30 to 5:00 p.m.

July and August
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

September and October
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
1:30 to 5:00 p.m.

November through April
Groups of 10 or more welcome on request.

Group reservation Prices
Share the fascination for Tell and become a member!
Become a member

Museum Objects

We collect historical, artistic and folkloric documents, writings, works, objects and depictions connected to Tell and to the founding history of the Swiss Confederacy.
Register museum pieces

Contact us.

Tell-Museum Bürglen
P.O. Box/Postfach 127
Postplatz
6463 Bürglen UR

Hospitality, media and tours
info@tellmuseum.ch
T +41 41 870 41 55

info@tellmuseum.ch Group reservation

Sign up for a membership.

Book a group tour.

Register your museum pieces here.

In order to be able to keep our museum open and to preserve our extensive collection, we need your support. Members of the Tell-Museumsgesellschaft Uri (Uri Tell-Museum Society) enjoy free access to the museum.

 

Our heartfelt thanks!

If you have any questions about donations, or if you are interested in obtaining objects on loan, feel free to contact our curator. He will gladly answer your query.

 

Thank you.

Impressum

 

Concept and Design

Herger Imholz AG
Höfligasse 3, 6460 Altdorf
Weinbergstrasse 31, 8006 Zürich

www.hergerimholz.ch



Programming

BINARY one GmbH
Q4, Altdorf Ost
Hellgasse 23, 6460 Altdorf

www.binaryone.ch

Sponsors

 

Hauptsponsoring

 

Albert Koechlin Stiftung

Gemeinde Bürglen

Kanton Uri

Otto Gamma Stiftung

Patenschaft Berggemeinden

Co-Sponsoring

 

Dätwyler Stiftung

Ernst Göhner Stiftung

Gemeinde Altdorf

Gemeinde Uitikon

Jubiläumsstiftung

der Mobiliar

Kanton Schwyz

Kanton Appenzell

Ausserrhoden

Korporation Uri

Pro Helvetia

Pro Patria

Schweizerische

Bundesfeierspende

Raiffeisen Schweiz

Sophie und Karl

Binding Stiftung

Ulrico Hoepli-Stiftung

Victorinox AG

Sponsoring

 

Elektrizitätswerk Altdorf AG

Fenster Nauer AG

Hans-Eggenberger-Stiftung

Kanton Zug

 

 

Jahressponsor

 

Raiffeisen Schächental

 

 

Gönnerinnen und Gönner

 

Gönnerinnen und Gönner

Arnold Hermann und Rosmarie, Bürglen

Arnold Reklamen AG, Altdorf

Arnold Tiefbau, Bürglen

Büro für Text, Altdorf

Bissig AG, Schattdorf

Clima Nova AG, Schattdorf

Crisovan Fabienne und Gisler Thomas, Bürglen

Christen Automobile AG, Schattdorf

Furrer Martin, Schattdorf

F. Kempf AG Gipser und Stukkatur, Altdorf

Fredy Arnold GmbH, Bürglen

Gamma AG Bau, Schattdorf

Gebrüder Gisler Schattdorf GmbH

Gemeinde Andermatt

Gemeinde Erstfeld

Gemeinde Flüelen

Gemeinde Göschenen

Gemeinde Seedorf

Gemeinde Seelisberg

Gemeinde Spiringen

Gemeinde Unterschächen

Gemeinde Wassen

Gisler Gottfried, Schreinerei, Bürglen

Gotthard Raststätte A2 Uri AG, Schattdorf

Herger Imholz AG, Altdorf

Hotel Burg AG, Attinghausen

HTS Architekten, Altdorf

Imholz Sport AG, Bürglen

Kanton Obwalden

Kanton Nidwalden

Markus Oetli-Stiftung

Markus Enz AG, Altdorf

Malergeschäft R. & M. Schuler GmbH, Bürglen

Marty AG, Altdorf

Schuler Gerüst GmbH, Schattdorf

Putz-Team GmbH, Bürglen

Stiftung zur Erhaltung schweizerischen Kulturguts

Stöckli AG, Stans

Steiner Schlosserei AG, Schattdorf

Studio Arte Flückiger AG, Zürich

Swiss Light GmbH, Altdorf

Telcom AG, Stansstad

Prices

 

Single entry  

Adults CHF 8.00

 

Students CHF 6.00

 

Childern CHF 2.50

 

«Gästekarte» CHF 6.00

Groups  

Families CHF 15.00

 

Groups of 10 Peoples CHF 6.00

 

Groups of childern CHF 2.00

Free entry  

«Museumspass»

 

Raiffeisen Member Plus

Guided tours  

CHF 150.00