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Altdorf
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Bronze statue of William Tell with a crossbow and his son, standing on a stone pedestal in Altdorf, Switzerland, with buildings and Swiss flags in the background.
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Tell, William
Tell, William Statue of William Tell, Altdorf, Switzerland.

Altdorf

Switzerland
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History

Altdorf, capital of Uri canton, central Switzerland. It lies near the confluence of the Reuss River and the SchĂ€chen torrent, southeast of Lucerne. In the centre of the town a bronze statue of William Tell (1895) marks the place at which, according to tradition, he shot, with his crossbow, an apple from his son’s head. The Tell theatre (1925) stages performances of Friedrich Schiller’s play Wilhelm Tell. Tell is said to have been born at nearby BĂŒrglen. Landmarks in Altdorf include a Capuchin monastery from 1581, a medieval tower, and the town church and town hall, both rebuilt after 1799. The town is on the St. Gotthard railway line and has cable and rubber works and an ammunition factory. The population is mostly Roman Catholic and German speaking. Pop. (2007 est.) 8,595.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt.
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