Graffito with dragon and Mélusine, Cinuos-chel (GR)

The legend of Mélusine originated in the early 15th century. Mélusine, who transforms into a serpent-like creature every Saturday, marries Raymond of Poitiers, on one condition: he must never see her on a Saturday. Raymond breaks his vow, and Mélusine assumes the form of a dragon and flies away.

Photo: Christian & Hans Meisser © Fototeca dal DRG

Spraypainted images depicting legends from the Alps, The Sennentunschi, Hans Jörg Leu, 2020

Out of boredom and high spirits, some alpine herdsmen make a doll. They feed her cheese and cream, play and chat with her – and abuse her. To the men’s astonishment, the doll suddenly comes to life. She takes her vengeance on one of the herdsmen, kills him and stretches his skin on the roof.

© Hans Jörg Leu, Baden

Witches making weather, Michael Greyff, 1489

Belief in weather magic dates back centuries, and such spells were also a common charge in witch trials from the 15th to the 18th century. In the Alpine countries, the weather witch is blamed for causing avalanches, landslides, falling rocks and outbreaks of flash flooding.

ALBERTINA, Vienna

Wallpaper depicting the Devil’s Bridge, c. 1820 – 1825

Legends of devil’s bridges can be found all over Europe. Usually the devil demands souls in payment for his services. Here, the people of Uri outsmart the devil by chasing a billy goat over the bridge, so that the devil gets only the goat’s soul.

Swiss National Museum

Vue du fameux Pont du Diable, Christian von Mechel (1737 – 1817), c. 1790

The Devil's Bridge was also a popular motif for scenic views intended for a tourist audience. The important role of the Gotthard as a transport route is reflected in numerous landscape depictions.

Swiss National Museum

Paper silhouettes showing scenes from the story of William Tell, 1820 –1830

The tale of a marksman who demonstrates his independence from a ruler by shooting an apple is a wandering legend that was originally prevalent mainly in Northern Europe and the British Isles. Under the name of Wilhelm Tell, the legend was first immortalised in Switzerland in the White Book of Sarnen; Schiller’s 1804 dramatised version brought the story to an audience beyond the German-speaking world.

Swiss National Museum

Postcard, Greetings from the Devil’s Bridge, 1904

There are several variations of the Devil’s Bridge legend. In some, for example, the billy goat is replaced by a dog that has been lured across the bridge with a piece of meat.

Swiss National Museum

Sennentuntschi

The only known authentic Sennentuntschi doll originates from the hamlet of Masciadon in the Calanca Valley. The figure is 40 cm tall and made of wood, cloth and hair. It was acquired by the Rhätisches Museum in Chur in 1986.

Swiss National Museum

A view of the exhibition.

Swiss National Museum

A view of the exhibition.

Swiss National Museum

A view of the exhibition.

Swiss National Museum

A view of the exhibition.

Swiss National Museum

A view of the exhibition.

Swiss National Museum