Thousands mark 550th anniversary of Swiss battle of Murten

5,000 people attend the ceremony marking the 550th anniversary in Murten Keystone-SDA

The Swiss town of Murten has staged a ceremony to mark the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Murten on June 22, 1476.

+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox

Around 5,000 people took part in the various official events. The medieval town in canton Fribourg welcomed representatives from numerous cantons and government minister Martin Pfister.

+ The surprising legacies of the Battle of Murten

Despite the intense heat, the programme went ahead without any major difficulties, as Markus Ith, project manager for the celebrations and former president of the Fribourg Grand Council, told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

The programme began in the morning with a prayer service at the Pantschau, a large meadow on the shores of Lake Murten, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony.

This was followed by a procession through Murten. Among the speakers was defence minister Pfister, Philippe Demierre, president of the Fribourg council, and Petra Schlüchter, mayor of Murten.

The cantons of Fribourg, Vaud and Bern held a special place of honour due to their historical role, particularly as the Battle of Grandson, canton Vaud, which also took place in 1476.

Medieval market

Murten Tourism organised an event where attendees were required to dress entirely in white. The “White Brunch & Party” brought together over 600 guests.

The official festival programme included, amongst other things, a medieval encampment with a market and various entertainment activities. On Sunday and Monday, the traditional historical shooting competition and the Solennität youth festival are on the programme.

The festival was organised by the Grandson-Murten 2026 Association, a collaboration between the municipalities of Grandson and Murten. A total of 42 projects are planned up until October.

Translated from German, sub-edited by mga