History
During the most recent ice age, some 15,000 years ago, the Rhine river formed the cataracts that we can now see on this site just north of the Swiss City of Schaffhausen. There are three main falls, separated by rock outcroppings which define the topography, called the Schaffhauser, the Zürcher and the Mühle Falls. Over the thousands of years since their formation, the Rhine Falls have changed little by erosion and constitute today one of the most spectacular natural wonder in Europe. Some 150 metres (500 feet) wide and 25 metres (80 feet) high, the Falls deliver some 3000 cubic metres (26,500 cu.ft) of water per second on average although some 5000 cubic metres (45,000 cu.ft) were recorded in 1965. Impassable to river traffic, they have long marked the separation of political entities north and south of their location and embodied the notion of different and often competing cultures, the interrupting moment in time and space when and where the character of what is essentially Swiss begins and ends. There are, of course, many other places where the land itself establishes this interruption but nowhere is there as forceful a reminder of the independence and individuality of the Swiss people, nowhere in Europe, where historic borders are slowly giving way to a common economy and a homogenising culture, is there as hypnotic a sight characterizing the uniqueness of the land.

Schaffhausen, the historic city next to the Falls, has long been a strategic point for portage around the Falls. Its position of advantage enabled it to develop its importance as a trade centre during the Middle Ages, a cultural hub and ultimately its becoming a sovereign canton unto itself within the Swiss Federation. In 1045, the Nellenburg family acquired rights to mint money for the town and promptly turned them over to the Benedictine abbot of the All Saints Abbey. The Holy Roman Empire relinquished its dominion over the town in 1218, ushering in a short period of independence which ended with its conquest by the Habsburgs of Austria in 1330. Some 85 years later, the town regained its independence, seeking association with the Old Swiss Confederation, where, after the end of the Swabian War, it was accepted with full privileges in 1501. Not long therefater, it lost its independent status again as a canton but in 1803 was reinstated and started a long and successful period of redefinition coinciding with the Industrial Revolution which endowed it with more wealth and know-how than many other Swiss and European cities of equal size.till the end of the 19th century.

The triangular town centre, set between the Rhine and the Schwabentor, has many interesting buildings including a stone church dating back to the 14th century. The Munot, Obertorturm, Schwabentorturm and Frontwagturm remain from earlier fortifications.

The Reformed Münster Church, a Romanesque basicilia with 3 aisles, built circa 1100 AD with alternating red and blue sandstone, some 15th century frescos and the bell tower have been restored. There are several other interesting churches in the city, including the All Saints Monastery (11th century) which warrant attention not merely in regards to their architecture but also in that the monastery houses the Historical Museum and its prehistoric collection, The cloister houses the Schillerglocke (15th c.), said to have inspired Schiller to write his "Das Lied von der Glocke".

Do not miss the Vordergasse with its picturesque baroque and rococo buildings, such as the house zur Wasserquelle und zur Ziegelburg as well as the very refined Zunfthause Schmiedstube and the Haus Zum Ritter. There are many other landmarks you may wish to explore and which we may describe in a later edition of this page.

Chalet Nov'Arcadia
is very much a part of the heritage shared by Schaffhausen and the rest of German Switzerland, tempered by the romance of the Romansch traditions which share the hearts and minds of the Grisons natives. Consider making it your "center of operations" when you next vacation in the land of the Helvetes and take the opportunity to learn more about the rich history of this part of Central Europe.