Courageous, Defiant, Self-determined - Nidwalden's Path To Modernity

Nidwalden repeatedly resisted the pressure to adapt that the rest of Switzerland exerted on the small canton after the fall of the Ancien Régime. Nidwalden rejected all national constitutions and in 1798 was even forced to become a member by force of arms. Stubborn Nidwalden? The reality was more complicated. In addition to a fair amount of self-assertion, there was always a struggle for the privileges of the ruling class.Backwoods Canton Nidwalden? Not at all. This canton in the foothills of the Alps, which was geographically very isolated until it was better connected to the railroad and national road network in 1964, also produced amazing works thanks to progressive personalities: for example, the first Acheregg bridge in 1860 or a modern, nationally recognized constitution in 1965. And sometimes the people of Nidwalden seemingly decided against their own common sense: for example in 1954, when they voted for the connection to the national road network despite the loss of communal autonomy and cultivated land.The permanent historical exhibition explores such questions and provides an overview of the last 750 years in seven "Nidwalden Stories".Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.