Glarus (canton)

Glarus (canton)

Glarus is where a deep and narrow valley opens up to reveal a world of vertical walls and high glaciers. You find yourself in one of the most dramatic landscapes in the country where the mountains rise straight up from the valley floor. The road ends at the stunning **Klöntalersee**, a mirror like lake surrounded by massive cliffs. It is a place for people who want to feel the raw power of the Alps away from the crowds. The history of the region is unique and focuses on the power of the people and their open air assembly. You can visit the town of Glarus to see the tidy streets and the textile history. The **Sardinien** tectonic arena is where you can see the layers of the earth pushed over each other. The roads are quiet and lead to remote mountain huts and rushing waterfalls. This is a region for hikers and climbers who love the steep and the wild. You can taste the famous **Schabziger** herb cheese which has been made here for centuries. The atmosphere has a strong focus on the natural world. Glarus is a hidden corridor into the high Alps. It offers a sense of discovery that is hard to find in the bigger cantons.

Glarus (canton) highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Glarus (canton)

Glarus is the Swiss canton of vertical walls and radical democracy. The history of this deep valley is defined by an ancient form of government where citizens gather in the town square to vote by a show of hands. This self rule was forged in the isolation of the high mountains where the sheer cliffs forced the people to rely on each other. Since the 1300s the people have held their own destiny in their hands under the peaks. **The Industrial Revolution** brought a surprising change to this rugged mountain realm. In the 1800s the valley became a world leader in printed textiles. Massive mills were built along the rushing waterfalls to create colorful fabrics that were exported across the globe. This era turned mountain farmers into skilled industrial workers creating a unique society where modern factories sat in the shadow of massive glaciers. The landscape itself holds a history that is written in the stone. Scientists discovered here how mountains were formed by watching old rock layers push over younger ones in a massive geological event. Driving to the end of the road at **Lake Klontal** you feel the weight of this ancient history. It is a story of a people as sturdy as the granite walls around them where the history of freedom and the earth are carved into the same rock.
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