Abenteuer Drei: Ins Bundeshaus

 

A couple of weeks ago, my class toured the Bundeshaus, the main governmental building for the country of Switzerland. This is where the Nationalrat and the Ständerat (think the House and the Senate of the US government) meet to debate and make laws and stuff. Pretty nifty, huh?

To get into the Bundeshaus, one had to show identification (for me, my visa) and then go through a metal detector. Having been in Washington D.C a few summers ago, I expected the works--wands, pat-downs, baggage searches by unsmiling, underpaid security personnel, etc. As I went through the ID card line, I could feel myself tense. 

Having been wanded more than once in Washington and  hustled through more than one nasty airport body scanner, I think it's safe to say that security checks are one of my least favorite things in the world. 

The moment I got through the ID line, I rushed to the metal-detector line and began to speed strip. Purse. Coat. Bracelet. Necklace. Shoes. Glasses. 

The line was moving faster than I was, and by the time I reached the metal detector, I was still stripping. My belt got stuck in my belt loop. 

Crap. Crap crap crap.

I blushed as I tugged my belt. I could feel the security guard watching me. "Sorry--it's stuck." I explained. "Really, really sorry."

The security guard just laughed. 

"Relax," he said. "This isn't America, and you're not about to miss your flight."

Needless to say, the Swiss security people seem a lot friendlier than those in DC. 

Anyway, once our group had all gotten safely through the metal detectors, we began our tour. The first room we entered was (unsurprising)  the main entrance of the building. This is what we saw when we looked up:

Our guide explained that each of the segments of the window represent one of the cantons of Switzerland. The sign in the middle is, of course, the Swiss flag.

Another noteworthy feature of the room is these guys. They represent Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden, which were the first three Swiss cantons to unite. The thing they're holding is the Eidgenossenschaft, which was an oath of brotherhood and mutual protection. In 1291, these three cantons signed the Eidgenossenschaft to unite against the Hapsburgs. However, this oath laid the foundation for the birth of Switzerland as a nation. 

  

On each of the four corners of the roof, before it blooms up into a dome, is a stained-glass mural representing one of the main industries of Switzerland (agriculture, textiles, etc.) and corresponding to the direction in which that industry is performed. On each of the four corners of the platform upon which we were standing stood a metal statue of a guard, each with different weaponry, facial features, and apparel. These guards represented the four languages of the Swiss republic: German, French, Italian, and Romansch. Together, they guard the republic and the Eidgenossenschaft (it's interesting to note that, although Switzerland has four official languages, only three are spoken in the government. Romansch doesn't get representation). 

After the main entrance, we visited the chamber of the Ständerat, which is the senate-like branch of the government. Each canton has two members therein. 

This huge chandelier was the first thing I noticed when we entered the room. Apparently it was donated to the government by the canton of Lucerne, which makes sense because Lucerne, like this huge freakin' chandelier, is really beautiful.

I thought these balconies were kind of interesting, too. If you want to observe a debate, you can walk right in and sit up there. Good luck following what's going on, though--apparently, each politician speaks in his or her native language and no simultaneous translation is available. You just have to understand.

 This huge mural decorates the back wall of the chamber. It shows a political meeting in the countryside (or at least, what one would have looked like a hundred+ years ago). Everyone behind the wall there would have been able to vote.

This mural decorates this chamber to remind the Ständerat of the people they're supposed to represent.


After the Ständerat, we visited the chamber of the Nationalrat. With two hundred members, it was quite a bit bigger.

 That spot up front is where the Bundespräsident sits.

Another beautiful balcony with cantonal crests on top. In this chamber, there's one special area of balcony designated for foreign officials. There's another for the family members of the politicians. Lucky for them, spontaneous translation is available in this area.

Don't know what the statues represent. They're kinda pretty though.

 

This huge mural fills the wall behind the president. It shows the valley where the Eidgenossenschaft was signed. In the clouds there's an angel holding an olive branch of peace. On the rocky cliff to the side, there's a fish for some reason. I was told that this is because the painter was French. 

Go figure. 

Finally, here's the lobby behind the Nationalrat's chamber. According to my guide, this is where all of the politics in Switzerland actually occur.