Glarus

Glarus, Fr. Glaris, canton (1993 pop. 39,000), 264 sq mi (684 sq km), E central Switzerland. Located in the basin of the Linth River, it is a mountainous and pastoral region, with forests and meadows in the valleys. It lies between the Walensee in the north and the Glarus Alps in the south. Cattle are raised in the canton, and there are industries producing electrical and metal goods, machinery, textiles, paper, and other goods. The inhabitants are mainly German-speaking Protestants. Sparsely settled by the Romans after 15 B.C., Glarus was permanently occupied c.A.D. 500 by the Alemanni. Glarus joined the Swiss Confederation in 1352. The town of Glarus (1990 pop. 5,541), on the Linth, is the capital. Furniture, textiles, and cigars are made there. Zwingli was a parish priest in the town from 1506 to 1516.

Glarus (German: ) is the capital of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland.

Glarus lies on the Linth River at the foot of the Glärnisch foothills in the Glarus Alps. The municipality has about 5700 inhabitants. Very few buildings built before the fire of 1861 remain. Wood, textile, and plastics, as well as printing, are the dominant industries. The symbol of the city is the neo-romanesque city church.

History

The first mention of the town dates from 1178.

It became the capital of the Linth valley in 1419. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the valley began to be industrialized.

In 1864, the first European labor law to protect workers was introduced in Glarus, prohibiting requiring workers to work more than 12 hours a day.

Gallery

Twin towns

• Rožňava

External links

• Official Web site