It was in 1891 that the date of Swiss National Day was first decided upon, though it took over a hundred years before the industrious Swiss decided to have a vote and give themselves the day off. 

On 26 September 1993, the people of Switzerland voted overwhelmingly (86.3%) for a nationwide public holiday on this date, and the day became an official national holiday in 1994. 

August 1st was chosen because this was said to be the day, in 1291, on which the three forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter on the Rütli field, near to Lake Lucerne. 

The Federal Charter was officially regarded as Switzerland’s founding document only in the late 19th century. The Latin document was rediscovered in 1758 in the Schwyz archives. The Swiss government has officially regarded it as Switzerland’s founding document since the late 1800s. The first official celebration of the Charter took place in 1891 to commemorate its 600th anniversary.  

The charter does not specifically mention August 1st as the date, but instead refers to “at the beginning of the month of August 1291”. 

The charter united the signatories in the struggle against Habsburg rule, the family then possessing the Duchy of Austria in the Holy Roman Empire. The signing of the charter has now become regarded as the foundation of Switzerland.