Maybe it’s because Schaffhausen is so close to German border (later I’ll tell you that it had not been an advantage in a dark historical circumstance…), but really I have a little the impression to be abroad in my own country.

The ancient architecture of the main square is so elaborately colourful in a style which is quite different from my part of Switzerland, even though distances in a small country like mine are relatively so reduced.

This is the statue on the other fountain of the square and it shows a valiant mercenary soldier, who has been there on his pillar since 1524.

The motto "Don't get involved in other people's affairs" has been the hallmark of Swiss policy for nearly 500 years. The country has in effect been neutral since 1515, a status formally recognised and guaranteed by the great powers of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.

The status of neutrality has not only protected Switzerland from war, but has helped prevent the country from being torn apart when its different language communities might have been tempted to side with different belligerents in cases of conflict.

The Battle of Marignano (1515) is regarded as a turning point in Swiss history: not only did it end the Confederates' military expansion for ever; it was also the beginning of Swiss neutrality.

Not that the Swiss stopped fighting: they stopped fighting on their own account, and instead hired their services out to foreign powers, this is just to stress the fact that Swiss mercenaries were notable for their service in foreign armies and they had a fame of skilled warriors.
I realize it’s difficult to imagine that nowadays and even for me it’s not simple to picture my fellow compatriots as professional soldiers in the past centuries.

In all cases this explains why there is this statue on the fountain….

Let’s walk over…




This picture is part of a kind of travelogue photo-gallery.
Click to have a general view of the whole series