Rütli, Mountain meadow in Seelisberg, Switzerland.

Rütli is a six-hectare mountain meadow at about 480 m above sea level on the western shore of Lake Uri, in the municipality of Seelisberg. Its lower part is open grass crossed by a pale dirt path that splits into a narrow loop around a small patch of grass, with a few low rectangular structures near the upper right edge. Dense trees border it below, on the left and above on the right.

The Rütli Oath is a legend, first recorded in the White Book of Sarnen around 1470. The chronicler Aegidius Tschudi dated it to Wednesday before Martinmas (8 November) 1307, not 1291. The meadow hosted assemblies of the three original cantons in 1674 and 1713, and in 1859 the Swiss Charitable Society bought it to prevent hotel construction, donating it to the Confederation in 1860.

The place carries the name of an ancient agreement and is perceived by Swiss people as a site of unity. Today, people gather here on August 1st to celebrate their national identity.

The easiest approach is by boat from Brunnen; the alternative is a descent on foot from Seelisberg, whose village lies 350 metres above the meadow on the lake shore. The site is hard to reach, so allow time for the boat or the climb back up. The Rütlihaus guesthouse and the Musée Grütli, in a former barn below it, stand on the meadow.

General Henri Guisan delivered an important speech here in 1940 to Swiss military officers, reinforcing the nation's independence during World War II. This address is remembered today as a symbol of Swiss resolve during a perilous time.