Rathaus, Town hall in Schwyz, Switzerland

The Rathaus in Schwyz stands on Hauptplatz beside the baroque St. Martin church and the Hotel Wysses Rössli. Its nearly square plan measures 19.85 by 19.75 metres, and it carries a mansard roof with a small bell turret at the gable. The west and north facades bear Ferdinand Wagner's historicist murals of 1891.

A medieval town hall is mentioned around 1314 in connection with the Schwyz raid on Einsiedeln Abbey; its appearance is unknown. The present building was erected in 1591–1595 by the Lucerne masons Anton Ulrich and Melchior Rufiner. After the fire of 20 April 1642 destroyed 47 houses including the town hall, Melchior Katzrauer rebuilt it from 1643 on the nearly square foundations (19.85 by 19.75 m).

The Rathaus stands with the baroque parish church of St. Martin and the Hotel Wysses Rössli on Hauptplatz in the centre of Schwyz. Its west and north facades carry murals by the Munich history painter Ferdinand Wagner depicting scenes from Schwyz history, completed on 18 July 1891 for 20,000 francs ahead of the 600th anniversary of the first confederation of the three Waldstätte.

The building sits centrally at Hauptplatz in the heart of Schwyz and is easy to find from anywhere downtown. Access follows administrative schedules, so checking current availability before a visit helps avoid disappointment.

In the cantonal council hall, formerly a dance floor, burn marks from the 1642 fire are still visible on the massive columns. The bell in the roof turret, cast with images of Saints Martin and Francis Xavier, was rung when condemned prisoners walked to execution.