Landsgemeinde

Landsgemeinde

Last Sunday of April

Landsgemeinde is an open-air meeting to conduct cantonal business, held once a year in Appenzell, in the canton of Appenzell Inner-Rhoden in Switzerland. At the meeting, citizens vote on representatives for cantonal offices and on budget and tax proposals. Voting is by raised hands.
The assembly is a tradition that dates back to the very early days of the Swiss state. Women may wear richly embroidered national costumes, and men swords. Other districts in central and eastern Switzerland also have these assemblies, each with distinct customs. In Stans, for example, the blowing of a horn signals the time to walk to the meeting place outside the town; the horn is a reminder of the ancient call to battle.
Landsgemeinde has echos in the town meetings of the United States ( see Town Meeting Day).

CONTACTS:
Cantonal Administration Canton AI
Marktgasse 2
Appenzell, 9050 Switzerland
41-71-788-9327; fax: 41-71-788-9339
www.ai.ch/en

Celebration days: Apr 24, 2011; Apr 29, 2012; Apr 28, 2013; Apr 27, 2014; Apr 26, 2015