Sechseläuten in Switzerland

Sechseläuten (Swiss German: Sächsilüüte) is an old spring festival that occurs in Zurich every year on the third Monday of April. The rite culminates in the burning of the Böög - a figure of a snowman symbolizing winter.

The Böög symbolizes winter.

©iStockphoto.com/combodesign

What do people do?

The procession of the guilds (Zug der Zünfte) to the Sechseläutenplatz, a square in Zurich, sets off the festivities. At 6:00 p.m. (18:00), the figure of a Snowman whose head is filled with firecrackers is burned at the stake. According to lore, the faster the Böög's head explodes the more pleasant the following summer will be. Thousands of Zurich's inhabitants usually watch the spectacle and round off the day by using the remains of the Böög's stake as a barbecue.

Public life

Sechseläuten is not an official holiday, but many businesses, offices and banks close for the day. There may be some minor traffic delays in the afternoon due to the procession of the guilds.

Background

The name of the festival literally means “to ring six” and refers to a medieval tradition. According to a law from 1525, the end of the working day was delayed from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (17:00 to 18:00) every year at the March equinox. The switch was marked by the ringing of the cathedral's bell.

Sechseläuten Observances

Other holidays in April 2013 in Switzerland

• Easter Monday ―Monday, April 1, 2013