"hǒus, tǒun, fẹ̄ld – the Middle Ages in central Switzerland"

What was life like in the Middle Ages? How did people live, what did they eat? Did they enjoy celebrating as much as we do today? And were there really as many tough guys and fair maidens?

Between 1200 and 1550, central Switzerland went through a series of fundamental changes; towns and cities were established and long-distance trade flourished thanks to the opening up of the Gotthard Pass route. People living in mountainous areas reared more and more livestock to export over the Alpine passes. People’s lives were shaped by their faith, by village life and by their everyday struggles and joys.

With more than 300 objects from all over central Switzerland, the exhibition has been put together in collaboration with Canton Zug’s Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology. It will show one thing: the Middle Ages were nowhere near as dark as the cliché would have us believe. Travel through time and step into a medieval parlour, explore the town’s crafts, follow people from their gardens to their fields and on to the highest Alpine pastures, and catch a glimpse of the period’s spiritual world.

A particular highlight is an interactive landscape model of central Switzerland, which has been specially created for the exhibition. Take a bird’s eye view of the social changes that have occurred over the centuries.

Further information to events around the exhibition under www.burgzug.ch