Tellskapelle

The chapel stands at the water's edge on the eastern side of Lake Uri, at the point the legend calls the Tellsplatte - the rock ledge onto which William Tell is said to have jumped from Gessler's boat during a storm, shoving the vessel back into the waves. A chapel has been recorded here since the fifteenth century; the present building was decorated in the 1880s with large frescoes by Ernst Stuckelberg showing four scenes from the story. Whether Tell existed at all is unresolved and most historians treat the figure as legend rather than record, which the site does not hide. It is reached by boat or on the Weg der Schweiz, the path built for the Confederation's 700th anniversary.

What you actually see

• The Tellsplatte ledge - the rock the legend places the leap onto.
• Stuckelberg's 1880s frescoes - four scenes from the story on the walls.
• A chapel recorded since the 1400s - rebuilt on the same shore point.
• The Weg der Schweiz - the anniversary path along the lake.

When to go

April to October. Two hours including the boat.

Honest expectations

Tell is legend, not documented history, and the site is a monument to a story. Access is by boat or a walk - there is no road parking at the chapel. Boats are seasonal. The interior is small and often locked outside season.

Nearby

Rutli meadow is across the lake; Fluelen and Brunnen are at either end.