Winkelried Memorial

The Winkelried memorial was erected in memory of Arnold von Winkelried, who sacrificed his life in the Battle of Sempach on the 9 July 1386. According to the Swiss historiography, the Swiss wouldn't be able to break through the firmly positioned order of Habsburg pikemen. At a moment, Winkelried decided to throw himself into the pikes and therefore open a passage through the Austrian defensive front, which made way for an attack of the Swiss confederacy which then led to a Swiss victory in the Battle of Sempach.

In the case of the Winkelried memorial, the main aim of the people of Stans was not to commemorate the hero, but provide the city of Stans with a representative memorial. Therefore, the people of Stans chose Arnold von Winkelried, as he was a regionally known national figure.