Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Locarno

(Encyclopedia)Locarno lōkärˈnō [key], town (1990 est. pop. 14,150), Ticino canton, S Switzerland, at the northern end of Lago Maggiore. In a beautiful resort region with a mild Mediterranean climate, Locarno at...

Lucerne, Lake of

(Encyclopedia)Lucerne, Lake of, Ger. Vierwaldstätter See, irregular-shaped lake, 44 sq mi (114 sq km), central Switzerland. It has a maximum depth of c.700 ft (210 m). The lake is fed and drained by the Reuss Rive...

Murten

(Encyclopedia)Murten mo͝orˈtən [key], Fr. Morat, town, Fribourg canton, W Switzerland, on the Lake of Murten. It is known chiefly as the scene of the defeat (1476) of Charles the Bold of Burgundy by the Swiss. F...

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

(Encyclopedia)International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), coalition of nongovernmental organizations that was formed in 2007 to advocate for the banning of nuclear weapons. It is based in Geneva, Swit...

Duparc, Henri

(Encyclopedia)Duparc, Henri äNrēˈ düpärkˈ [key], 1848–1933, French composer. Duparc studied piano with César Franck and became one of his first composition pupils. A nervous disorder caused him to cease co...

Segantini, Giovanni

(Encyclopedia)Segantini, Giovanni jōvänˈnē sāgäntēˈnē [key], 1858–99, Italian painter, b. in the Tyrol. A herder in his youth, he is known for his portrayal of Alpine peasant scenes. Although his early w...

Windisch

(Encyclopedia)Windisch vĭnˈdĭsh [key], town, Aargau canton, N Switzerland, on the Reuss River near its confluence with the Aare. Textiles and cables are made there. Originally a Helvetian settlement, it later be...

Spühler, Willy

(Encyclopedia)Spühler, Willy vĭlˈē shpüˈlər [key], 1902–90, Swiss political leader and economist. A Social Democrat, He held several government economic posts and served (1938–59) in the federal assembly...

Young, Geoffrey Winthrop

(Encyclopedia)Young, Geoffrey Winthrop, 1876–1958, English writer, an authority on mountaineering. He was educated at Cambridge and later studied in Switzerland and France. Before 1914 he made an impressive recor...

Browse by Subject