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Republic Day

Republic Day 2023, 2024 and 2025

Holiday calendars vary from canton to canton in Switzerland. One holiday unique to the canton of Neuchâtel is Republic Day on 1 March.

YearDateDayHolidayCantons
20231 MarWedRepublic Day NE
20241 MarFriRepublic Day NE
20251 MarSatRepublic Day NE
20261 MarSunRepublic Day NE
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

In centuries gone by, Neuchâtel was ruled by a succession of princes, until it became a possession of the Prussian king Frederick I in 1707. Prussia decided to permit Neuchâtel to join the Swiss Confederation in 1815, but at the time, it was not a true nation but more of an association of independent, or perhaps semi-independent, states.

This created an odd situation where Neuchâtel was the sole canton in Switzerland with a king as head of state. All the other cantons were republics, not monarchies.

But in 1848, a revolution overthrew the monarchy in Neuchâtel. There was no war. It was a “peaceful revolt” that went essentially unopposed. But Prussia did not cancel its claim on Neuchâtel either. So when the Swiss Confederation strengthened to a true nation-state in 1848, Prussia still claimed Neuchâtel. This led to tensions later in 1856 and 1857, but Prussia finally dropped its claim.

In Neuchâtel, 1 March is a local patriotic holiday commemorating the 1848 revolution that made them a republic and more in line with other states of the Swiss Confederation.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHolidayCantons
20221 MarTueRepublic Day NE
20211 MarMonRepublic Day NE
20201 MarSunRepublic Day NE
20191 MarFriRepublic Day NE
20181 MarThuRepublic Day NE
20171 MarWedRepublic Day NE