Asel Mamytova

Asel Mamytova is a Swiss entrepreneur, cultural historian, and founder of Swiss Heritage—a platform dedicated to uncovering the untold stories of Switzerland's past. A passionate advocate for Swiss history and culture, Asel combines rigorous research with engaging storytelling to make Switzerland's complex heritage accessible to a global audience. Based in Switzerland, she explores the intersection of history, architecture, and national identity through her writing and projects.

Swiss rifles standing in a wooden rack at an outdoor Feldschiessen shooting range in the Swiss countryside — Switzerland has approximately 2.3 million civilian firearms yet recorded just 10 gun homicides in 2024

Switzerland Has 2.3 Million Guns and Almost No Gun Violence. Here’s Why.

Culture / By

Every May, something happens in Switzerland that would cause a national panic in most countries. Around 130,000 people — including teenagers as young as thirteen — gather at 3,000 shooting ranges across the country and fire live ammunition at paper targets for three days straight. Parents bring their children. Grandparents come to watch. Nobody calls […]

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Gold bars stacked in a Swiss bank vault — the Swiss National Bank received $440 million in Nazi gold during World War II according to the Bergier Commission, over half of which was looted from occupied countries and Holocaust victims

Switzerland and Nazi Gold: The Full, Uncomfortable Truth

History / By

Here is the short version. During World War II, the Swiss National Bank bought approximately $440 million in gold from Nazi Germany. At today’s prices, that is roughly $8.5 billion. The Bergier Commission — Switzerland’s own independent investigation — concluded in 1998 that over half of it, around $316 million, had been looted from the

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Seven equal chairs around the Swiss Federal Council table in Bern — Switzerland has no president in the traditional sense, instead rotating the title annually among seven ministers who share all executive power

Does Switzerland Have a President? The Federal Council System That Confuses the World

History / By

Quick answer: does Switzerland have a president? Technically, yes. But the Swiss president has less power than a school headteacher. No motorcade. No executive orders. No veto pen. The president of Switzerland chairs meetings, gives a New Year’s speech on TV, and sits in the same chair as the other six ministers at the same

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The nondescript Crypto AG headquarters in Steinhausen, Zug Switzerland — the Swiss encryption company secretly owned by the CIA and BND for over 50 years under Operation Rubicon

Crypto AG: The Swiss Company That Was a CIA Spy Operation for 50 Years

History / By

In 1992, a Crypto AG salesman named Hans Buehler flew to Tehran for a routine client visit. He never came home. Iranian intelligence arrested him at the airport and held him for nine months — solitary confinement, relentless questioning, the same accusation on an endless loop: he was a spy. Buehler insisted he was just

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A bright red Swiss scenic train crossing the historic stone Landwasser Viaduct surrounded by lush pine trees and majestic mountains, representing the best places to visit in Switzerland.

25 Best Places to Visit in Switzerland: The Ultimate 2026 Heritage Guide

Swiss Wonders / By

Are you struggling to narrow down the best places to visit in Switzerland? You are not alone. With towering alpine peaks, crystal-clear glacial lakes, and impeccably preserved medieval towns, planning a Swiss itinerary can feel incredibly overwhelming. If you are short on time, the absolute must-see destinations for first-time visitors are Lucerne (for historic charm and easy

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Swiss Army Knife models compared: Classic vs Alox for everyday carry.

Swiss Army Knife: The Ultimate 2026 Buyer’s Guide

Swiss Wonders / By

You’ve probably seen a Swiss Army Knife clipped to someone’s belt or tucked in a backpack. It’s not just a gadget—it’s a problem-solver that punches way above its weight. Whether you’re hiking Swiss trails or fixing a bike in the city, this pocket knife delivers tools that actually get used. Brands like Victorinox keep cranking

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Aerial golden hour view of the Old Town of Bern with medieval arcades, the Zytglogge clock tower and the Aare river — UNESCO World Heritage Site

Cultural Treasures of Switzerland You Can’t Miss

Culture, Swiss Wonders / By

Switzerland is easy to misread. People see the mountains, the watches, the chocolate — and stop there. But scratch beneath the postcard surface and you find a country carrying 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, centuries of Romanesque architecture, living folk traditions, and an art scene that produced Giacometti, Klee, and Le Corbusier. The cultural treasures of

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Rustic wooden board with six types of Swiss cheese including Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Tête de Moine rosettes, garnished with walnuts, honey, and pears

Types of Swiss Cheese: The Only Guide You Actually Need

Swiss food / By

Switzerland produces over 700 types of Swiss cheese — and most people have tasted exactly one of them. That’s a genuine shame, because what’s hiding beyond that familiar holey wheel is one of the most diverse, regionally distinct cheese cultures on earth.​ Many of these cheese traditions are tied to specific regions you can visit — see

Types of Swiss Cheese: The Only Guide You Actually Need Read More »

Winding scenic mountain road through the Swiss Alps with hairpin bends and a glacial lake below

The Scenic Drives in Switzerland That Will Make You Pull Over Every Five Minutes

Swiss Wonders / By

Switzerland is small on the map but enormous once you’re behind the wheel. You round a corner and suddenly there’s a turquoise lake below, a cluster of timber chalets above, and somewhere in the background, a mountain that doesn’t quite look real. That’s the thing about scenic drives in Switzerland — the beauty doesn’t wait

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Vintage flat lay of antique Swiss chocolate packaging, cocoa beans, and historical recipe cards representing the 19th century origins of Swiss chocolate

Swiss Chocolate Experience: The Sweetest Journey You Will Ever Take in Switzerland

Swiss Wonders / By

Imagine standing inside a room that smells like pure heaven. Warm, rich, velvety cocoa fills the air. In front of you, a four-metre-high chocolate fountain flows without pause. All around you, the story of one of the world’s most beloved foods unfolds on walls, exhibits, and tasting stations. You are not in a fantasy. You are

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