Switzerland Marks 150 Years of Metric System

Country celebrates sesquicentennial of adopting international measurement standards, ending centuries of regional measurement confusion

Key Takeaways

AI

Switzerland signed the Metre Convention on May 20, 1875, along with 17 other countries
The metric system became legally valid in Switzerland through a federal law in 1875
The metric system was definitively introduced in January 1877
Pre-metric measurements varied significantly between regions and purposes

By The Numbers

545.9 millimetres

Length of cubit in Solothurn

600 millimetres

Length of cubit in Bern

26-36 centimetres

Range of foot measurements

They Said

"Before the introduction of these measures, there was a great deal of confusion in Switzerland when it came to measuring"
— Swiss Historical Dictionary

1