[ahlt-dawrf] 
| a town in and the capital of Uri, in central Switzerland, near Lucerne: legendary home of William Tell. 8600. |
| Alt·dorf (ält'dôrf) A town of central Switzerland near the southeast tip of the Lake of Lucerne. A statue commemorates the legendary exploits of William Tell, marking the spot where he supposedly shot an apple off his son's head. Population: 8,600. |
Altdorf
capital of Uri canton, central Switzerland. It lies near the confluence of the Reuss River and the Schachen torrent, southeast of Lucerne. In the centre of the town a bronze statue of William Tell (1895) marks the place at which, according to tradition, he shot, with his crossbow, an apple from his son's head. The Tell theatre (1925) stages performances of Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell. Tell is said to have been born at nearby Burglen. Landmarks in Altdorf include a Capuchin monastery from 1581, a medieval tower, and the town church and town hall, both rebuilt after 1799. The town is on the St. Gotthard railway line and has cable and rubber works and an ammunition factory. The population is mostly Roman Catholic and German speaking. Pop. (2007 est.) 8,595.
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