September 18, 1601 Earthquake: Switzerland

Reference #4615:

1601, September 18. On 18 September 1601, central Switzerland was hit by one of the largest known earthquakes in central Europe (I = VII-VIII, Mw - 6.2; Swiss Seismological Service, 2002). Several towers in Lucerne were destroyed, and Renward Cysat, the registrar of Lucerne at that time, reported in his chronicle, "What scared people most was that the out flowing river Reuss flowed back into Lake Lucerne so that the riverbed between the two parts of the city almost became dry and several people could cross it by foot, before the water again vehemently advanced towards the city" (Cysat, 1601, p. 884). As Cysat traveled along the lake's shore, he recorded observations such as: "Ships had been thrown onshore ... up to two halberds [~4 m] aboye the lake level. ... Small islands and shoals had disappeared," (p. 883) as did "entire houses with sleeping people" (Cysat, 1601, p. 887). In Lucerne, the cyclic oscillation of lake level (seiche) had a period of 10 min and an estimated amplitude of 1-2 m (Cysat, 1601; Siegenthaler et al., 1987). An earthquake of this magnitude could not have directly caused such massive water movements that lasted several hours. In fact, Siegenthaler et al. (1987) linked these large-scale water movements of A.D. 1601 to two large slump deposits in the subsurface of Lake Lucerne.

Reference #4109:

1601, September 8, 01 UTC. 46.833 N, 85 E, intensity IX. Regional data from Zurich Switzerland, 1016-1984.

Reference #1055:

1601, September 8. Throughout almost all Europe, especially Germany and part of Asia; most violent in Switzerland, Austria, Bohemia, Bavaria, Swabia, Alsace and part of Netherlands. Intensity I which corresponds to an earthquake of intensity sufficient to crack walls, break chimneys, to shatter old buildings or to produce cracks in the ground.

Reference #521:

1601, September 8, between 1 and 2 am. Throughout almost all Europe, especially Germany and part of Asia. Most violent in Switzerland, Austria, Bohemia, Bavaria, Swabia, Alsace and part of Netherlands. In most of these places several shocks were felt. The lake of Geneva was agitated, although the atmosphere was quite calm.

Reference #1093:

1601, September 18. Epicentre in Canton Unterwalt. Many churches have been put out of use, including that of Beckenried. Some houses collapsed. At Lucerne; some partial destruction, especially to the church of the barefoot Brothers. Ebb and flow of the Reuss River; flooding of Lake Lucerne on its shores; Landslide in Burgenstock. Deaths 9.

It is possible that there was in this same year 1601, an earthquake in Asia, but it is understood that the latter had no connection with that of the center of Switzerland. The date is September 8 according to the old style.

Reference #1159:

1601, September 18. Central Switzerland, entire region. Intensity VI-VII.