When you hear a rumble and BOOM from Andermatt, you know its the Swiss army out practicing again. They've been training here since time immemorial: the Gotthard region (the former fortress of the Confederates) is close by; a portrait of General Guisan hangs in (almost) every dining room between Lake Uri and Hospental. Unfortunately, fighting has always been a way of life in Switzerland; both against foreign enemies and against nature. When the Gotthard tunnel was being constructed during the 70s in order to connect a modern, united Switzerland, the iconic landmark: the "Teufelsstein" or "Devil's Stone", which stood in the way, was at risk of being dynamited. Local council intervened however, and instead of blowing the stone up, or building the road around it, (being Swiss) the decision was eventually taken to move it ... all 2000 tonnes of it! 127m further north and resting 3.3 m higher, this iconic boulder, now with three flags on top, can still be seen today as you drive along the Gotthard road towards its 17km tunnel (world's longest tunnel from 1980-2000). Also of historic interest is the Suvorov Monument, named the Russian General who fought against the French here in 1799, but built to commemorate all who those who died, on both sides of the fighting. In September 1997, after 90 working days, the modest Via ferrata del Diavolo (devil) was built. Since then, tens of thousands have climbed up this route, which has 700 meters of wire rope, 265 artificial steps and two ladders, to the Tüfelstalboden, where the Uri flag flutters.