Switzerland industrialized rapidly during the 19th century and became the second most industrialized country on Europe. The 1874 constitution made it possible to initiate a democratic government through referendum and was reinforced in 1891 through initiative, the right for citizens to place an issue before the public if they were able to secure enough signatures. The government also took major steps in improving the railway system and nationalized the major railway lines, because the privately-owned railway companies were not performing well. Finally, Swiss Federal Railways start operating in 1902.

These colorized pictures show the sublime landscape, towns, cities, and famous landmarks of Switzerland in the late 19th century. These photographs were created using the Photochrom process, a technique for applying color to monochrome images with nuance and precision.