Frozen in time: 2023 in Switzerland in pictures

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Skiers on an artificial snow slope at Klostermatte, canton Obwalden, on January 7. Urs Flüeler/Keystone

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, centre, and First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, right, at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 18. They had just learnt of a helicopter crash in Ukraine, in which Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrsky was among the victims. Keystone

(From left) Thomas Jordan, Chairman of the Swiss National Bank, Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, and Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset arrive for a press conference in Bern on March 19. Switzerland's largest bank UBS agreed to take over Credit Suisse for CHF3 billion ($3.25 billion) in a government-brokered deal following days of market upheaval over the health of the banking sector. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

Credit Suisse CEO Ulrich Körner, third from right, leaves the stage after the annual shareholders' meeting of the Swiss banking group on April 4 in Zurich. Michael Buholzer/Keystone

Activists from Renovate Switzerland protest in front of the Gotthard Tunnel on April 7. Urs Flüeler/Keystone

Placing a candle at the gate of the villa of singer Tina Turner in Küsnacht on May 25. Turner died after a long illness at her home. She was 83. Michael Buholzer/Keystone

Tourists take a selfie on June 2 on the pier seen in a popular South Korean series on Netflix. The picturesque lakeside village of Iseltwald on Lake Brienz, with a population of around 400, has since been overrun by tourists. Keystone

Spectators hold a banner in honour of professional cyclist Gino Mäder during a 20km "Gino Memorial Ride" which took place instead of the sixth stage of the 86th Tour de Suisse on June 16. Mäder died following a crash the day before. Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone

The village of Brienz-Brinzauls below a landslide on June 16 in eastern Switzerland. No one was injured because the village had been evacuated on May 12. Michael Buholzer/Keystone

Smoke and flames billow from the forest above the municipalities of Bitsch and Ried-Moerel on July 17. The fire brigade and two helicopters were deployed to fight the flames. Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone

Jirawat Jun-en, owner of the Siam Orchidee restaurant, looks at the damage in his flat a day after a heavy storm hit Cret-du-Locle near La Chaux-de-Fonds on July 25. Jean-christophe Bott/Keystone

Federal Councillor Albert Rösti inaugurates the Chiesa di San Nicolao della Flüe church at the August 1 celebrations at Swissminiature in Melide. Pablo Gianinazzi/Ti-Press/Keystone

Restorer Joel Aeby places the original Federal Constitution in a box after the ceremony to mark the 175th anniversary of the Federal Constitution on September 12 in the House of Representatives in Bern. After the ceremony, the Federal Constitution was transported to the Federal Archives. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

A Czechoslovakian wolfdog grabs a mask with the picture of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti after a petition was handed in against wolf culling, in Bern on September 28. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

The director of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Georges-Simon Ulrich, shortly before the start of a press conference in Bern on October 25. Following the federal parliamentary elections, the FSO discovered an error in the calculation of aggregated national party strengths. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

Federal Councillor Albert Rösti appears on screens in the control room of Swiss public television, SRF, at a media conference on the federal popular initiative "200 francs is enough!" on November 8 at the Federal Media Centre in Bern. Anthony Anex/Keystone

The Swiss national football team qualified for Euro 2024. Swiss manager Murat Yakin speaks to Granit Xhaka during the qualifying match against Kosovo in Basel on November 18. Ennio Leanza/Keystone

Vehicles try to clear the snow-covered runways at Zurich Airport on December 2. Several flights were cancelled. Ennio Leanza/Keystone

Police officers speak to activists of Renovate Switzerland after they sprayed "100 years" at the entrance of the headquarters of insurance company Swiss Life in Zurich on December 7. Renovate Switzerland says Swiss Life is the second-largest owner of buildings in Switzerland. Michael Buholzer/Keystone

Former Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss at a rally for a just peace in Israel and Palestine in Bern on December 9. Keystone / Marcel Bieri

People dressed as Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas arrive at a party in the ski resort of Verbier on December 9. Valentin Flauraud/Keystone

Beat Jans, who had just been elected to the Federal Council, sees his family in the gallery on December 13. Peter Schneider/Keystone

A swan swims next to a slide that was partially submerged after heavy rain on the shore of Lake Biel on December 14. Anthony Anex/Keystone

The freshly snow-covered Gross Spannort mountain at an altitude of 3,198m above Engelberg in canton Obwalden on December 15. Urs Flüeler/Keystone

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From natural disasters to human-created drama, here are some of the most eye-catching and memorable images from the past 12 months in Switzerland.

Landslides, fires and storms battered Switzerland this year, and while the results are certainly photogenic, that’s no comfort for the many people affected by them.

Climate change, the conflict in Ukraine and the collapse of Credit Suisse also left their mark on the Alpine country – as did a South Korean Netflix series. The picturesque lakeside village of Iseltwald is struggling to cope with busloads of tourists who want to see and take selfies on the village’s pier, the scene of a riveting romantic rendezvous.