Nic, i would not say that the entire nation is ignorant, but rather than lack of knowledge (and load of fear) on islam is a common fact for many people in Switzerland.

The church you added to the message is located at Lausanne, where i'm living. This is one of the most beautiful building in the city.

Now about cultural protection. In Switzerland every new building planned to be constructed should first get the agreement from the local authority. One of the purpose of this process is to guarantee that the new building will save the cultural and architectural aspect of the area.

Now looking on agruments of the party that drived the referendum, it has nothing to do with architecture. The minarets where pictured as a forest of black colored rockets, that no people at all want to add to the landscape, and which has nothing to do with typical minarets as those you added to your message.

Of course, currently many mosquees in Switzerland are built on old factories, industrial or living zone, where there is no particular aspect to save.