Lucerne is a beautiful city steeped in history and rich is Swiss culture. It is also where Switzerland began as a nation 700 years ago. The old town centre offers 15th century buildings with ornately painted facades, watched over by the towers of the city walls.
Our walking tour of the old town commences at the northern bank of the Reuss River, just in front of the two covered bridges, Spreuerbrucke and Kapellbrucke. Look upwards as you cross the bridges and you'll discover wonderful pictorial panels under their roofs.
On the Spruerbrucke or Mill Bridge, Kaspar Meglinger's 17th century plague paintings titled 'Dance of Death' are extraordinary. The Kappellbrucke or Chapel Bridge commonly appears in photographs of Lucerne and was originally constructed in 1333. It too has a series of paintings inside that depict historic events in Lucerne, but sadly some of these artworks were destroyed by fire in 1993, although fortunately the bridge was quickly restored.
We then walk along the river's edge. This water is so clear and clean and the Lake Lucerne catchment area is home to swans, ducks and an array of other bird life.
Next down past the Rathaus (town hall) and on to the cathedral of St Leodegar with its gothic-like spires. Arriving early on a weekday morning it's likely to be closed, but we can still enjoy discovering the intricately sculpted figurines that frame the main archway.
The main highlight for me is the Lion Monument, situated northeast of Lowenplatz. The Danish sculptor Thorvaldson is attributed with designing the monument to commemorate the 700 Swiss soldiers killed in Paris on 10 August, 1792. After the French revolutionaries stormed the Royal Palace (now the Louvre), the Swiss Guards were ordered to lay down their weapons by Louis XVI and were massacred. The sculpture depicts a dying beast draped over his Swiss-marked shield with a broken spear sticking out of his flank. This poignant piece was carved out of a cliff face in 1821 and is a fitting place to end our 1.5 hour walking tour.
From here, you can visit the Gletschergarten, where giant glacier potholes illustrate that 20 million years ago Lucerne was a subtropical palm beach. The Alpineum opposite the glacier garden is a relic from a bygone age with models of alpine scenes behind glass.
The Bourbaki Panorama is situated on Lowenplatz itself. The panorama is home to a mural depicting the retreat of the French Eastern Army under General Bourbaki into Switzerland during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. Or, if you would like to get out and explore Lake Lucerne, head down to the boat jetties in front of Banhofplatz and enjoy a 2.5 hour cruise. I chose a second class ticket on the Brunnen for CHF24. Each vessel has its own dining car, lounges and viewing decks. A great way to spend a cool but sunny afternoon in Lucerne.
For more information see:
www.intrepidtravel.com/destinations/Switzerland/articledashboarddirectory
Intrepid Travel is a leading small group adventure tour operator, with 19 years experience, and offers over 450 itineraries to more than 90 countries worldwide. You will go off the beaten track, meeting locals and traveling in unconventional ways, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes. Intrepid is recognized for its environmentally responsible tourism.
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