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Train travel in Switzerland is easy.
Efficient and far-reaching, it’s easy to go out and explore all that the country has to offer.
Having recently gotten a taste of venturing out to another city in Switzerland, I was ready for more! So…it was off to the train station to see what else I could discover.
The winner on this particular day?
Lucerne. Located only an hour from Zurich, it is an easy trip, albeit expensive, for the short time I had to spend there. The small city is known for its preserved medieval architecture, imposing mountains and beautiful Lake Lucerne.
History, architecture and nature! I couldn’t wait!
As we arrived at the modern train station, we anxiously peeked out in hopes that the blues skies that had been promised in the forecast were visible above.
No such luck.
A cool afternoon, it was quite overcast, the dim gray skies exaggerated by the dwindling light of the approaching winter season, yet, we anxiously ventured out, eager to see what the city would present.
When I had researched the Swiss city, the picture that I came across most often was of the beautiful bridges that span the River Reuss in the colorful Alstadt (Old Town).
This is what I most wanted to see and as luck would have it, they were extremely close to the station.
A quick two minute walk, past the archway (welcoming us to Lucerne) and a festive carousel brought us to the river. Just like in the pictures, here it was…the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)! I was aware that the bridge was beautiful from its exterior, yet when we set foot inside, I found out that so much more was to be discovered.
The 17th century, covered, diagonal footbridge links the Aldstadt to the Reuss River’s right bank. Destroyed by fire in 1993, it has been restored to it original beauty and is the oldest wooden, covered, truss bridge in Europe.
Named after St. Peter’s Chapel, located nearby, the bridge gives off the feeling of an ancient church, with its dark wood structure and ancient wood paneled paintings. These paintings, dating back to the 17th century, were created by local Catholic painter, Hans Heinrich Wägmann, during the Counter-Reformation. Though most of the originals, depicting events from Lucerne’s history, were destroyed in the devastating fire, about 30 were fully restored and command your full attention, sometimes requiring you to step to the side to allow those traversing the walkway to pass, while you spend a few moments studying each panel. These panels display the life and death of Lucerne’s patron saints, St. Leger and St. Maurice.
Also part of the bridge complex is the Wasserturm, or water tower, which stands proudly in the waters of the Reuss. Built about 30 years before the bridge’s construction, the tower has served as a prison, torture chamber and a municipal archive. Today, the tower houses a local artillery association and a tourist gift shop, however, it does not host visitors, except those seeking Swiss mementos.
Truly the symbol of Lucerne, I was awe-struck by the Kapellbrücke’s grand beauty, enhanced by the bright pink flowers that line its periphery. Once we crossed the bridge, assisted some beautiful young Japanese travelers with memorable photos and grabbed a quick beer in the nearby pub, it was time to head up the river to the other venerable structure which crossses Lake Lucerne’s tributary.
Linking the left and right banks of the River Reuss is the Spreuerbrücke. The Spreuerbrücke, or Spreuer Bridge, earning its name from the chaffs of wheat which were thrown in the river here, dates back to 1408 and was part of the city’s fortification. The bridge was constructed to connect the Mühlenplatz (Mill Place) on the right bank with the mills in the middle of the river.
From 1626 and for the next nine years, Kaspar Meglinger decorated the triangular panels in the bridge with 67 paintings that represent the Danse Macabre, leading everyone to understand that death is everywhere. Forty-five of the originals are still in existence today and contain the coat of arms of the donor in the lower left corner and coat of arms of the donor’s wife in the right. These paintings also contain portraits of the donors and explanations and the names of the donors.
Not the original bridge, the Spreüerbrucke was destroyed in 1566 by floodwaters but rebuilt with an added grain storehouse as the bridge head called the Herrenkeller. A small chapel can also be found in the middle of the bridge, a spot also marked with a crucifix mounted on the outside of the structure.
After crossing the Spreüerbrucke, though we wandered alongside the river, the third bridge was not to be found…the Hofbrücke, which once existed, was demolished in the 19th century.
Life in Lucerne revolves around its proximity to water as is evident by the Old Town’s location on the river’s banks. It’s easy to spend time perusing the historic homes, embellished with frescoes, that line the waterfront, browsing the watch and souvenir shops or dining at one of the many restaurants while watching joggers run by and swans glide gracefully in the clear, glacial water.
Though there was much more to explore in lovely Lucerne, I was glad that we had started with the bridges, the symbols of the city. Yet, our day wasn’t over. We had so much more to discover!
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Kapellbrücke
- Address: Kapellbrücke, 6002 Luzern, Switzerland
- Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Admission: free
Spreuer Bridge
- Address: 6004 Lucerne, Switzerland
- Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Admission: free