Lucerne Old Town and Chapel Bridge

Lucerne'S Old Town On The Reuss River And Lake Lucerne, With The Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrucke, 1333), The Oldest Covered Wooden Bridge In Europe, And Its Water Tower, Painted Gables, Spreuer Bridge, The Lion Monument And Views Of Mount Pilatus. A Base For Lake Cruises And Rigi And Pilatus Excursions. · Lucerne, Lucerne

Lucerne is a compact lakeside city in central Switzerland, a 45 minute train ride from Zurich or an hour from Bern. Its symbol is the Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge), a covered wooden footbridge from 1333, 204 m long, with the octagonal Water Tower beside it. A fire in 1993 destroyed much of the bridge, and the 17th-century paintings under its roof are largely copies. Behind it lie the old town with painted facades, the Spreuer Bridge with its Dance of Death paintings, the Lion Monument and the Musegg Wall, with Mount Pilatus and the Rigi above the lake. The honest picture is a lovely but small and busy centre, worth half a day. The bridge is more picturesque than significant, and the bridge crowds at midday and sunset. Most of what you come for is FREE, because the bridges, the squares and the Lion Monument cost nothing, while the lake boats and the mountain railways are where the money goes. Go early or late, and keep a clear morning free for the peaks, the lake boats and a slow lunch away from the bridge.

Lakeside medieval city on Lake Lucerne with the 14th-century covered Chapel Bridge across the Reuss, the Water Tower and the Lion Monument, Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland

The old town, the Chapel Bridge, the Spreuer Bridge and the Lion Monument are open all day and all year, and all are FREE. The Water Tower is NOT open inside. Museums, the Musegg Wall towers and the Glacier Garden keep their own hours and are usually CLOSED on some days, so confirm locally. Lake boats run daily, with fewer sailings in winter.

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