Chapel Bridge Lucerne, LU

Chapel Bridge and Water Tower

Lucerne lies on the river Reuss, at the end of Lake Lucerne, framed by impressive mountains. The city has been a stronghold of tourism since 1840, thanks to the well-preserved Old Town with its Chapel Bridge and Water Tower.

Lucerne is divided by the river Reuss into an Old Town and a New Town. The two districts are connected by what is among other things the world's oldest covered wooden bridge, the Chapel Bridge, which dates back to the year 1332. The bridge was rebuilt true to the original after the fire of 1993 and leads to the actual landmark of Lucerne, the octagonal Water Tower. Like the over 500-year-old Musegg Wall with its turrets, the bridge and water tower were part of the city fortifications.

At the outflow of the river Reuss, a historic needle dam, built in 1860, regulates the water level of the lake. The nearby Old Town boasts a town hall which dates back to the Late Renaissance as well as a Jesuit church, Switzerland's oldest Baroque church.Read more