Places of interest

in Lucerne

Lucerne has so much to offer in a small geographic area. The Chapel Bridge with its Water Tower is the landmark of Lucerne and the most photographed monument in Switzerland.

Further Info

Chapel Bridge

The world-famous Chapel Bridge is the landmark of Lucerne and the oldest wooden bridge in Europe. Built in the first half of the 14th century, it is named after nearby St. Peter's Chapel. The painted panels added in the 17th century illustrate scenes of Swiss and local history, including the biographies of the city's patron saints, Leodegar and Maurice.

Lion Monument

"The dying lion of Lucerne" is one of the world’s most famous monuments. It was carved out of natural rock in memory of the heroic deaths of Swiss guards massacred during the French revolution at the Tuileries Palace in Paris in 1792. Mark Twain described the Lion of Lucerne as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world".

KKL culture and convention centre

The KKL Luzern culture and convention centre combines outstanding architecture, culture and cuisine, and is the work of the Parisian architect, Jean Nouvel. The concert hall (1840 seats) is renowned for its acoustics. The Lucerne Hall, convention centre with auditorium and Lucerne Museum of Art are also housed within this building. The views of the lake and Old Town from its two roof terraces are superb.

Musegg Wall

The Musegg Wall and its nine towers form part of Lucerne's ancient fortifications dating back to the early 13th century. The clock in the Zyt Tower dates from 1535 and is the oldest in the city. It has the privilege of striking the hour one minute before all the other clocks in the city. Four of the towers – Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht and Männli – of the well-preserved city wall are open to the public.

Old Town

The Old Town boasts picturesque squares surrounded by houses featuring ancient frescos. Especially worth seeing are the Weinmarkt (where, in 1332, the men of Lucerne swore the Confederate Oath with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden in 1332), Hirschenplatz (named after a medieval inn of the same name), and the Kornmarkt, which is home to the Town Hall and "zu Pfistern" guildhall with its eye-catching frescoes.