"Keeweechic's Lucerne (Luzern)" a Lucerne Travel Page by keeweechic

Lucerne which is the 8th biggest city, lies about an hour south of Zürich in the historical heart of Switzerland. The communities dotted around the lake guarded the northern approaches to the St Gotthard, one of the main routes between central Europe and northern Italy. Lucerne was the principal market town for the lakeside communities. There is evidence of Lucerne's medieval prosperity in the painted houses of the town centre and the wooden bridges which cross the River Reuss. Largest of these bridges is the Kapellbrucke, a roofed structure which dog-legs its way across the river. The original fourteenth-century bridge was destroyed by a fire in 1993 and the present bridge, even down to the paintings that hang from the roof beams, is a faithful reconstruction,

"Give me the road and I will take it... give me the dream and my life is complete"

The Hof Bridge and many of the towers were also demolished in the 19th century, and the city centre also bears the scars of the centuries. Nevertheless, modern Lucerne still retains its unique and unsurpassed medieval character as a city of spires set in a magnificent landscape.

The mediaeval castles, folklore and kind residents create a postcard picture of Switzerland.