| Page Views: 969 Last Visit to Lucerne: August, 2000 | Settlement on marshy ground by Bjorgvin - last update: Jul 31, 2003 |
Lucerne (Ger. Luzern) is the capital of Lucerne canton, on the Reuss River, where it issues from Lake Lucerne (Ger. Vierwaldstätter See, Fr. Lac des Quatre Cantons). Originally there was a fishing village on the site, but later on came a Benedictine monastery (8th century). The city grew from the fishing village that benefited from the nearby monastery. The name of the city is probably derived from the Celtic word lozzeria, meaning “a settlement on marshy ground”, but little is known of its origin until it was chartered about 1178. In the early 13th century Lucerne was fast becoming an important trade centre between the upper Rhine and Lombardy. Later in the same century it came under the sway of the Habsburg dynasty. In 1332 it joined an alliance with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden, and the four forest cantons (Vier Waldstätter) won independence in 1386. The canton of Lucerne became the leader of the Catholic cantons at the Reformation and the city of Lucerne was the seat of the papal representative from 1579 to 1874. In the French revolutionary wars the patrician families that governed Lucerne were forced to abdicate by the French and the city was for a time the capital of the so-called Helvetic Republic, but in 1803 resumed its status as the capital of the canton of Lucerne. Lucerne has one of the most picturesque settings in Switzerland, and has become one of the largest and most important tourist resorts in the country.</font></center></b>
http://www.luzern.org
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 Comments for Bjorgvin about Lucerne | | | | |
albertus72 Sat May 11, 2002 12:01 UTC
Looks like a nice place,Excellent!!!! | DaKat Mon Mar 25, 2002 13:08 UTC
Looks great - nice page! | vigi Sun Mar 17, 2002 02:45 UTC
Very beautiful page! |
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