Loner in Luzern

My one solo day trip during this trip was a short day trip to the most popular city in Switzerland, Luzern. Set amongst the Alps on Lake Luzern with a long history and many sites to see, this city is often the first stop for tourists but ended up being my last stop in Switzerland. I squeezed the trip in between our trip to Germany and the overnight to Milan but I am very glad I went.
The short train trip delivered me into the heart of the city and from there I started my wandering.













Chapel Bridge is the most famous crossing of the Reuss River and was built in the 14th c. as a fortification and a bridge. This oldest wooden bridge in Europe is decorated with 17th c. panels depicting the life and history of Luzern. In 1993 the bridge burned but as quickly rebuilt, though not all of the panels were saved. The water tower in the middle has served many uses through the years and today it is a souvenir shop, of course.












The old town is well preserved. It is a maze of small streets and old buildings, now mostly occupied by modern chain stores. Another highlight is the many facades painted with murals depicting everything from hunting forays to angels.














My wandering took me to the edge of the old town and the old city walls. The section that is still intact is perched above the town with a small meadow on the backside. During the summer, you can walk the top of the walls but unfortunately it was closed while I was there, for safety reasons, I am sure. Also on the edge of town is the famous Löwendenkmal or Lion Monument. This huge lion carved out of rock is dedicated to the 700 mercenaries killed protecting Louis XVI in 1792, when the citizens stormed Versailles Palace, in order to take the King and Marie-Antoinette back to Paris.









Amid the Alps, beside a lake, church spires everywhere, city walls to storm and a bridge crossed by covered bridges, Luzern is truly a fairy tale town.