Chapel Bridge

Chapel Bridge burned in 1993 and was rebuilt so quickly that most visitors have no idea they’re walking across a replica of a 1333 original

Kapellbrucke – the Chapel Bridge – in Lucerne caught fire in August 1993. A lit cigarette was the probable cause. By the time firefighters had it under control, roughly two-thirds of the 204-metre covered wooden bridge had burned, including most of the 17th-century triangular paintings hung between the rafters that depicted the history and legends of Lucerne and Switzerland. The remaining paintings survived with smoke damage. The structure was rebuilt and reopened in April 1994 – less than a year – using original construction methods where possible. The result looks largely identical to what it replaced, which is a testament to both the reconstruction craft and the confusion this creates for visitors who assume the bridge is the medieval original in its entirety.

The original bridge was built in 1333 and served as a defensive wall across the Reuss River, connecting the city walls on both banks. The octagonal Water Tower adjacent to the bridge predates it, built in the early 14th century, and has served at various points as a watchtower, a treasury, a dungeon, and an archive. Both structures are now Lucerne’s most recognisable landmarks.

Walking the Bridge

The paintings that survived the 1993 fire – some originals, the rest restored copies – are still hung in their original positions in the triangular frames along the bridge’s roofline. They depict scenes from Lucerne’s history and from the lives of the city’s patron saints. Walking the bridge at a slow pace with enough attention to look up at the paintings takes about 20 minutes. The view of the bridge from the riverside, particularly in the early morning light before the tour groups arrive, is the one that appears on every travel photograph of Lucerne.

The Jesuit Church on the south bank, a short walk from the bridge, is one of the earliest Baroque churches in Switzerland, completed in 1677, and is genuinely worth entering – the interior is more elaborate than the exterior suggests.

Mount Pilatus

Mount Pilatus (2,132 metres) above Lucerne is accessible by the world’s steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad (about 30 minutes by boat from Lucerne’s waterfront). The summit views on a clear day cover the Alps from the Bernese Oberland to the Gotthard. The combination of the lake boat to Alpnachstad and the cogwheel railway up provides an unusually efficient way to gain significant Alpine elevation from a city base. Return gondola from Kriens is the standard circuit if you want variety on the descent.

Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstattersee) has scheduled paddle steamers and motor vessels serving the main lakeside villages. The classic excursion is to Rütli Meadow on the eastern shore – the site where, by Swiss tradition, representatives of the three original cantons swore the oath of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Whether the 1291 date is historically accurate is debated; the meadow is genuine and the boat ride is good regardless.

Practical Notes

Lucerne is 50 minutes by direct train from Zurich. For accommodation: Hotel des Balances in the Old Town at the higher end; the Youth Hostel Luzern for budget travellers. Wirtshaus Taube on Bahnhofstrasse serves reliable Swiss classics including fondue in a setting that is comfortable rather than touristy. The Lion Monument, carved into a cliff face to commemorate Swiss Guards killed during the French Revolution of 1792, is a 15-minute walk from the bridge and one of Mark Twain’s most admired sights – he called it “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”