Lucerne
20 July to 24 July 2025
Sunday, July 20th found Julie and Anthony on the train from Zurich to Lucerne arriving early in the afternoon.
The Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) is the most striking feature in Lucerne. Built in 1333, the bridge spans the Reuss River.
Hotel Château Gütsch
Julie and Anthony met her friend Leslie (with Leslie’s sister and travel buddies) for lunch at one of the cute restaurants overlooking the Reuss.
After Lunch, Julie and Anthony strolled the streets of old Lucerne, taking in the murals on the side of the buildings.
Chapel Bridge
Julie with the Spreuerbrücke (Chaff Bridge)
Spreuerbrücke
Morbid Much?
Anthony on the Spreuerbrücke
The Spreuer Bridge's pediments have interior triangular paintings, unique to Lucerne's wooden bridges. They depict a Danse Macabre (Totentanz) created from 1616 to 1637 by Kaspar Meglinger. It is the largest known Totentanz cycle, with 45 of the original 67 paintings remaining.
Anthony took photos of many of the paintings in the Totendanz cycle.
View up the Reuss from the Spreuerbrücke
Sunday afternoon, Julie and Anthony took a ferry on Lake Lucerne.
Mount Pilatus looms above Lucerne. Julie could not wait to get up there.
A view of the Hammetschwand Lift
After all the cities that we visited, Julie was finally able to start breathing.
Julie could live in either of these
The Church of St. Leodegar
On Monday, Julie and Anthony have a late Lunch along the Reuss.
The Lion of Lucerne
The sculpture commemorates the Swiss Guards killed in the French Revolution, guarding the Tuileries Palace. It’s a small garden, a little out of the way. Julie was not expecting to be moved so much.
Julie and Anthony found out that the Wild Men that we kept seeing depicted symbolize the strength of the Lucerne soldiers. We were also told that the myth of the wild men were based on giant’s bones found in the area. It was later discovered that the bones belonged to a mammoth.
From the Lion, Anthony and Julie walked to the old city wall and walked on along the top.
Cooos!!! In Lucerne!!
Building Gothe lived in.
On Tuesday, Julie and Anthony took a bus and gondola to the top of Mount Pilatus. Coming back we got a train and ferry.
The weather did not look promising.
Into the clouds
Pilatus Trail Map
We bought post cards to remember what we should have been able to see.
The train on the way down
Boring Swiss cows
Water fountains are around every corner in Lucerne. The water flows down from the mountains, and like Zurich, the water is potable.
Later that day, no clouds on Pilatus, teasing Julie and Anthony.
“Ghost Tour”??? Nope
The murals on the wall and designs on the door indicate what merchants (or historical events) were associated with the buildings.
On Wednesday Julie and Anthony went to the top of Mt Rigi.
On the way, Anthony stopped to take photos of the murals in the Chapel Bridge. The Chapel Bridge was partially burnt in 1993, damaging many of the pictures.
If you are interested, you can see the pictures and history of Lucerne’s Bridges here: https://www.kapellbruecke.com/en/
Julie and Anthony took a steam wheel ferry to the funicular to Mount Rigi.
Another wild man
Above: The view from Rigi back down into Lucerne.
Following a suggestion from Leslie, or one of her friends, Julie and Anthony stopped at the hot springs spa in Weggis, on our way down.
Fake Swiss cow, with biker. Is he making fun of Anthony’s pose?
More teasing from Mt Pilatus
Jakob von Wyl, born 1586, died around 1620
Dance of Death
A series of eight pictures, created around 1615.
The cycle begins with the expulsion of Adam and Eve, the first mortals, from paradise.
In the social order of the time, it shows death with the Pope, Emperor, Cardinal, and King, down to the peasant, the disabled, and mother and child.
It ends with musical skeletons in front of the door of the charnel house.
The work was presumably created for the former cloister at the Franciscan Church.
Jakob von Wyl put himself in the painting
Photos from the train, on the way to Interlaken.
Maps:
1) Zurich to Lucerne - Train and Lake Lucerne Boat Ride, 2) Lion Monument, 3) Pilatus - Bus, Gondola, Train, Ferry, 4) Rigi - Ferry, Gondola, Funicular, Ferry, 5) Lucerne to Interlaken, Train
