Enjoy the beauty of medieval Lucerne, Swiss gem by the Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne, highlight of the city

To enjoy the many surprises that the medieval city of Lucerne has in store, walk the streets from the lake via the famous bridges to cross from one bank to another.

The old town and its museums

Lucerne is a fascinating city, largely due to its medieval architecture around Lake Lucerne. Its covered wooden bridges, vestiges of the Middle Ages, became the emblems of the city. The Kapellbrücke or "Chapel Bridge", which was built in 1333, is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe. Under his height, triangular paintings depict the history of Switzerland, as well as that of Lucerne and its patron saints. In the middle of the bridge, enter the Wasserturm: this octagonal water tower was originally part of the wall surrounding the city. The building has had many uses over time: watchtower, treasure room, as well as being used as a prison cell and torture chamber... A few metres away, the Spreuerbrücke, nicknamed by people from Lucerne "The Bridge of the Dance of the Dead" is an amazing masonry work. It is decorated with 67 paintings illustrating the theme of the Danse of the Dead.

In the old town, the Richard Wagner Museum, housed in the same building where the musician lived, hosts personal items that belonged to him and a collection of old musical instruments. Near the lake, the Museum of Fine Arts occupies the top floor of the Culture and Convention Centre, a building designed by famous French architect Jean Nouvel. The museum hosts the works of international artists of the nineteenth and twentieth century as well as temporary exhibitions dedicated to contemporary art. At the Rosengart Foundation, admire art works by Picasso and Klee, among others.