Bernese Oberland & Central Switzerland - Discover Switzerland: Experience the Best of Switzerland - page 319

21 Casagrande C3

KAPELLBRÜCKE
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You haven't really been to Lucerne until you have strolled the creaky 14th-century
Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), spanning the Reuss river in the Old Town. The octagonal
water tower is original, but its gabled roof is a modern reconstruction, rebuilt after a disas-
trous fire in 1993. As you cross the bridge, note Heinrich Wägmann's 17th-century trian-
gular roof panels, showing important events from Swiss history and mythology. The icon
is at its most photogenic when bathed in soft golden light at dusk.

| Bridge

LION MONUMENT
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(Löwendenkmal; Denkmalstrasse) By far the most touching of the 19th-century sights that
lured so many British to Lucerne is the Lion Monument. Lukas Ahorn carved this 10m-
long sculpture of a dying lion into the rock face in 1820 to commemorate Swiss soldiers
who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. Mark Twain once
called it the 'saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world'.

| Memorial

SPREUERBRÜCKE
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Further down the river, the Spreuerbrücke (Spreuer Bridge) is darker and smaller than the
Chapel Bridge, but its 1408 structure is entirely original. Lore has it that this was the only
bridge where locals were allowed to throw Spreu (chaff) into the river in medieval times.
Here, the roof panels consist of artist Caspar Meglinger's movie-storyboard-style se-
quence of paintings, The Dance of Death, showing how the plague affected all levels of
society.

| Bridge

MUSEGGMAUER
(City Wall; 8am-7pm Apr-Oct) For a bird's-eye view over Lucerne's rooftops to the glitter-
ing lake and mountains beyond, wander the medieval ramparts. A walkway is open
between the Schirmerturm Offline map Google map (tower), where you enter, and the
Wachturm Offline map Google map , from where you have to retrace your steps. You can

| Viewpoint