Lucerne Wood Art Panels Bridge Interlaken Wood Art Panels Bridge
1 of the virtually famous bridges in all of Switzerland is the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne (Kapellbrücke).
A gorgeous medieval wooden footbridge that allows you to cross over the Reuss River with an octagonal h2o tower (Wasserturm) attached.
Not but is this bridge ane of the oldest covered bridges to exist in Europe, it's also the longest surviving truss bridge in the unabridged earth!
Today, it's an icon for Lucerne and is also 1 of the master tourist attractions in Switzerland. So, you simply must pay a visit if you're in the city.
For me, this is 1 of my favourite bridges on the planet. I loved admiring all the cute paintings within not to mention the gorgeous views you can go from here.
This is a complete guide for the Chapel Bridge and H2o Belfry in Lucerne with the history, highlights, and how to visit!
What is the Chapel Bridge or Kapellbrücke?
The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne is a historic footbridge that allows you to cross over the River Reuss.
It was originally built equally a throughway in the 14th-century and acted as office of the cities fortifications.
The word Kapellbrücke in German translates to 'Chapel Span' and information technology was named after St Peter's Chapel nearby.
Initially, its length was a whopping 270 metres long simply, over time, this has gotten shorter and at present stands at but 204 metres.
This truss bridge is built with carved wooden panels and triangular trusses. It's also unique every bit information technology has a series of fine triangle paintings inside that tell the story of Lucerne's history.
Information technology's ane of iii historic wooden footbridges in Lucerne. The others were the Hofbrücke (unfortunately this has been destroyed) and the Spreuerbrücke.
Before the Chapel Bridge was built, there was an octagonal water tower or wasserturm that stood here.
The history of the Chapel Bridge and Water Belfry in Lucerne
Before the Chapel Bridge, there was a H2o Tower that used to sit down in the middle of the River Reuss. This is idea to accept been built around the 1330s.
The name Wasserturm translates in English as 'tower standing in the water' every bit opposed to it being used to store water itself.
This octagonal tower that stands around 35 metres high has had many uses over the years.
Information technology has been a urban center treasury, prison, and even a torture chamber for criminals in the city! I guess, if the tower is isolated in the river, you couldn't escape easily.
Later, the Chapel Span was built in 1365. It was constructed to create an accessway from the Old Town in Lucerne to the 'New' Town or Rathausquai.
It likewise acted as a defensive fortification for the city, to help prevent attacks from foreign ships that would arrive from Lucerne Lake.
The triangular Chapel Bridge paintings
The cute triangle paintings that hang above the trusses in the bridge came much afterwards in the 17th century.
In that location were originally 158 of these paintings by Hans Heinrich Wägmann. These all told the story of Lucerne's history.
The storyline starts with Lucerne's patron saint St. Leger and depicts his life and death with a few famous legends thrown in.
Many of these paintings were influenced by Catholicism and created during the Swiss Counter-Reformation. Almost like modern-day propaganda every bit a reminder to remain true to the Catholic organized religion!
Notable city council members of the fourth dimension sponsored the panel paintings. In return, they were immune to take their glaze of arms featured on it!
Unfortunately, many of these original paintings were burned in a fire. It was a tragic event that almost saw the whole bridge destroyed in 1993.
What was the Chapel Span fire?
On the 18th of Baronial 1993, the Chapel Span caught fire in the early on hours of the morning time.
Although the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, it is idea that it was someone being devil-may-care in putting out a cigarette!
Due to the span being made about entirely of wood and spiders webs in the gables, it set ablaze quickly and spread rapidly. Inside ten minutes, a large part of the footbridge was destroyed.
It is besides thought that a large corporeality of plastic bags from the souvenir shop in the Water Tower acquired the burn down to farther spread and explode.
Luckily, it was quickly contained. Nonetheless, It all the same took eleven hours to completely put out the fire and brand certain it couldn't spread farther.
In the end, 2-thirds of this historic span was destroyed! What was left was but a charred skeleton.
The fire also saw over 86 of the original triangular paintings by Wägmann ruined as well. You can still find burn marks on the bridge today.
Kapellbrücke reconstruction
The Chapel Span fire was an event that shook Lucerne, Switzerland, and the world.
Information technology saw thousands of people in the city assemble at the River Reuss to come across the damage the fire had caused. Information technology was a huge loss and the news soon reached headlines around the world.
The city authorities reacted quickly and decided that very day they would reconstruct the bridge.
The Chapel Span reconstruction project took identify merely weeks afterward and it required hours of research and historic records to ensure it was recreated sympathetically to the original fashion.
By November 1993, the edifice started and within 8 months the new bridge was complete.
The unabridged project price the city 3.5 million Swiss Francs (CHF) and reopened to the public in Apr 1994. It saw Lucerne'southward managing director of tourism, Kurt H. Illi's, weep tears of joy!
Thankfully, this time, the chapel bridge was rebuilt with modernistic fire protection measures then nothing similar this could happen once again! There is too a huge fine for smoking anywhere nearly information technology.
Highlights and what to expect on your visit
Today, the Chapel Span is withal the icon of the city and is 1 of the most photographed landmarks in the whole of Switzerland.
So, if you're visiting the fairytale urban center of Lucerne, you must prioritise this bridge as a stop on your itinerary!
Non simply is the edifice itself gorgeous simply the views you become from here are beautiful besides. Y'all tin can admire the historic buildings, the swans on the River Reuss and even Lucerne Lake.
As you traipse beyond the wooden panels, you lot tin stop a while to take it all in and watch the world become past.
I spent way more time here than I thought I would. At that place is so much to run across here including the water belfry, the paintings, and the details in the compages!
Even if you're not into photography in a big way, this span is amazing to photo. Then, make certain y'all have your camera at the ready.
Although the h2o tower is not open to the public, in that location is a small gift store that sells some tourist souvenirs if you wish to buy them.
Unfortunately, many of the famous triangular paintings were destroyed in the fire. There were 47 collected just only 30 were fully restored. Y'all can all the same come across the effects with some of the triangle paintings existence completely charred.
During the carnival months of January and Feb, the city replaces these with modern paintings. So, if yous accept your middle assail seeing the celebrated ones, I'd avoid those months.
Where is the Chapel Span located in Lucerne
This landmark in Lucerne will certainly exist hard to miss when you visit the city! It sits proudly over the Reuss River in the city centre.
Yous can easily meet it from the modern Seebrüke Span and it allows you lot to cross over from the Old Town of Lucerne on the Bahnhofstrasse Road to Rathausquai.
It doesn't really thing what way you enter the bridge to see the paintings equally they are on both sides. Only, I ended up walking up and down the bridge a couple of times to see it all!
The Chapel Bridge is around a 15-minute walk from the cardinal Lucerne Train Station. It's easiest to access the bridge on foot.
Chapel Bridge opening times & prices
The chapel bridge is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in Lucerne. And so, you can cross over information technology at whatever fourth dimension throughout the day.
I'd permit at least thirty minutes to an 60 minutes to visit the bridge. Yous may find you spend a lot longer here due to all the amazing artwork.
The Wassertum Gift Shop is open daily from 10 am – half-dozen pm.
It'southward also completely Gratuitous to visit, and then information technology'due south a cracking budget activity!
Looking for more things to do in Lucerne?
Lucerne is the stuff of fairytales and it's also one of the well-nigh romantic cities in all of Switzerland!
From gunkhole rides on the lake, the ancient colourful buildings of the old town, lively markets, restaurants by the river, and this bridge.
There are countless amount of things to do plus some hidden gems to discover.
Click here to read my complete Lucerne travel guide if its your offset time visiting the city!
Read more of my articles on Switzerland!
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Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg walking guide
Visiting the Giessbach Hotel
A Sherlock Holmes guide for Meiringen
The all-time afternoon tea in Interlaken
A 007 guide for Schilthorn Piz Gloria!
Save this Chapel Bridge and Water Belfry in Lucerne guide for afterwards!
Source: https://thirdeyetraveller.com/chapel-bridge-and-water-tower-in-lucerne/
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