A long weekend in Lucerne – PART II

Hello my dear readers,

I hope that you enjoyed the previous post “A long weekend in Lucerne – PART I”. Here is part II.

I wish you a wonderful weekend to come.

Stay tuned for my review of a boutique hotel designed by the great French architect Jean Nouvel.

RAILWAY STATION

Following the fire in 1971, the entire railway station was rebuilt between 1984 and 1991. The transparent entrance hall of the new station, with its elegant curved roof was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The main portal of the former station, which survived the fire, now stands as an impressive arch in the middle of the square in front of the station.

A wonderful address for those with sweet tooth – Bachmann, House of Chocolate – here you can have a gorgeous cake or a nice snack. And why not buy the most exquisite chocolates to offer as a souvenir?

We took a box of Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting away with us. This was the first time I have ever tasted a Red Velvet cake…a gorgeous red colour, moist and fluffy and topped with luscious cream…I’m conquered!!

SPREUER BRIDGE

This bridge was completed as a part of the city fortification in 1408. It is called the Spreuer Bridge because this was the only place that the chaff from wheat could be dumped into the river.

WATER SPIKE

This is for the regulation of the water level. The so-called “spikes” are lowered into or withdrawn from the water manually to regulate the water level of Lake Lucerne.

JESUIT CHURCH

The first large Baroque church in Switzerland; constructed in 1666 by Father Christoph Vogler for the Jesuits.

MUSEGG WALL

Nine Towers. A part of the rampart walls built in 1386; the wall is still almost entirely intact. Four towers are open to the public: Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht and Männli.

The oldest city clock, built by Hans Luter in 1535, is in the Zyt tower. This clock is allowed to chime every hour one minute before all the other city clocks.

CHUCH OF ST. LEODEGAR

This church was one of the few built north of the Alps during the “Thirty Years War” and one of the largest and art history rich churches of the German late renaissance period.

LAKE LUCERNE

Lake Lucerne (434 m above sea level) is fascinating due to its picturesque landscape and historical sites. 20 boats - 5 of which are nostalgic paddle-steamers - enable you to take round trips and offer endless possibilities for excursions which can also be combined with mountain railways along the lake.

Carl Spitteler was a Swiss poet who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1919. His work includes both pessimistic and heroic poems.

Tourist information was partially sourced from:  www.luzern.com