Chapel bridge in Luzern
The town of Luzern, situated in German part of Switzerland, is placed in mountain area of Alps , along northwestern part of Vierwaldstatter Lake. Covered wooden bridge over Reuss-river is a main town monument. It is 198 metres long and it leads slantindicularly over the river. On its south end, there is placed eightcornered coverd water-tower. It formed, together with a bridge, a part of town´s fortification. It served as a prison and torture-chamber at that time. Except of this, there was hidden here also a state treasury. Inside bridge - covering, there are to be found 122 triangular pictures of 17th century. At the beginning of 19th century, there were restored. They present history of Luzern and heroic acts of inhabitants from neighbourhood in their fight for independency. Except of this, you can admire the pictures from way of life of both town saints, Leodegar and Mauritius.
In western direction, you can see the second bridge over Reuss-river. It comes from 1407 and it is decorated with gloomy pictures presenting death-dances of 17th century. Luzern is well-known tourist centre with attractive parks along banks of lake, with many other places of interest. The oldest part of town, placed along north bank of Reuss-river, preserved its medioeval arrangement of streets. You can see here town´s walls with defence-towers of 14th century, old wine market, town hall of 17th century and two-towers monastery church, consacrated in 1644.
Well-known statue of Ivo is a remainder of heroical fight of Swiss guards of Louis XIV. French King. His members lost their lives in the course of Tuilleries attacks in Paris in 1792 when they tried to defend his king and his family in front of madden revolutionary crowds. Injured and dying lion is engraved directly in rocky wall in a niche. The monument is an art of Bertel Thordwaldsen, known Danish sculptor. It was finished in 1821. In Luzern, you find also the biggest Transport Museum in Europe, planetarium, glacier-garden and Ethnographic Museum. Outlook cruises on romantic lake enable to make better acquintance with panorama of mountains and forests around.
Originally, Luzern was a fishers´village only. In a moment ,when the Alps way from Rhine-valley across St.Gotthard pass into North Italy was open in 13th century, all this supported its importance. The town spreaded, became rich with transport development and an important trade centre was born. Originally, it was under reign of Austrian Habsburgs, anyway, they revolten against them in 14th century and got liberated. The town is a bastion of Roman Catholic religion in Switzerland from time out of mind.
Text: Denisa Arvajová
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Nienetwiller, Andrew Bossi, č.2, Coolcaesar, Andyindia,
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