Lucerne Sightseeing: Bridges, Lion, Old Town

November 5, 2026

Most of Lucerne’s main sights lie within a 15 minute walk of the station, on either side of the Reuss as it leaves the lake. Many are free and open at all hours.

Chapel Bridge and the Water Tower

The Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) is a wooden covered footbridge about 204 metres long, built around 1365 and crossing the Reuss at an angle. Beside it stands the octagonal Water Tower, about 34 metres high and older than the bridge. A fire on 18 August 1993 destroyed much of the bridge and about two thirds of the painted panels under its roof, and it reopened on 14 April 1994. The panels you see now are a mix of restored originals and replacements, and a few charred ones are part of the story. The bridge is free and open at all hours. The Water Tower is closed to the public, so admire it from the outside.

Spreuer Bridge

The Spreuerbrücke, downstream, dates from 1408 and carries a cycle of Dance of Death paintings by Kaspar Meglinger from the 17th century. Beside it the 1860 timber needle dam controls the lake level. Watch the dam from the bridge only, because the current at this point is strong.

Lion Monument

The Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal) is a memorial to the Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries Palace in Paris on 10 August 1792. It was inaugurated on 10 August 1821, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved into the wall of a former sandstone quarry on Denkmalstrasse. The Latin inscription means “to the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss”. Mark Twain called it the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world. Entry is free and the site is open all year. Visit it quietly, as a place of remembrance.

Gletschergarten

Next door on Denkmalstrasse is the Gletschergarten, a separate paid site with glacial potholes, a rock world called the Felsenwelt and a mirror maze from 1896. Adults pay CHF 24, with reduced rates of CHF 18 and CHF 12. It is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 from March to November. See the Gletschergarten admission page .

Churches and squares

The Jesuit Church, a Baroque church from the 1660s and 1670s on the south bank, is free to enter. The Hofkirche, the main parish church, has twin spires. Opening hours for both vary, so check at the door. In the Old Town, Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz and Kornmarkt are the main squares, and the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) at Kornmarkt dates from the early 1600s.

Musegg Wall

The wall above the Old Town runs about 870 metres with nine towers, four of which can be climbed. It is free and open from 1 April to 1 November, daily from 08:00 to 19:00, and closed in winter. The Luzern tourism site lists current details.

Getting around

Walk the centre, and use the free zone 10 bus and train travel that the Lucerne Visitor Card gives guests who stay overnight. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF).

A guided old town walk can be found on GetYourGuide .