Monday, May 2, 2011

Lucerne Switzerland - Lucerne Tourist

Are you intending to visit Lucerne Switzerland?

We were on a 16 days Europe vacation package recently and Lucerne Switzerland was one of our stops where we did the usual things a Lucerne tourist would do.



We started the day by feeding seagulls at the Reuss River in the city of Lucerne in Switzerland.  The fourth largest river in Switzerland, we enjoyed some wonderful moments feeding seagulls and swans there.  It was almost being at one with nature.

Feeding the swan
Posing with a seagull
Feeding the seagulls

Another interesting Lucerne tourist attraction that is a 'must-see' is the Kapellbrucke, better known as the Chapel Bridge.  During the spring and summer months, you will see the bridge brightened up with lovely flowers.

The must-see Kapellbrucke or Chapel Bridge
You can see the 140 metre high brick water tower alongside the Chapel Bridge which has served its purpose as a prison, torture chamber watchtower as well as treasury through the centuries.

At 204 metres long, this is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe made up entirely of wood and crosses the Ruess River.  Interestingly, whilst crossing the bridge built in 1333, you will be able to enjoy some paintings from the 17th century which were painted directly on the triangular spaces between the wooden gables that were not destroyed by the 1993 fire.

You will see this as you walk along the Chapel Bridge
One of the 17th century paintings on the wooden gables of this historical bridge

The other end of Chapel Bridge

View taken from the Kapellbrucke

Here's a picture of a Jesuit church along the banks of the River Reuss.

Jesuit church
Here are more Lucerne Switzerland pictures that we took as a Lucerne tourist whilst walking the streets to our destination to check out the famous Swiss watches.


Interesting building


Picturesque restaurant
We also passed by a shop that was known as 'Rent-A-Box'.  Here is a novel idea for individuals with high-end jewelry and accessories to literally rent-a-box to display their wares and for other to rent the items for a specific period of time for a certain price.

The Rent-A-Box unit



Check out the RentABox video to see what Ricky, our tour manager, has to say about it.

Colourful clock

Lively street

Unique structure
Upon reaching the shopping district, we headed for Bucherer, the flagship store of Switzerland's best known watch and high-end jewelry dealer.  Here, we managed to add another Bucherer souvenir spoon to our collection.  This is only given to tourists.


The flagship store of Bucherer

More brand name watches

Specially designed watch

In the vicinity of the watch giants


Interested in winning a watch?  Visit Gubelin
Even if you do not win a watch, you will at least win this 'gold' bar...  :)
Another must-see Lucerne tourist attraction is the Lion Monument. also known as the Lion of Lucerne.  This is a sculpture that commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.  Also known as the Dying Lion of Lucerne, this sculpture was carved out of natural rock on-site.

Dying Lion of Lucerne



The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff — for he is carved from the living rock of the cliff. His size is colossal, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder, his protecting paw rests upon the lilies of France. Vines hang down the cliff and wave in the wind, and a clear stream trickles from above and empties into a pond at the base, and in the smooth surface of the pond the lion is mirrored, among the water-lilies.

Around about are green trees and grass. The place is a sheltered, reposeful woodland nook, remote from noise and stir and confusion — and all this is fitting, for lions do die in such places, and not on granite pedestals in public squares fenced with fancy iron railings. The Lion of Lucerne would be impressive anywhere, but nowhere so impressive as where he is.
– Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880

On the way to the Lion Monument of Lucerne
Whilst on the way to Mount Titlis, we managed to snap some interesting Lucerne Switzerland pictures.  Check them out...

One of my favourite Lucerne Switzerland pictures
We went up to Mount Titlis from Englebert to the summit of Mt Titlis via gondola, cable car and the world's first rotating cable car which gives you a stunning view of the scenery.

Mount Titlis, 3,020 metres above sea level
I would not be doing Mt Titlis justice if I did not have a blog post just for that...  So, please carry on to Mount Titlis to check out even more spectacular pictures of our journey up to the summit as well as the glacier cave.



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