The Chapel Bridge –
the glamorous one

It is the poster child for tourism in Lucerne. There is one event that has marked the Chapel Bridge more than any other – the catastrophic fire of 1993.

The Chapel Bridge with the Water Tower is undeniably Lucerne’s most prominent landmark. It is a popular subject for photographs and part of everyday life for many locals. Approximately 13,800 people cross it every day to move back and forward between the Old Town and New Town. The Chapel Bridge also had a dual function in the 14th century: it was not just a pedestrian walkway over the Reuss, but also part of the city’s fortifications. This explains its unusual route across the Reuss and higher parapets on the side facing the lake. In combination with the city walls and the Court Bridge, it formed an impressive line of defense.

Named after the chapel

The Chapel Bridge takes its name from St Peter’s Chapel on the right bank of the Reuss. When built, it connected the chapel to the Freienhof, which is no longer in existence, on the left bank of the river. It is not known exactly when the Chapel Bridge was built. An indirect reference was made to it in 1347, though it was actually only mentioned for the first time in 1367. Dendrochronological (tree-ring dating) analysis of cross-beams and corbels indicate that it was built no earlier than 1356. The Water Tower already existed by this time.

Flames and floods destroy paintings

The Chapel Bridge’s cycle of paintings has a tragic history. The original 158 triangular paintings, which are mounted in the gables of the bridge, were created from 1614 onwards. They depict scenes from Swiss history and legends surrounding the patron saints of Lucerne, St Leger and St Maurice. When the high waters of 1741 caused parts of the Chapel Bridge to collapse, some paintings were lost to the flood water. However, the greatest loss was caused by the bridge fire of 1993: of the 111 original paintings on the bridge, 86 of them were burned either partially or beyond recognition.