Lucerne, Switzerland (November 2005)

Lucerne, Switzerland cover page.	Map of Switzerland with star indicating Lucerne.	View of Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) (670 ft) long bridge crossing the Reuss River in Lucerne.	The arch of the train station (the only thing that survived when the train station burned in 1971).
View of people passing through the arch of the Lucerne train station.	Façade of the Kunst Museum (Modern Art Museum) of Lucerne.	View of the Kunst Museum with a fountain in front of it.	Close-up of the fountain in front of the Kunst Museum.
View of the Wasserturm (Water Tower), an octagonal tower, made from brick, which adjoins the Chapel Bridge.	The Water Tower has served as a prison, a torture chamber, a watchtower and a treasury.	Today, the Water Tower, which is part of the city wall, is used as the guild hall of the artillery association.	Close-up of the covered wooden Chapel Bridge (constructed in 1333). It was designed to protect the city of Lucerne from attacks.
Inside the bridge are a series of paintings from the 17th century depicting events from Lucerne's history.	View from inside the Chapel Bridge of the Reuss River and of buildings along its banks.	Swans swimming in the Reuss River. Swans and ducks are ever-present in Lucerne.	Close-up of swans in Lucerne.
A picturesque cathedral that I passed by in the old city section of Lucerne.	A quaint street in Lucerne with typical Swiss architecture and flags.	One of nine well-preserved towers of Lucerne's ancient city walls (called the "Musegg") which were built around 1300.	An impressive tower that I walked by which is near the Musegg (the ancient city walls).
View from the Musegg looking down on Lucerne.	I also came across this school which is near the Musegg.	Another view of the school near the Musegg.	Dam (with water flowing through it) on the Reuss River in Lucerne.
A view of the Reuss River from the path along the river bank.	A scenic river view with the Chapel Bridge in the background.	Side view of the Baroque-style Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church) in Lucerne.	The monumental Jesuit Church was built between 1666-1673. The main spires were completed in 1893 by H.V. von Segesser.
The High Altar was designed in red marble stucco in 1681, and the sacristy was decorated with stucco-work from 1675 and 1748.	Sign for the famous "Gletchergarten" which is next to the Monument of the Lion.	Me standing in front of the Monument of the Lion.	The lion is very sad. He is dying on the shield (commemorating the last stand of soldiers during the French Revolution).
A busy pedestrian shopping street (with flags) in Lucerne.	My camera battery died in front of this unicorn and pizza joint (where I had lunch).	The architecture of the old city is adorned by large and colorful frescos such as this one.	A fountain in the gothic "Fritschi" style with colorful figures is in the middle of Kapellplatz in Lucerne.
A closer view of the Fritschi-style fountain with water pouring out of spouts of the gothic mask-like faces.	More gothic mask-like faces of the Fritschi-style fountain.	A pleasant riverfront view next to the Chapel Bridge with the Jesuit Church in the background.	People strolling along the Reuss River (on a beautiful fall day) with the Jesuit Church in the background.
People having lunch at an outdoor cafe along the edge of the Reuss River.	Another view of people having lunch at a cafe on the Reuss River with the Jesuit Church in the background.	Typical Lucerne architecture on the Reuss River.	A view in the far background of steps in the old city.
Fruit vendors set up beneath the old city steps.	People going up and down the old city steps in Lucerne.	A fresco of a tree is painted on the east-wall of the "Zur Pfistern" (corporation building).	A more distant view of the tree fresco on Zur Pfistern.
The word "schmuck" means "jewel" in German. It means something else if you live in New York!	The clock tower of the Rathaus which was built in Renaissance style at the beginning of the 17th century.	Closer view of the Rathaus clock tower.	While in Lucerne, I stopped in at the Picasso Museum. It has more photographs of the artist than it has paintings by him.
Wrought iron decoration with gold leaf on the side of a building in the old city.	Typical Lucerne house with a fresco and flower boxes (in November).	A Reuss River view in Lucerne.	Taking in the air and the view on a fall day in Lucerne.
A beautiful building on a commercial street in Lucerne.	View of the "Haus Zur Gilgen" with its pointed tower.	A closer view of the Haus Zur Gilgen.	The Abbey Court Church (Hofkirche) is the most important Renaissance church in Switzerland. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1633.
The Gothic spires of Hofkirche date from 1504 and 1625.	Tacky tourist shop in Lucerne where I bought an obligatory Swiss cuckoo clock.