The Dying Lion. 🛡️
Mark Twain called it "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world." It commemorates the Swiss Guards massacred in Paris in 1792.
The Expression
The lion is dying, a spear broken off in his shoulder. His paw rests protectively on a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the French monarchy.
The Pig Outline
Look at the shape of the niche. The sculptor was unpaid, so he allegedly carved the grotto in the outline of a pig to mock the town council.
KKL Luzern. 🎻
A masterpiece of modern architecture. The massive flat roof floats over the lake, pulling the water into the building. It houses one of the world's best concert halls.
The Acoustics
The "Salle Blanche" is acoustically perfect. A pin drop on stage can be heard in the back row. The echo chamber doors can be adjusted for different music types.
The Roof
The roof cantilevers 45 meters over the plaza without support. It frames the view of the lake and the Alps like a cinema screen.
Art Museum
The top floor houses the Kunstmuseum. The minimalist rooms are flooded with diffracted northern light, perfect for viewing modern art.
Verkehrshaus
Swiss Precision
Transport Museum. ✈️
Switzerland is a nation of engineers. This massive complex celebrates everything that moves: trains, planes, cars, and cable cars.
The Crocodile:
See the legendary "Crocodile" electric locomotive. Built for the steep Gotthard line, its articulated design allows it to snake around mountain curves.
Glacial Garden. 🪨
Located right next to the Lion Monument. It proves that Lucerne was once covered by a tropical sea and then a massive glacier.
The Potholes
Massive holes drilled into the rock by swirling glacial water 20,000 years ago. They are a geological time machine.
Mirror Maze
Built in 1896 for the National Exhibition. It is a trippy, Alhambra-style labyrinth of 90 mirrors. You *will* walk into a wall.