Ancient bridge in Lucerne Bashny.Net

The bridge was built in 1365. Spanning across the Reuss river, the bridge served as part of the fortifications of Lucerne, fulfilling the role of a corridor between the old and new parts of the city. The bridge was built diagonally, which allowed him to combine two chapels on different sides of the river.





The construction of the bridge was due to the fact that in the XIII century, the city became a lie on the way from Germany to Italy. In the middle of the bridge stands a stone tower of the Wasserturm. It was built in 1300 and served as a watchtower, to protect the city from the river. It was moved the signal lights on approach of the enemy, to warn the inhabitants about the danger. It was the same water tower and the fire tower at the same time. The dark years of her horrible dungeon.





Over time the tower was the Treasury and the archive. Now there is the Association of gunners.On the rafters of the roof along the bridge in the beginning of XVII century was located 111 triangular paintings depicting the most important moments of the history of Switzerland.





August 18, 1993, the chapel bridge was badly damaged in a fire that broke out under the assumptions from not extinguished cigarette. A large part of the bridge was destroyed, killing 78 of the paintings. Tower of the Wasserturm in the fire were not injured. The bridge and part of the paintings have been restored according to the preserved inventory. Chapel bridge reopened on 14 April 1994.





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