Saturday, March 4, 2017

Lucerne, City of Music

Guild Building
Another amazingly warm day greeted us in Lucerne with temps reaching 61*.  We took a 2.5 hour walking tour this morning.  Some the tour covered ground we have been on such as the covered bridges.  But we learned some trivia and more history of the area.  Lucerne's population is small: 60,000.  
Jesuit Church

At our stop in the Jesuit Church we learned that in the 1600s Switzerland's cities voted whether or not to remain Catholic or become Protestant.  Lucerne elected to remain Catholic.  All Protestants had to leave the town as did Catholics that were in towns that chose Protestantism.  The Jesuit Church is Baroque with some Rococo.  Built from 1666-67, it gleams white and beautiful.  From the church we walked through the oldest streets of Lucerne. Our guide focused on the guild buildings describing which guilds occupy them.  They are still active, many only allowing men to join (surprisingly women in Switzerland did not get the right to vote until 1972), and are responsible for organizing the Carnival.  Many buildings are of the Renaissance period and have frescoes decorating the exterior.  

Lunch at Manor

Our guide recommended a restaurant with a roof dining.  The 6th floor view, and the warm temperatures were delightful.  After lunch we went to the Kunstmuseum.  It was a quick visit.  We found the collection small and uninteresting.  Instead, we took a funicular up to the Gutsch Hotel. It is the white chateau appearing building high above Lucerne that is in some pictures.  Once again, a spectacular view of the Reuss River, Lake Lucerne and the town.  We learned the town only has a population of 60,000.  

This evening we attended a concert by Abdullah Ibrahim and his band at the KKL. Tomorrow we head for Interlaken. Too many pictures of Lucerne at flickr.