Lucerne

Lucerne has developed on the river Reuss, where it leaves the lake. Most of the monumental buildings are located along the banks of the river, and the historic center of Lucerne is located on the northern bank of the river.
The city is surrounded by some of the most important Alpine peaks in Switzerland and dominates Mount Pilatus, which can be reached from the city with the characteristic rack railway.
Lucerne is a city on a human scale, it can be visited almost entirely on foot. Its many bridges on the river are real tourist attractions; symbol of the city is the famous Chapel Bridge, 204 meters long dominated by an octagonal tower, the Wasserturm, built in wood and dating back to 1365; it is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe.
But the whole historical center of the city is very suggestive, set between the lake, the river and the mountains, there are valuable wooden buildings with painted facades, interesting churches, such as that of St. Leodegar, in beautiful Renaissance style and another ancient wooden covered Spreuerbrücke bridge, dating from the 15th century.
In Lucerne ancient and modern come together perfectly: next to Renaissance structures we find symbolic buildings of modern design including the futuristic Art and Congress Center (KKL) designed by the famous French architect Jean Nouvel. The KKL is also a symbol of "Lucerne, city of festivals" with numerous cultural events during the year.
During the Christmas period Lucerna dresses up and welcomes traditional markets in various parts of the city. The most famous is the Baby Jesus Market (Christkindlichmarkt), which takes place near the train station and which houses as many as 50 stalls, which offer traditional foods from the area.