Schweizerhofquai
The Schweizerhofquai in Lucerne is the quay section between Schwanenplatz and Kurplatz in the city of Lucerne. It lies on the right bank of Lake Lucerne .
As early as 1836, the city government of Lucerne planned the construction of a road connection between Schwanenplatz and the Hofquartier with the Hofkirche St. Leodegar in the courtyard . A first narrow quay was then built in 1844/1845, at the same time as the Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern was being built. The Quai got its name from the name of the hotel. Part of the still existing Hofbrücke (the remaining remnants were demolished in 1852) was in the way of the new hotel and quay. The bridge was therefore shortened by 100 m (up to the height of today's Töpferstrasse). The Russian author Lev Nikolajewitsch Tolstoy describes this dead straight plinth embankment, which in his opinion was only built out of consideration for English tourists, in his short story Lucerne .
As early as 1860, the quay was extended to the current end at Kurplatz. The remains of the Hofbrücke were demolished. At the same time, two landing stages for the steamships were created. The Flüelersteg (for ships to Flüelen) at the level of the Seehofstrasse and the Alpnachersteg (for ships to Alpnachstad / Pilatus) at the level of the Alpenstrasse. While the Flüelersteg is still in use today, the discarded steamship Wilhelm Tell (now a restaurant) is moored at the Alpnachersteg .
In 1891, the Schweizerhofquai was the first street in Lucerne to have electric lighting.
The quai was widened by a further ten meters in 1895/1896 using excavated material from the city tunnel. At the same time, the road was built in its current width, which takes up about half of the seafill. The lake-side part remained traffic-free and is still used by tourists and walkers today.
A small viewing balcony with balustrades, two obelisks and two small flights of stairs leading to the water have been preserved at the level of the Hotel Schweizerhof. This was the landing stage that was created especially for the German Emperor and his wife on the occasion of their visit to Lucerne in 1893. At that time the entire Schweizerhof was still lined with balustrades. These were only torn away in the second half of the 20th century for the same reason (clearer view) as when the courtyard bridge leading along here was demolished.
Individual evidence
- ^ Inventory of recent Swiss architecture (INSA) . Orell Füssli, Zurich 1991, Vol. 6, p. 363 ( E-Periodica ).
Coordinates: 47 ° 3 ′ 14 " N , 8 ° 18 ′ 37" E ; CH1903: 666,227 / 211796