__NOTOC__
Lake Lucerne (german: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four
forested settlements" (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), french: lac des Quatre-Cantons, it, lago dei Quattro Cantoni) is a
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
in central
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and the fourth largest in the country.
Geography
The lake has a complicated shape, with several sharp bends and four arms. It starts in the south–north bound
Reuss Reuss may refer to:
*Reuss (surname)
*Reuss (river) in Switzerland
*Reuss (state) or Reuß, several former states or countries in present-day Germany, and the Republic of Reuss
*Reuss Elder Line and Reuss Younger Line (House of Reuss), members incl ...
Valley between steep cliffs above the ''Urnersee'' from
Flüelen
Flüelen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Flüelen is first mentioned in 1266 as ''Vluolon''.
Flüelen formed an important transshipment point on Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least sin ...
towards
Brunnen
Brunnen is a resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, part of the municipality Ingenbohl (Canton of Schwyz), at .
Brunnen railway station, on the Gotthard railway, is served by hourly InterRegio trains, and by lines S2 of the Stadtbahn Zug, whi ...
to the north before it makes a sharp bend to the west where it continues into the ''Gersauer Becken''. Here is also the deepest point of the lake with . Even further west of it is the ''Buochser Bucht'', but the lake sharply turns north again through the narrow opening between the ''Unter Nas'' (lower nose) of the
Bürgenstock
The Bürgenstock is a mountain in Switzerland (1,115 m above sea level). It is located partway along the shore of Lake Lucerne. Bürgenstock is also a resort located at 874 m a.s.l. on the same mountain. The lookout point at the summit of the ...
to the west and the ''Ober Nas'' (upper nose) of the
Rigi
The Rigi (or ''Mount Rigi''; also known as ''Queen of the Mountains'') is a mountain massif of the Alps, located in Central Switzerland. The whole massif is almost entirely surrounded by the water of three different bodies of water: Lake Lucerne ...
to the east to reach the ''Vitznauer Bucht''. In front of
Vitznau
Vitznau is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
History
Vitznau was first mentioned in 998. In the 19th century, it became a popular destination for tourism, especially from England; the imposing Pa ...
below the Rigi the lake turns sharply west again to reach the center of a four-arm cross, called the ''Chrütztrichter'' (Cross Funnel). Here converge the ''Vitznauer Bucht'' with the ''Küssnachtersee'' from the north, the ''Luzernersee'' from the west, and the ''Horwer Bucht'' and the ''Stanser Trichter'' to the south, which is to be found right below the northeast side of the Pilatus and the west side of the Bürgenstock. At the very narrow pass between the east dropper of the
Pilatus (called ''Lopper'') and
Stansstad
Stansstad is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
Geography
Stansstad has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 32.6% is used for agricultural p ...
the lake reaches its southwestern arm at
Alpnachstad
Alpnach is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. It comprises the villages of Alpnach Dorf, Alpnachstad and Schoried.
History
Alpnach is first mentioned about 870 as ''Alpenacho''.
Geography
Alpnach has an area, , of . Of this ...
on the steep southern foothills of the Pilatus, the ''Alpnachersee''. The lake drains its water into the Reuss in
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
from its arm called ''Luzernersee'' (which literally translates as ''Lake of Lucerne'').
The entire lake has a total area of 114 km² (44 sq mi) at an elevation of a.s.l., and a maximum depth of . Its volume is 11.8 km³. Much of the shoreline rises steeply into mountains up to 1,500 m above the lake, resulting in many picturesque views including those of the mountains Rigi and Pilatus.
The Reuss enters the lake at Flüelen, in the part called ''Urnersee'' (''Lake of Uri'', in the
canton of Uri
The canton of Uri (german: Kanton Uri rm, Chantun Uri; french: Canton d'Uri; it, Canton Uri) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territ ...
) and exits at Lucerne. The lake also receives the
Muota
The Muota is a river in the Switzerland, Swiss canton of Schwyz and a tributary of Lake Lucerne. It has a length of .
The Muota rises on the Ruosalp, an alpine pasture, alp to the north of the Glatten (mountain), Glatten on the border between the ...
at Brunnen, the
Engelberger Aa
Engelberger Aa (or ''Engelbergeraa'') is a river in Switzerland. It rises west of Surenenpass in the Canton of Uri, flows through the valley of Engelberg ( Obwalden) and Nidwalden. At Buochs, it empties into Lake Lucerne and is thus a tribut ...
at
Buochs
Buochs is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
Buochs is first mentioned in 1124 as ''Boches''. In 1184, it was mentioned as ''Buoches'', then in 1210 as ''Buches'', and in 1229 as ''Buchs''.
Geography
Buochs has ...
, and the
Sarner Aa
The Sarner Aa is a long river in the Swiss canton of Obwalden. It drains the area to the eastern side of the Brünig Pass, flowing through the Lake Lungern, Lake Sarnen and the Wichelsee, before entering Lake Lucerne near Alpnach. It goes by seve ...
at Alpnachstad.
It is possible to circumnavigate the lake by train and road, though the railway route circumvents the lake even on the north side of the Rigi via
Arth-Goldau
Arth-Goldau railway station (german: Bahnhof Arth-Goldau) is a railway station in the Swiss canton of Schwyz and municipality of Arth. The station is located in the centre of the village of Goldau, which forms part of Arth.
The station is an i ...
. Since 1980, the
A2 motorway leads through the
Seelisberg Tunnel
The Seelisberg Tunnel is a motorway tunnel in Switzerland. The tunnel links Beckenried, in the canton of Nidwalden, with Seedorf, in the canton of Uri, running under the mountains that form the south shore of Lake Lucerne. It forms part of the ...
in order to reach the route to the
Gotthard Pass
german: Gotthardpass
, photo = File:Gotthardpass 2008.jpg
, photo_caption = The area of the Gotthard Pass from the west
, elevation_m = 2106
, elevation_ref =
, traversed = National Road 2 Old paved road ( Tremola) Gotthard Rail Tunnel Go ...
in just half an hour in
Altdorf, Uri
Altdorf (sometimes written as ''Altdorf UR'' in order to distinguish it from the other "Altdorfs"; German for "old village") is a historic town and municipality in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Swiss canton of Uri.
The municipality cove ...
right south of the beginning of the lake in Flüelen.
Steamers and other passenger boats ply between the different villages and towns on the lake. It is a popular
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...
destination, both for native Swiss and foreigners, and there are many hotels and resorts along the shores. In addition, the meadow of the
Rütli
Rütli () or Grütli (; ) is a mountain meadow on Lake Lucerne, in the Seelisberg municipality of the Swiss canton of Uri.
It is the site of the Rütlischwur in traditional Swiss historiography, the oath marking the foundation of the origi ...
, traditional site of the founding of the
Swiss Confederation
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, is on the ''Urnersee'' shore. A 35 km commemorative walkway, the
Swiss Path
The Swiss Path () is a special national path in central Switzerland opened in 1991, in the cantons of Uri and Schwyz.
It makes a loop around the ''Urnersee'', the southern arm of Lake Lucerne. The trail starts at the Rütli: the meadow where, ac ...
, was built around the Lake of Uri to celebrate the country's 700th anniversary in 1991.
Archaeologists
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
surveying the lake-bed (during the construction of a pipeline) from 2019 to 2021 found the remains of a
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
village with artifacts dating to around 1000 BC.
Later, the new findings indicated that the area was settled 2,000 years earlier than historians previously thought.
Lake Lucerne borders on the three original Swiss
cantons of
Uri Uri may refer to:
Places
* Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland
* Úri, a village and commune in Hungary
* Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province
* Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India
* Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...
,
Schwyz
The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...
, and
Unterwalden
Unterwalden, translated from the Latin ''inter silvas''(''between the forests''), is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or ''Talschaften'', now t ...
(which today is divided into the cantons of
Obwalden
Obwalden, also Obwald (german: Kanton Obwalden, rm, Chantun Sursilvania; french: Canton d'Obwald; it, Canton Obvaldo), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of seven municipalities and the seat of the govern ...
and
Nidwalden
Nidwalden, also Nidwald (german: Kanton Nidwalden, ; rm, Chantun Sutsilvania; french: Canton de Nidwald; it, Canton Nidvaldo) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven municipalities and the seat of the ...
), as well as the
canton of Lucerne
The canton of Lucerne (german: Kanton Luzern rm, Chantun Lucerna french: Canton de Lucerne it, Canton Lucerna) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the populati ...
, thus the name ''Vierwaldstättersee'' (lit.: Lake of the Four Forested Settlements). Many of the oldest communities of Switzerland are along the shore, including
Küssnacht
Küssnacht am Rigi (official name since 2004: Küssnacht) is a village and a district and a municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The municipality consists of three villages Küssnacht, Immensee, and Merlischachen, the hamlet ''Ha ...
,
Weggis
Weggis is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
It forms part of the northern shore of Lake Lucerne. The official language is German.
History
In about 800 the monastery of Pfäfers acquired the court ...
,
Vitznau
Vitznau is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
History
Vitznau was first mentioned in 998. In the 19th century, it became a popular destination for tourism, especially from England; the imposing Pa ...
,
Gersau
Gersau is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Gersau was for many centuries an independent micro-state in permanent alliance with the Swiss Confederation.
History
Gersau is ...
,
Brunnen
Brunnen is a resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, part of the municipality Ingenbohl (Canton of Schwyz), at .
Brunnen railway station, on the Gotthard railway, is served by hourly InterRegio trains, and by lines S2 of the Stadtbahn Zug, whi ...
,
Altdorf,
Buochs
Buochs is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
Buochs is first mentioned in 1124 as ''Boches''. In 1184, it was mentioned as ''Buoches'', then in 1210 as ''Buches'', and in 1229 as ''Buchs''.
Geography
Buochs has ...
, and
Treib
Treib is a small lakeside community and landing stage on the shore of Lake Lucerne
__NOTOC__
Lake Lucerne (german: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four forested settlements" (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), ...
.
![1005L Viewaldstaetter (17)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/1005L_Viewaldstaetter_%2817%29.JPG)
Lake Lucerne is singularly irregular and appears to lie in four different valleys, all related to the conformation of the adjoining mountains. The central portion of the lake lies in two parallel valleys whose direction is from west to east, the one lying north, the other south of the ridge of the
Bürgenstock
The Bürgenstock is a mountain in Switzerland (1,115 m above sea level). It is located partway along the shore of Lake Lucerne. Bürgenstock is also a resort located at 874 m a.s.l. on the same mountain. The lookout point at the summit of the ...
. These are connected through a narrow strait, scarcely one kilometre wide, between the two rocky promontories called respectively ''Unter Nas'' and ''Ober Nas'' (Lower and Upper Nose). It is not unlikely that the southern of these two divisions of the lake—called ''Buochser Bucht''—formerly extended to the west over the isthmus whereon stands the town of
Stans
Stans () is the capital of the canton of Nidwalden (Nidwald) in Switzerland.
The official language of Stans is German (spoken there in the variety of Swiss Standard German), but the main language is the local variant of Alemannic Swiss German. ...
, thus forming an island of the Bürgenstock. The west end of the main branch of the lake, whence a comparatively shallow bay extends to the town of Lucerne, is intersected obliquely by a deep trench whose south-west end is occupied by the branch called ''Alpnachersee'', while the north-east branch forms the long arm of
Küssnacht
Küssnacht am Rigi (official name since 2004: Küssnacht) is a village and a district and a municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The municipality consists of three villages Küssnacht, Immensee, and Merlischachen, the hamlet ''Ha ...
, ''Küssnachtersee''. These both lie in the direct line of a valley that stretches with scarcely a break in between the
Uri Alps
The Uri Alps (also known as ''Urner Alps'', german: Urner Alpen) are a mountain range in Central Switzerland and part of the Western Alps. They extend into the cantons of Obwalden, Valais, canton of Bern, Bern, Canton of Uri, Uri and Nidwalden and ...
and the
Emmental Alps
The Emmental Alps (german: Emmentaler Alpen) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. They are located north-west of the Brünig Pass, mainly in the cantons of Lucerne, Bern, and Obwalden, with a small portion in the ...
. At the eastern end of the Gersauer Becken, where the containing walls of the lake-valley are directed from east to west, it is joined at an acute angle by the arm of Uri, or the ''Urnersee'', lying in the northern prolongation of the deep cleft that gives a passage to the
Reuss Reuss may refer to:
*Reuss (surname)
*Reuss (river) in Switzerland
*Reuss (state) or Reuß, several former states or countries in present-day Germany, and the Republic of Reuss
*Reuss Elder Line and Reuss Younger Line (House of Reuss), members incl ...
, between the
Uri Alps
The Uri Alps (also known as ''Urner Alps'', german: Urner Alpen) are a mountain range in Central Switzerland and part of the Western Alps. They extend into the cantons of Obwalden, Valais, canton of Bern, Bern, Canton of Uri, Uri and Nidwalden and ...
and the
Glarus Alps
The Glarus Alps (german: Glarner Alpen) are a mountain range in central Switzerland. They are bordered by the Uri Alps and the Schwyz Alps to the west, the Lepontine Alps to the south, the Appenzell Alps to the northeast. The eastern part of th ...
.
[ John Ball, ''The Alpine guide, Central Alps'', p. 153, 1866, London]
![Brunnen SZ Vierwaldstättersee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Brunnen_SZ_Vierwaldst%C3%A4ttersee.jpg)
The Urnersee occupies the northernmost and deep portion of the great cleft of the Reuss Valley, which has cut through the Alpine ranges from the
St Gotthard Pass
german: Gotthardpass
, photo = File:Gotthardpass 2008.jpg
, photo_caption = The area of the Gotthard Pass from the west
, elevation_m = 2106
, elevation_ref =
, traversed = National Road 2 Old paved road ( Tremola) Gotthard Rail Tunnel Go ...
to the neighbourhood of
Schwyz
The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...
. From its eastern shore the mountains rise in almost bare walls of rock to a height of from above the water. The two highest summits are the
Fronalpstock and the
Rophaien (2078 m). Between them the steep glen or ravine of the
Riemenstaldener Tal descends to
Sisikon
Sisikon is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. It is situated on the shore of Lake Lucerne.
Geography
Sisikon has an area, , of . Of this area, 30.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 44% is forested. Of the rest of th ...
, the only village with
Flüelen
Flüelen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Flüelen is first mentioned in 1266 as ''Vluolon''.
Flüelen formed an important transshipment point on Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least sin ...
right on the shore on that side of the Urnersee. On the opposite or western shore, the mountains attain still greater dimensions. The
Niederbauen Chulm is succeeded by the
Oberbauenstock, and farther south, above the ridge of the Scharti, appear the snowy peaks of the
Gitschen
The Gitschen () is a mountain of the Urner Alps, overlooking Lake Lucerne in the canton of Uri, Switzerland. It lies on the range north of the Surenen Pass, culminating at the Brunnistock
The Brunnistock is a mountain of the Urner Alps, over ...
and the
Uri Rotstock
The Uri Rotstock is a mountain on the territory of Isenthal, Uri, Switzerland and part of the Uri Alps.
In literature
In Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster (born November 18, 1946) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction. He has ...
(2,928 m). In the centre opens the Reuss Valley, backed by the rugged summits of the
Urner
Urner is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Catherine Murphy Urner (1891–1942), American composer
*Joseph Urner (1898–1987), American sculptor, painter, and etcher
*Milton Urner (1839–1926), American politician
See also
* ...
and
Glarner Alps.
[
The breadth of these various sections of the lake is very variable, but is usually between one and two miles (3 km). The lake's surface, whose mean height above the sea is 434 metres, is the lowest point of the cantons of Uri, Obwalden and Nidwalden. Originally the lake was susceptible to variations in level and flooding along its shoreline. Between 1859 and 1860, the introduction of a ]needle dam
A needle dam is a weir designed to maintain the level or flow of a river through the use of thin "needles" of wood. The needles are leaned against a solid frame and are not intended to be water-tight. Individual needles can be added or remove ...
in the Reuss in the city of Lucerne, just upstream from the Spreuerbrücke, allowed the lake level to be stabilised.[
The culminating point of the lake's drainage basin, as well as Central Switzerland, is the ]Dammastock
The Dammastock (3,630 m) is the highest mountain in the Urner Alps in Switzerland and is part of the Winterberg massif. Its summit ridge forms the border between the cantons of Uri and the Valais. It is the highest summit in the canton of Uri ...
at 3,630 metres above sea level.
Name
The name of ''Vierwaldstättersee'' is first used in the 16th century. Before the 16th century, the entire lake was known as ''Luzerner See'' "Lake Lucerne", as remains the English (and partly Italian, as ''Lago di Lucerna'') usage.[
The (three) " Waldstätte(n)" (lit.: "forested sites/settlements", in English usually translated as ''forest cantons'') since the 14th century were the confederate allies of ]Uri Uri may refer to:
Places
* Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland
* Úri, a village and commune in Hungary
* Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province
* Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India
* Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...
, Schwyz
The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...
and Unterwalden
Unterwalden, translated from the Latin ''inter silvas''(''between the forests''), is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or ''Talschaften'', now t ...
. The notion of "Four Waldstätten" (''Vier Waldstätten''), with the addition of the canton of Lucerne
The canton of Lucerne (german: Kanton Luzern rm, Chantun Lucerna french: Canton de Lucerne it, Canton Lucerna) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the populati ...
, is first recorded in the 1450s, in an addition to the "Silver Book" of Egloff Etterlin of Lucerne.
The nine different parts of the lake have individual designations:[
*''Urnersee'' ("Lake of Uri"): The first part of the lake, at the mouth of the Reuss between ]Flüelen
Flüelen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Flüelen is first mentioned in 1266 as ''Vluolon''.
Flüelen formed an important transshipment point on Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least sin ...
and Brunnen
Brunnen is a resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, part of the municipality Ingenbohl (Canton of Schwyz), at .
Brunnen railway station, on the Gotthard railway, is served by hourly InterRegio trains, and by lines S2 of the Stadtbahn Zug, whi ...
.
*''Gersauer Becken'' ("Basin of Gersau") next to Gersau
Gersau is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Gersau was for many centuries an independent micro-state in permanent alliance with the Swiss Confederation.
History
Gersau is ...
below the Rigi
The Rigi (or ''Mount Rigi''; also known as ''Queen of the Mountains'') is a mountain massif of the Alps, located in Central Switzerland. The whole massif is almost entirely surrounded by the water of three different bodies of water: Lake Lucerne ...
massif is the deepest part of the lake.
*''Buochser Bucht'' ("Bay of Buochs"): The bay of Bouchs, where the Engelberger Aa
Engelberger Aa (or ''Engelbergeraa'') is a river in Switzerland. It rises west of Surenenpass in the Canton of Uri, flows through the valley of Engelberg ( Obwalden) and Nidwalden. At Buochs, it empties into Lake Lucerne and is thus a tribut ...
enters the lake.
*''Vitznauer Bucht'' ("Bay of Vitznau"): The part between the Bürgenstock
The Bürgenstock is a mountain in Switzerland (1,115 m above sea level). It is located partway along the shore of Lake Lucerne. Bürgenstock is also a resort located at 874 m a.s.l. on the same mountain. The lookout point at the summit of the ...
and Rigi.
*''Alpnachersee'' ("Lake of Alpnach"): the almost separate, southern arm below the southern mountainside of Pilatus near Alpnach
Alpnach is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. It comprises the villages of Alpnach Dorf, Alpnachstad and Schoried.
History
Alpnach is first mentioned about 870 as ''Alpenacho''.
Geography
Alpnach has an area, , of . Of this ar ...
.
*''Stanser Trichter'' ("Funnel of Stans"): The part north of the Pilatus, west of Bürgenstock, and in front of Hergiswil
Hergiswil is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
Hergiswil is first mentioned around 1303-09 as ''ze Hergenswile''.
Geography
Hergiswil has an area, , of . Of this area, 29.3% is used for agricultural purposes, ...
and Stansstad
Stansstad is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
Geography
Stansstad has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 32.6% is used for agricultural p ...
.
*''Küssnachtersee'' ("Lake of Küssnacht"): The most northern arm, west of the Rigi with Küssnacht SZ at its northern end.
*''Chrütztrichter'' ("Cross Funnel"): The meeting point of ''Stanser Trichter'', ''Luzernersee'', ''Küssnachtersee'', and ''Vitznauer Bucht''.
*''Luzernersee'' ("Lake of Lucerne"): in German usage now limited to the bay at Lucerne as far as Meggenhorn, with its effluence of the Reuss.
Settlements
Navigation
The lake is navigable, and has formed an important part of Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least since the opening of the first track across the Gotthard Pass
german: Gotthardpass
, photo = File:Gotthardpass 2008.jpg
, photo_caption = The area of the Gotthard Pass from the west
, elevation_m = 2106
, elevation_ref =
, traversed = National Road 2 Old paved road ( Tremola) Gotthard Rail Tunnel Go ...
in 1230. This trade grew with the opening of a new mail coach
A mail coach is a stagecoach that is used to deliver mail. In Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia, they were built to a General Post Office-approved design operated by an independent contractor to carry long-distance mail for the Post Office. M ...
road across the pass in 1830. This road had its northern terminus at Flüelen
Flüelen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Flüelen is first mentioned in 1266 as ''Vluolon''.
Flüelen formed an important transshipment point on Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least sin ...
at the extreme eastern end of the lake, and the lake provided the only practical onward link to Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
, and hence the cities of northern Switzerland and beyond.
Whilst the development of Switzerland's road and rail networks has relieved the lake of much of its through traffic, it continues to be used by a considerable number of vessels, both private and public. Much of this usage is tourist or leisure oriented, but the lake continues to provide practical public and cargo transport links between the smaller lakeside communities.
Passenger boats of the Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees
The ''Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees'' or Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (commonly abbreviated to SGV) is a public Swiss company operating passenger ships and boats on Lake Lucerne. The company is based in the city of Lucerne ...
(SGV) provide services on the lake, including many run by historic paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...
s. The SGV serves 32 places along the shore of the lake, with interchange to both main line and mountain railways at various points. Under separate management, the Autofähre Beckenried-Gersau provides a car ferry service between Beckenried
Beckenried is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
The first settlers in what would become Beckried were from Alamanni tribes that moved into the area over 2000 years ago. , on the south bank of the lake, and Gersau
Gersau is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Gersau was for many centuries an independent micro-state in permanent alliance with the Swiss Confederation.
History
Gersau is ...
on the north.
Cargo barge
Barge nowadays generally refers to a flat-bottomed inland waterway vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. The first modern barges were pulled by tugs, but nowadays most are pushed by pusher boats, or other vessels ...
s, to a local design known as ''Nauen'', are still used on the lake. Some have been converted for use as party boats. Other barges are used by the gravel dredging industry that operates on the lake, using large dredger
Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...
s to obtain sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...
and gravel
Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.
Gravel is classifi ...
for use in the construction industry
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and come ...
.
Cultural references
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
's ''Moonlight'' Sonata derives its name from an 1832 description of the first movement by poet and music critic Ludwig Rellstab
Heinrich Friedrich Ludwig Rellstab (13 April 179927 November 1860) was a German poet and music critic. He was born and died in Berlin. He was the son of the music publisher and composer Johann Carl Friedrich Rellstab. An able pianist, he publi ...
, who compared it to moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne.
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...
uses this in his ''William Tell'' Overture Section A: Sunrise over the Alps.
Rowing
Lake Lucerne has twice been used as a venue for the European Rowing Championships
The European Rowing Championships is an international Rowing regatta organised by FISA (the International Rowing Federation) for European rowing nations, plus Israel which, though not a member of the European federation is treated as a European ...
: in 1908 and then in 1926
Events January
* January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece.
* January 8
**Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz.
** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of V ...
. The nearby Rotsee
__NOTOC__
The Rotsee (previously known as Rootsee) is a natural rowing lake on the northern edge of Lucerne, Switzerland. It is regarded as one of the best rowing venues in the world.
Description and location
The lake and its surrounding area is ...
has since 1933 been used for rowing regattas instead.
Tourism
On the way south, the English discovered the mountains of central Switzerland. Several spa and bathing resorts such as Weggis or Gersau were created. In 1871, the very first rack railway in Europe, the Vitznau-Rigi Railway, was opened. In 1889 the steepest cog railway in the world was built from Alpnachstad to Mount Pilatus
Pilatus, also often referred to as Mount Pilatus, is a mountain massif overlooking Lucerne in Central Switzerland. It is composed of several peaks, of which the highest () is named ''Tomlishorn''.
Geography and transport
The whole mountain ...
. Mark Twain described an ascent to the Rigi, which led to the blossoming of Swiss tourism in the United States in the 19th century. One of the largest steamship fleets in Europe operates with five steamships on Lake Lucerne.
In the area surrounding the lake and on terraces at medium height (for example Morschach and Seelisberg) there are numerous places for tourists. The Rigi, Pilatus, the Bürgenstock, the Stanserhorn
The Stanserhorn is a mountain in Switzerland, located in the canton of Nidwalden near to the border with Obwalden, with the peak at above sea level.
It is a popular tourist destination, which can be reached from the adjacent town of Stans by ...
, the Buochserhorn, and the two legends, the Urirotstock and the Fronalpstock are attractive panoramic mountains near Lake Lucerne. Most of them can be reached by mountain railways, some of which have their valley station near boat stations on the lake.
There are numerous locations on the lake that are important in Swiss cultural and tourism history: Rütli, Tellsplatte, Tell Chapel, Carving Tower of Stansstad, Neu-Habsburg, Schillerstein, Treib, Astrid Chapel (Küssnacht) and Meggenhorn Castle.
Watersports
Different sports are possible in some separate areas due to the water and wind conditions. The lake is accessible from boat and yacht harbors, to lake resorts and pools (e.g. the Lido pool in Lucerne, built in 1929 by Arnold Berger). Therefore, the lake can be easily accessible from both shores. The See-Club Luzern was founded in 1881, which is now Switzerland's largest rowing club, as well as the Reuss Luzern rowing club (Ruderclub Reuss Luzern) in 1904. The Lucerne Yacht Club (Yachtclub Luzern) has existed since 1941 and has been running since 1966 a boathouse and buoy field on Churchill-Quai in Lucerne.
The Brunnen water sports club (Wassersportclub Brunnen), founded in 1958, held on Lake Lucerne in the first years of its existence international motorboat races and water ski championships. In 1965 the association chose a new name for the club: Lake Lucerne Water Sports Club (Wassersport-Club Vierwaldstättersee). The Central Switzerland Motorboat Club (Motorbootclub Zentralschweiz) was established in 1980 and the Hergiswil Water Sports Club (Wassersportclub Hergiswil) in 1986. SchweizMobil has created a canoe tour across Lake Lucerne between Brunnen and Gersau. Due to the wind in the Reuss Valley, the southern part of Lake Uri between the campground at Gruonbachstrand in Flüelen and Isleten is a center of windsurfing.
Diving
There are about ten places where you can dive without a boat in Lake Lucerne. The water is rather chilly all year round and therefore mostly very clear. In Lake Uri, at Sisikon, one can dive to a fragmented steep vertical wall, at the northern portal of the Schieferneggtunnel. The Lediwrack Bruno lies in front of Brunnen at a depth of 15 meters. Other well-known diving spots are in front of Vitznau, Weggis, Gersau and Hergiswil.
Notes and references
Notes
References
External links
Waterlevels Lake Lucerne
at Brunnen
Brunnen is a resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, part of the municipality Ingenbohl (Canton of Schwyz), at .
Brunnen railway station, on the Gotthard railway, is served by hourly InterRegio trains, and by lines S2 of the Stadtbahn Zug, whi ...
Waterlevels Lake Lucerne
at Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lake Lucerne Region
Nidwalden Tourism
*
{{Authority control
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
LLucerne
Tourist attractions in the canton of Uri
Tourist attractions in Nidwalden
Nidwalden–Uri border
Nidwalden–Obwalden border
Lucerne–Nidwalden border
Lucerne–Schwyz border
Schwyz–Uri border
Nidwalden–Schwyz border