Neustadt-Walking-Route

0:27 h
1.83 km
6 m
1 m
435 m
441 m
6 m
Start: Lucerne Theater
Destination: Helvetiagärtli

The Neustadt-Walking-Route takes you from the Chapel Bridge to the Helvetiagärtli. At 14 stations, you can learn a lot about the origin and development of the most urban district of the city of Lucerne.

A Lucerne Theater (neulu.ch/a) The Lucerne Theater has weathered many storms – even after the major fire of 1924, it was brought back to life. Did you know that the Lucerne Theater is the oldest three-genre house in Switzerland?
B Hirschmatt (neulu.ch/b) The house at the corner of Hirschengraben looks inconspicuous. Yet its facade suggests how historically significant it is. Here, outside the old city walls, the history of the Hirschmatt district began. And did you know that once important political figures of the canton lived at this address?
C Viktoriaplatz (neulu.ch/c) With the construction of the new train station in 1896, the Pilatusstrasse was freed from the tracks of the Centralbahn. This created a splendid boulevard that could easily compare to Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. But did you know that the Hirschmatt district was designed on the drawing board?
D Rosengart Collection (neulu.ch/d) When the Swiss National Bank moved into Pilatusstrasse in 1924, the joy of Lucerne's citizens was limited. The building was too plain. Today, the Rosengart Collection is a flagship of cultural offerings. Did you know that the building floats on a huge reinforced concrete slab in swampy ground?
E Gutenberghof (neulu.ch/e) The house from 1907 is a typical example of the playful architecture of the Belle Époque. Exceptional are the statues and facade reliefs that testify to the printing dynasty who lived and worked here. Did you know that until 1959 one of the three Lucerne daily newspapers of the time was printed in this house?
F Vögeligärtli (neulu.ch/f) In the Vögeligärtli there were not only birds, but also deer, a dripstone cave, and once a smelly gasworks. Only after the Hirschmatt district was completed did the central library follow – and that by detours. Did you know that the Vögeligärtli is actually named Sempachergarten?
G Lukas Church (neulu.ch/g) Too high a tower, too loud bells – the reformed Lukas Church had a hard time in Catholic Lucerne. At least not at the beginning. However, soon the architecture of the reinforced concrete building was praised as an outstanding example of early modernism. Did you also know that a true art treasure is hidden inside the church?
H Hirschmattstrasse (neulu.ch/h) Hirschmattstrasse reflects the architectural and cultural diversity that shapes the district. And it shows how fragile the balance between bustling activity and livability is. Did you know that the population in the Hirschmatt district decreased by 30 percent during the years of economic boom?
I Block perimeter development (neulu.ch/i) Block perimeter developments were the urban form of building when the Hirschmatt district was designed on the drawing board. The five- to six-story buildings are representative on the outside, homely on the inside. At least, they were supposed to be. Because did you know that the courtyards were early on obstructed by commercial buildings?
J Architecture of the Sixties (neulu.ch/j) Not everyone likes it, the architecture of the economic boom. It had to be functional, "modern" and profit-oriented. It brought 20 percent more office space and smaller, more expensive apartments. Did you know that there is only one building in the Hirschmatt district that was not designed as a block perimeter building?
K Witnesses of the Belle Époque (neulu.ch/k) On Habsburgerstrasse, one feels transported back to the Belle Époque – at least as far as the architecture of the excellently preserved houses is concerned. The street names rather evoke the Middle Ages. Did you know that Dornacherstrasse was named after a battle in the Swabian War?
L White Castle (neulu.ch/l) In the exuberant Historicism, elements of Art Nouveau repeatedly mix in the Hirschmatt district. The White Castle restaurant has not only preserved Art Nouveau but also the building fabric – unlike on the other side of Moosstrasse. Did you know that one of the best building sites in the city has been lying fallow here for decades?
M Moosstrasse (neulu.ch/m) Speculators not only miscalculate, they sometimes also disfigure. The former „Mascotte“ is a prime example of what goes wrong when the builder's only goal is profit. Did you know that the house was built by one of the biggest bankrupts in Lucerne's history?
N Helvetiagärtli (neulu.ch/n) The Helvetiagärtli is proof that initiative pays off. Neighborhood residents joined forces in the 1990s and transformed the Helvetiagärtli from a wasteland into a gem. By the way, did you know that the Hotel Helvetia was once a refuge for alcohol opponents?