View source for Lucerne

{{short description|City in Switzerland}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
|subject_name = Lucerne
|native_name = Luzern
|image_photo = {{multiple image
| border                  = infobox
| total_width             = 280
| imagesize               = 280px
| image_style             = border:1;
| perrow                  = 1/2/2
| image1                  = 2009 08 24 06262 Lucerne.jpg
| alt1                    = Kapellbrücke
| image2                  = Lucerne Switzerland Hotel des Balances - panoramio.jpg
| alt2                    = Traditional frescoed building
| image3                  = Löwendenkmal - panoramio.jpg
| alt3                    = Löwendenkmal
| image4                  = Luzern, Stadtmauer.jpg
| alt4                    = Old town
| image5                  = Luzern old part of town edit.jpg
| alt5                    = City walls
}}
|image_caption = '''Clockwise from top:''' [[Kapellbrücke]], the [[Lion Monument]], old town, city walls, traditional frescoed building
|municipality_type = municipality and city
|imagepath_flag = Flag of Canton of Lucerne.svg
|imagepath_coa = Wappen Luzern matt.svg
|pixel_coa=
|canton = Lucerne
|iso-code-region = CH-LU
|district = [[Lucerne (district)|Lucerne]]
|coordinates = {{coord|47|3|N|8|18|E|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code = 6000
|municipality_code = 1061
|area = 37.4
|elevation = 435
|elevation_description = Lake shore
|highest = Sonnenberg
|highest_m = 800
|lowest = [[Rotsee]]
|lowest_m = 422
|population = {{Swiss populations NC|CH-LU|1061}} |populationof = {{Swiss populations YM|CH-LU}} |popofyear = {{Swiss populations Y|CH-LU}}
|mayor = [[Beat Züsli]] |mayor_asof=2020 |mayor_party=SP/PS
|mayor_title = Stadtpräsident |list_of_mayors = List of mayors of Lucerne
|parliament_name = [[#Parliament|Grosser Stadtrat]]
|parliament_number_of_members = 48
|executive_name = [[#Government|Stadtrat]]
|executive_number_of_members = 5
|places = Luzern, [[Littau]]
|website  = www.stadtluzern.ch
|demonym = {{langx|de|Luzerner(in)}}
|neighboring_municipalities= [[Adligenswil]], [[Ebikon]], [[Emmen, Switzerland|Emmen]], [[Horw]], [[Kriens]], [[Malters]], [[Meggen]], [[Neuenkirch]]
}}

'''Lucerne''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|l|uː|ˈ|s|ɜr|n}} {{respell|loo|SURN}}) or '''Luzern''' ({{IPA|de-CH|luˈtsɛrn|lang|Aussprache Luzern.ogg}})<ref group="note">Other languages: {{langx|gsw|Lozärn|label=[[Lucerne German]]}}; {{langx|it|Lucerna}} {{IPA|it|luˈtʃɛrna|}}; {{langx|rm|Lucerna}} {{IPA|rm|luˈtsɛrnɐ||Rm-sursilv-Lucerna.flac}}; {{langx|fr|Lucerne}} {{IPA|fr|lysɛʁn|}}.</ref> is a [[city]] and a municipality in central [[Switzerland]], in the [[Languages of Switzerland|German-speaking portion]] of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the [[canton of Lucerne]] and part of the [[Lucerne (district)|district]] of the same name. With a population of approximately 82,000 people,<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |date=April 9, 2019 |title=Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeitskategorie, Geschlecht und Gemeinde, Provisorische Jahresergebnisse, 2018 - 2018 |trans-title=Permanent resident population by nationality category, gender, and municipality, provisional annual results, 2018 – 2018 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung.assetdetail.7966022.html |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |type=Official Statistics}}</ref> Lucerne is [[List of cities in Switzerland|the most populous city]] in [[Central Switzerland]], and a nexus of economics, transport, culture, and media in the region. The city's [[urban area]] consists of 19 municipalities and towns with an overall population of about 220,000 people.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |date=December 18, 2014 |title=Räume mit städtischem Charakter der Schweiz 2012 - 2012 &#124; Tabelle |trans-title=Rooms with an urban character in Switzerland 2012 - 2012 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/querschnittsthemen/raeumliche-analysen/raeumliche-gliederungen/analyseregionen.assetdetail.188849.html |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |type=Official Statistics}}</ref>

[[File:Luzern_am_Vierwaldstättersee_Luftaufnahme_2012_10.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of [[Lake Lucerne]]]]
Owing to its location on the shores of [[Lake Lucerne]] ({{langx|de|Vierwaldstättersee}}) and its outflow, the river [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]], within sight of the mounts [[Pilatus (mountain)|Pilatus]] and [[Rigi]] in the [[Swiss Alps]], Lucerne has long been a destination for [[Tourism in Switzerland|tourists]]. One of the city's landmarks is the [[Chapel Bridge]] ({{langx|de|Kapellbrücke|link=no}}), a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century.

The official language of Lucerne is [[German language|German]],<ref group="note">The official language in any municipality in German-speaking Switzerland is always German. However, the colloquial Lucerne dialect of [[Swiss German]] is not directly [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]] with Standard German. In Swiss governmental contexts, "German" refers to any form of the German language, hence both spoken Swiss German and [[Swiss Standard German]] are accepted languages of state. All written and official communications are in Swiss Standard German, while spoken language may vary depending on the circumstance ([[diglossia]]).</ref> but the main spoken language is the local variant of the [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]] [[Swiss German]] dialect, Lucerne German.

== History ==

=== Early history and founding (750–1386) ===
After the [[fall of the Roman Empire]] beginning in the 6th century, Germanic [[Alamanni|Alemannic]] peoples increased their influence on this area of present-day Switzerland.

Around 750 the [[Church of St. Leodegar (Lucerne)|Benedictine Monastery of St. Leodegar]] was founded, which was later acquired by [[Murbach Abbey]] in [[Alsace]] in the middle of the 9th century, and by this time the area had become known as {{lang|la|Luciaria}}.<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|624|Lucerne|date=03 November 2016}}</ref>

The origin of the name is uncertain, it is possibly derived from the Latin name of the [[Northern pike|pike]], {{wikt-lang|la|lucius}}, thus designating a pike fishing spot in the river Reuss. Derivation from the theonym ''[[Lugus]]'' has been suggested but is phonetically implausible. In any case, the name was associated by popular etymology with Latin {{lang|la|lucerna}} 'lantern' from an early time.<ref>Andres Kristol (ed.), ''Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen'' (2005), p. 558.</ref>

In 1178 Lucerne acquired its independence from the jurisdiction of Murbach Abbey, and the founding of the city proper probably occurred that same year. The city gained importance as a strategically located gateway for the growing commerce from the [[St Gotthard Pass|Gotthard]] trade route.

By 1290, Lucerne had become a self-sufficient city of reasonable size with about 3000 inhabitants. About this time [[Rudolph I of Germany|King Rudolph I von Habsburg]] gained authority over the Monastery of St. Leodegar and its lands, including Lucerne. The populace was not content with the increasing [[Habsburg]] influence, and Lucerne allied with neighboring towns to seek independence from their rule. Along with Lucerne, the three other forest cantons of [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]] and [[Unterwalden]] formed the "eternal" [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederacy]], known as the {{lang|de|[[Eidgenossenschaft]]}}, on November 7, 1332.

Later the cities of [[Zurich]], [[Zug]] and [[Bern]] joined the alliance. With the help of these additions, the rule of [[Austria]] over the area came to an end. The issue was settled by Lucerne's victory over the Habsburgs in the [[Battle of Sempach]] in 1386. For Lucerne this victory ignited an era of expansion. The city shortly granted many rights to itself, rights which had been withheld by the Habsburgs until then. By this time the borders of Lucerne were approximately those of today (excluding Littau).

=== From city to city-state (1386–1520) ===
In 1415 Lucerne gained {{lang|de|[[Reichsfreiheit]]}} from [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Sigismund]] and became a strong member of the Swiss confederacy. The city developed its infrastructure, raised taxes, and appointed its own local officials. The city's population of 3000 dropped about 40% due to the [[Black Plague]] and several wars around 1350.

In 1419 town records show the first witch trial against a male person.

In 1471, the law was passed to persecute the [[Timeline of Romani history#Germany|Romani people]] of Indian origin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Roma: Between a Myth and the Future |url=https://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=1844 |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=European Roma Rights Centre |language=HU}}</ref>

=== Swiss-Catholic town (1520–1798) ===
[[File:Merian Luzern 1642.jpg|thumb|left|Lucerne in 1642, by [[Matthäus Merian the Elder|Matthäus Merian]]]]
Among the growing towns of the confederacy, Lucerne was especially popular in attracting new residents. Remaining predominantly Catholic, Lucerne hosted its own annual [[passion play]] from 1453 to 1616, a two-day-long play of 12 hours performance per day.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Zucker |first=A. E.|date=1944 |title=The Passion Play of Lucerne, an Historical and Critical Introduction by M. Blakemore Evans |volume=43 |issue= 4 |pages=455–457 |journal=[[Journal of English and Germanic Philology]] |jstor=27705155 }}</ref> As the confederacy broke up during the [[Reformation in Switzerland|Reformation]], after 1520, most nearby cities became Protestant, but Lucerne remained Catholic. After the victory of the Catholics over the Protestants in the [[Second war of Kappel|Battle at Kappel]] in 1531, the Catholic towns dominated the confederacy. It was during this period that [[Jesuits]] first came to Lucerne in 1567, with their arrival given considerable backing by Cardinal [[Carlo Borromeo]], [[Archbishop of Milan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.unilu.ch/en/faculties/faculty-of-theology/about-the-faculty/history/ |title=History |publisher=[[University of Lucerne]] |access-date=2020-03-03}}</ref> The region, though, was destined to be dominated by Protestant cities such as Zurich, Bern and [[Basel]], which defeated the Catholic forces in the 1712 [[Toggenburg War]]. The former prominent position of Lucerne in the confederacy was lost forever. In the 16th and 17th centuries, wars and epidemics became steadily less frequent and as a result the population of the country increased strongly.

Lucerne was besieged by a peasant army and quickly signed a peace treaty with the rebels in the [[Swiss peasant war of 1653]].

=== Century of revolutions (1798–1914) ===
[[File:Luzern Battle 1845.gif|thumb|left|upright|''Conflict at Lucerne'', Illustrated London News, 1845]]
[[File:CH-NB - Luzern, von Nordwesten - Collection Gugelmann - GS-GUGE-ANONYM-B-2.tif|thumb|Lucerne and [[Rigi]], {{Circa|1820}}]]
[[File:Johann Heinrich Müller, 1825-1894 G01 Luzern.JPG|thumb|Lucerne and [[Pilatus (mountain)|Pilatus]], {{Circa|1870}}. Etching by [[commons:Category:Johann Heinrich Müller (1825-1894)|Heinrich Müller]]]]

In 1798, nine years after the beginning of the [[French Revolution]], the French army marched into Switzerland. The [[Old Swiss Confederacy]] collapsed and the government became democratic. The [[Industrial Revolution]] hit Lucerne rather late, and by 1860 only 1.7% of the population worked in industry, which was about a quarter of the national average at that time.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} [[Agriculture]], which employed about 40% of the workers, was the main form of economic output in the canton. Nevertheless, industry was attracted to the city from areas around Lucerne. From 1850 to 1913, the population quadrupled and the flow of settlers increased. In 1856 trains first linked the city to [[Olten]] and Basel, then Zug and Zurich in 1864 and finally to the south in 1897.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

The 1804 play ''[[William Tell (play)|William Tell]]'' by [[Friedrich Schiller]] did much to establish the reputation of Lucerne and its environs.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/william-tell-express-great-swiss-lake-adventure-5336031.html |title=The William Tell Express: A great Swiss lake adventure |date=September 17, 2011 |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=London}}</ref> Schiller himself had not been to Lucerne, but was inspired to write the play by his wife Lotte and his friend [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], who had both personally visited the city and its surrounding canton. Goethe had lodged in the Hirschenplatz on his route to Italy in 1779.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.anitasfeast.com/blog/2012/11/lucernes-hirschenplatz-do-you-get-the-message/ |title=Lucerne's Hirschenplatz—"get the message"?|date=November 12, 2012}}</ref>

It was during the latter part of the 19th century that Lucerne became a popular destination for artists, royalty and others to escape to. The German composer [[Richard Wagner]] established a residence at [[Tribschen]] in 1866, where he lived and worked.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://www.luzern.com/en/things-to-do/art-culture/museums-castles/where-richard-wagner-once-lived/ |title=Where Richard Wagner once lived |publisher=Luzern.com |access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref> The city was then boosted by a visit by [[Queen Victoria]] to the city in 1868, during which she went sightseeing at the [[Kapellbrücke]] and the [[Lion Monument]] and relished speaking with local people in her native German.<ref>{{cite web|last=Douez |first=Sophie |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/mourning-has-broken_how-queen-victoria-transformed-the-swiss-tourism-industry/44250336 |title=How Queen Victoria transformed the Swiss tourism industry - SWI |date=21 July 2018 |publisher=Swissinfo.ch |access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref>

<gallery heights="120" widths="180">
Lucerne, Villa Wallis (1870).jpg|''Pension Wallis'' (close to [[Château Gütsch]]), where Queen Victoria stayed in 1868
The Queen's View, Lake of Lucerne, from the Pension Wallis (The Illustrated London News, 1869).jpg|"''The Queen's View, Lake of Lucerne, from the Pension Wallis'' by [[William Collingwood Smith|Collingwood Smith]]", from ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'', 1869
</gallery>

The American writer [[Mark Twain]] further popularised the city and its environs in his travel writings after visiting twice, in 1878 and 1897.<ref>{{cite web |last=Misicka |first=Susan |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/weggis-walk_on-the-trail-of-mark-twain-in-lucerne/28380660 |title=On the trail of Mark Twain in Lucerne |date=25 September 2010 |publisher=Swissinfo.ch |access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref> In 1892 Swiss poet and future [[Nobel Prize in Literature|Nobel laureate]] [[Carl Spitteler]] also established himself in Lucerne, living there until his death in 1924.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1919/spitteler/biographical/ |title=Carl Spitteler - Biographical |publisher=[[Nobel Prize]] |date=1924-12-29 |access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref>

Lucerne's status as a fashionable destination led to it becoming one of the first centres of modern-style tourism.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morton |first=Marcia Colman |date=1978-02-12 |title=A Leisurely Stroll in Lucerne, Switzerland's Urban Resort |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/12/archives/a-leisurely-stroll-in-lucerne-switzerlands-urban-resort-the-sweet.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Some of the city's most recognisable buildings are hotels from this period, such as the Schweizerhof Hotel (1845), [[Grand Hotel National]] (1870), and [[Château Gütsch]] (1879).<ref>{{cite web |title=Festivalhotel Schweizerhof Luzern am VierwaldstĂ¤ttersee |trans-title=Festival Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne on Lake Lucerne |url=https://www.schweizerhof-luzern.ch/en/hotel-schweizerhof-luzern/portrait/ |access-date=2020-03-03 |publisher=Schweizerhof-luzern.ch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chateau-guetsch.ch/en/hotel-chateau-guetsch/guetsch-history/ |title=Historical castle hotel in Lucerne &#124; Chateau Gütsch |publisher=Chateau-guetsch.ch |access-date=2020-03-03}}</ref> It was at the [[Grand Hotel National|National]] that Swiss hotelier [[César Ritz]] would establish himself as manager between 1878 and 1888.

=== 1993 great fire ===
[[File:ETH-BIB-Luzern, Übersicht-Inlandflüge-LBS MH01-000491.tif|thumb|Aerial view by [[Walter Mittelholzer]] (1919)]]
In August 1993, the [[Kapellbrücke]], in the centre of the city, suffered from a great fire which destroyed two thirds of its interior paintings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bildergalerien |url=https://www.stadtluzern.ch/dokumentebilder/bildergalerien/detail/4494 |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=City of Lucerne}}</ref> The bridge was subsequently reconstructed and reopened to the public in April 1994, after a total of CHF 3.4 million was spent on its repair.<ref>{{cite news |date=2013-08-18 |title=KAPELLBRÜCKE: Vor 20 Jahren brannte die Kapellbrücke |trans-title=KAPELLBRÜCKE: The Chapel Bridge burned 20 years ago |url=http://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/nachrichten/zentralschweiz/luzern/Vor-20-Jahren-brannte-die-Kapellbruecke;art92,283526 |access-date=2020-03-03 |publisher=[[Luzerner Zeitung]]}}</ref>

=== Merge with Littau ===
On June 17, 2007, voters of the city of Lucerne and the adjacent town of [[Littau]] agreed to a merger in a simultaneous [[referendum]]. This took effect on January 1, 2010.<ref name=fusion>{{Cite report |title=Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz, Mutationsmeldungen 2009 / Répertoire officiel des communes de Suisse, Mutations 2009 / Elenco ufficiale dei Comuni della Svizzera, Mutazione 2009 |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/03.Document.128095.pdf |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |year=2009 |access-date=2010-03-06 |docket=3161 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118021059/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/03.Document.128095.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-18 }}</ref> The new city, still called Lucerne, has a population of around 80,000 people, making it the seventh-largest city in Switzerland. The results of this referendum are expected to pave the way for negotiations with other nearby cities and towns in an effort to create a unified city-region, based on the results of a study.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stadtluzern.ch/assets/documents/medienmitteilungen/schlussbericht070104%20v41.pdf |title=Grundlagenstudie 'Starke Stadtregion Luzern' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325093049/http://www.stadtluzern.ch/assets/documents/medienmitteilungen/schlussbericht070104%20v41.pdf |archive-date= 2009-03-25 }}&nbsp;{{small|(3.50&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]])}} January 4, 2007 {{in lang|de}}{{dead link|date=February 2015}}</ref>

==Geography and climate==
===Topography===
Lucerne is located at the outfall of [[Lake Lucerne]] into the river [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]], which flows from south-east to north-west. The city occupies both banks of the river and the lowest reach of the lake, with the city centre straddling the river immediately downstream of the outfall. The city's suburbs climb the hills to the north-east and south-west, and stretch out along the river and lake banks, whilst the recently added area of [[Littau]] is to the north-west.<ref name=swmap>{{cite map | publisher = Swiss Confederation | title = map.geo.admin.ch | url = https://s.geo.admin.ch/7cf9e68a8b | access-date = 12 September 2018}}</ref>

Besides this contiguous city area, the municipality also includes an [[exclave]] on the south shore of Lake Lucerne some {{convert|8|km}} away, comprising the northern slopes of the [[Bürgenstock]]. This section of the municipality is entirely surrounded by the lake and by land of the [[canton of Nidwalden]]. It does not contain any significant settlements, but the summit of the Bürgenstock is the highest point of the municipality.<ref name=swmap/>

The municipality has an area of {{convert|29.1|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. Of this area and {{as of|2009|lc=y}}, 28.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 22.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 47.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (2.1%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).<ref name=SFSO2012>{{cite web |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |title=Regional portraits – Communes: Key figures |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=20 March 2014 |pages=2497–2498 |format=PDF |quote=data from 2012 |access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref>

===Climate===
Between 1961 and 1990 Lucerne had an average of 138.1 days of rain per year and on average received {{convert|1171|mm|in|abbr=on}} of [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]]. The wettest month was June during which time Lucerne received an average of {{convert|153|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rainfall. During this month there was rainfall for an average of 14.2 days. The driest month of the year was February with an average of {{convert|61|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation over 10.2 days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/de/klima/klima_schweiz/tabellen.html |title=Temperature and Precipitation Average Values-Table, 1961–1990 |access-date=8 May 2009 |publisher=Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology – MeteoSwiss |language=de, fr, it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627163841/http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/de/klima/klima_schweiz/tabellen.html |archive-date=27 June 2009 }}</ref> Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The [[Köppen Climate Classification]] subtype for this climate is "[[Köppen climate classification#Group C: Temperate/mesothermal climates|Cfb]]" (Marine West Coast Climate/[[Oceanic climate]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luzern, Switzerland Climate Classification (Weatherbase) |url=https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=590652&cityname=Luzern,+Lucerne,+Switzerland&units= |url-status=live |publisher=Canty and Associates LLC |website=Weatherbase |location=Great Falls, Virginia, USA |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081025/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=590652&cityname=Luzern%2C%20Lucerne%2C%20Switzerland&units= |archivedate=March 4, 2016}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Lucerne, elevation {{convert|454|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1927–present)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 19.5
|Feb record high C = 19.9
|Mar record high C = 26.2
|Apr record high C = 29.1
|May record high C = 33.4
|Jun record high C = 35.3
|Jul record high C = 37.2
|Aug record high C = 35.8
|Sep record high C = 31.6
|Oct record high C = 27.0
|Nov record high C = 22.5
|Dec record high C = 18.6
|Jan record low C = -20.3
|Feb record low C = -26.0
|Mar record low C = -14.5
|Apr record low C = -7.0
|May record low C = -2.0
|Jun record low C = 0.0
|Jul record low C = 4.2
|Aug record low C = 2.1
|Sep record low C = 0.5
|Oct record low C = -5.0
|Nov record low C = -10.0
|Dec record low C = -19.0
| Jan high C = 4.0
| Feb high C = 5.8
| Mar high C = 10.9
| Apr high C = 15.3
| May high C = 19.4
| Jun high C = 22.9
| Jul high C = 24.9
| Aug high C = 24.3
| Sep high C = 19.6
| Oct high C = 14.3
| Nov high C = 8.2
| Dec high C = 4.5
| year high C = 14.5
| Jan mean C = 1.1
| Feb mean C = 1.9
| Mar mean C = 6.0
| Apr mean C = 9.9
| May mean C = 14.1
| Jun mean C = 17.6
| Jul mean C = 19.5
| Aug mean C = 18.9
| Sep mean C = 14.8
| Oct mean C = 10.3
| Nov mean C = 5.1
| Dec mean C = 1.9
| year mean C = 10.1
| Jan low C = -1.6
| Feb low C = -1.7
| Mar low C = 1.5
| Apr low C = 4.8
| May low C = 9.1
| Jun low C = 12.8
| Jul low C = 14.6
| Aug low C = 14.4
| Sep low C = 10.8
| Oct low C = 6.9
| Nov low C = 2.2
| Dec low C = -0.8
| year low C = 6.1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 55.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 61.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 75.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 96.5
|May precipitation mm = 148.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 164.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 165.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 170.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 109.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 88.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 77.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 78.4
|year precipitation mm = 1291.4
| Jan snow cm = 11.0
| Feb snow cm = 14.1
| Mar snow cm = 4.5
| Apr snow cm = 0.9
| May snow cm = 0.0
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.0
| Oct snow cm = 0.4
| Nov snow cm = 3.2
| Dec snow cm = 12.8
| year snow cm = 46.9
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 9.7
| Feb precipitation days = 8.7
| Mar precipitation days = 11.0
| Apr precipitation days = 11.2
| May precipitation days = 13.1
| Jun precipitation days = 13.5
| Jul precipitation days = 12.7
| Aug precipitation days = 12.7
| Sep precipitation days = 10.2
| Oct precipitation days = 10.0
| Nov precipitation days = 9.5
| Dec precipitation days = 10.5
| year precipitation days = 132.8
| unit snow days = 1.0 cm
| Jan snow days = 2.8
| Feb snow days = 3.0
| Mar snow days = 1.1
| Apr snow days = 0.5
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.8
| Dec snow days = 2.7
| year snow days = 10.9
| Jan humidity = 83
| Feb humidity = 78
| Mar humidity = 72
| Apr humidity = 68
| May humidity = 71
| Jun humidity = 72
| Jul humidity = 71
| Aug humidity = 75
| Sep humidity = 80
| Oct humidity = 84
| Nov humidity = 85
| Dec humidity = 85
| year humidity = 77
|Jan sun = 50.8
|Feb sun = 79.9
|Mar sun = 133.3
|Apr sun = 161.5
|May sun = 172.7
|Jun sun = 186.9
|Jul sun = 208.9
|Aug sun = 198.4
|Sep sun = 145.8
|Oct sun = 99.4
|Nov sun = 53.4
|Dec sun = 39.0
|year sun = 1530.0
| Jan percentsun = 23
| Feb percentsun = 32
| Mar percentsun = 39
| Apr percentsun = 43
| May percentsun = 40
| Jun percentsun = 42
| Jul percentsun = 47
| Aug percentsun = 49
| Sep percentsun = 42
| Oct percentsun = 33
| Nov percentsun = 23
| Dec percentsun = 19
| year percentsun = 38
| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name=NOAA1>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241211111322/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Luzern_06650.csv
| archive-date = 11 December 2024
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Luzern_06650.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 11 December 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[MeteoSwiss]]<ref name=MeteoSwiss>{{cite web 
| url = https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUZ/climsheet_LUZ_np9120_e.pdf 
| title = Climate Normals Luzern (Reference period 1991−2020) 
| publisher = Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss 
| date = 13 January 2022 
| access-date = 14 January 2022 
| archive-date = 3 November 2022 
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221103071221/https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUZ/climsheet_LUZ_np9120_e.pdf 
| url-status = dead 
}}</ref> [[:fr:Infoclimat|Infoclimat]] (extremes)<ref name = Infoclimat1>{{cite web
| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/luzern/valeurs/06650.html
| title = Normales et records pour la période 1991-2020 Luzern
| publisher=Infoclimat
| access-date = 9 August 2025}}</ref>
}}

==Politics==
===Government===
[[File:CHE Luzern Logo.svg|thumb|Logo of the municipality of Lucerne]]
The City Council ('''[[Stadtrat]]''') constitutes the [[executive (government)|executive]] government of the city of Lucerne and operates as a [[collegiate authority]]. It is composed of five councilors ({{langx|de|Stadtrat/-rätin}}), each presiding over a directorate (''Direktion'') comprising several departments and bureaus. The president of the executive department acts as [[mayor]] (''Stadtpräsident''). In the mandate period (''Legislatur'') September 2024 – August 2028 the City Council is presided by ''Stadtpräsident'' [[Beat Züsli]]. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the Grand City Council are carried by the City Council. The regular election of the City Council by any inhabitant valid to vote is held every four years. Any resident of Lucerne allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the City Council. The delegates are selected by means of a system of [[Majorz]]. The mayor is elected as such as well by public election while the heads of the other directorates are assigned by the collegiate.<ref name=SR>{{cite web |url=https://www.stadtluzern.ch/politikverwaltung/stadtrat/6067 |title=Stadtrat |publisher=Stadt Luzern |type=official site |language=de |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |date=1 September 2024 |access-date=2025-05-19}}</ref>

{{As of|2024|9|1}}, Luzern's City Council is made up of one representative of the SP ([[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]], who is also the mayor) and one of the GPS ([[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]]), both elected in first round, and another one of the SP, and one each of Centre ([[The Centre (political party)|Centre Party]], former CVP) and FDP ([[FDP.The Liberals]]), all elected on second round. This gives the left parties a majority. The last regular election were held on 28 April/8 June 2024. Except for the mayor, all other councilors are newly electeds.<ref name="WL24">{{cite web |date=28 April 2024 |title=Wahlen Grosser Stadtrat, Stadtrat und Stadtpräsidium vom 28. April 2024 |trans-title=Elections for the City Council, Municipal Council, and City Presidency on April 28, 2024 |url=https://www.stadtluzern.ch/aktuelles/urnengaengeundresultate/termine/5585500 |access-date=2025-05-19 |publisher=Stadt Luzern |language=de |type=official site |location=Lucerne, Switzerland}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ The City Council (''Stadtrat'') of Luzern<ref name=SR/> 2024-2028
! City Councilor<br/>(''Stadtrat/-rätin'') !! Party !! Head of Directorate (''Direktion'', since) of !! elected since
|-
| '''[[Beat Züsli]]'''<ref group=SR>Mayor (''Stadtpräsident'')</ref> || {{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} SP || Education and Mayor's Office (''Bildungsdirektion/Präsidiales'', 2016) || 2016
|-
| [[Korintha Bärtsch]] || {{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} GPS || Building and Civil Engineering (''Baudirektion'', 2024)  || 2024
|-
| [[Franziska Bitzi]]<ref group=SR>Vice President (''Vizepräsidentin'')</ref> || {{Color box|{{party color| The Centre (political party)}}|border=darkgray}} Centre || Finances (''Finanzdirektion'', 2024) || 2024
|-
| [[Melanie Setz]] || {{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} SP || Social Services and Security (''Sozial- und Sicherheitsdirektion'', 2024)) || 2024
|-
| [[Marco Baumann]] || {{Color box|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|border=darkgray}} FDP || Environment and Transport (''Umwelt- und Verkehrsdirektion'', 2024) || 2024
|}
{{reflist|group=SR}}

Michèle Bucher (FDP) is Town Chronicler (''Stadtschreiberin'') since 2020.

===Parliament===
{{Pie chart
| thumb =right
| caption =The ''Grosse Stadtrat'' of Luzern for the mandate period of 2024-2028
| other  =
| label1 =JUSO
| value1 ={{#expr: 1/(48/100) round 1}}
| color1 ={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}
| label2 =jg
| value2 ={{#expr: 1/(48/100) round 1}}
| color2 ={{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}
| label3 =SP
| value3 ={{#expr: 13/(48/100) round 1}}
| color3 ={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}
| label4 =GPS
| value4 ={{#expr: 8/(48/100) round 1}}
| color4 ={{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}
| label5 =glp
| value5 ={{#expr: 4/(48/100) round 1}}
| color5 ={{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}
| label6 =Centre
| value6 ={{#expr: 7/(48/100) round 1}}
| color6 ={{party color|Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland}}
| label7 =FDP
| value7 ={{#expr: 8/(48/100) round 1}}
| color7 ={{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}
| label8 =SVP
| value8 ={{#expr: 6/(48/100) round 1}}
| color8 ={{party color|Swiss People's Party}}
}}
The Grand City Council ('''Grosser Stadtrat''') holds [[legislative power]]. It is made up of 48 members, with elections held every four years. The Grand City Council decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the City Council and the administration. The delegates are selected by means of a system of [[proportional representation]].

The sessions of the Grand City Council are public. Unlike members of the City Council, members of the Grand City Council are not politicians by profession, and they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Luzern allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the Grand City Council. The parliament holds its meetings in the ''Rathaus'' (Town Hall) am Kornmarkt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grstr.stadtluzern.ch/ |title=Grosser Stadtrat |publisher=Stadt Luzern |type=official site |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de |access-date=2016-07-30}}</ref>

The last regular election of the Grand City Council was held on 28 April 2024 for the mandate period ({{langx|de|Legislatur}}) from September 2024 to August 2028. Currently the Grand City Council consist of 13 members of the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party (SP/PS)]] (+-0) and one of its junior section, the ''JUSO'', 8 (+2) [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party (GPS/PES)]] and one of its junior section, the ''jg of Luzern'', 8 (-1) [[FDP.The Liberals|The Liberals (FDP/PLR)]], 7 (+-0) [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Centre Party (former CVP/PDC)]], 6 (-1) [[Swiss People's Party|Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC)]], and 4 (+-0) [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|Green Liberal Party (GLP/PVL)]].<ref name=WL24/>

===National elections===
====National Council====
In the [[2023 Swiss federal election|2023 federal election]] for the [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss National Council]] the most popular party was the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|PS]] which received 28.7% (+3.7) of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the [[The Centre (political party)|Centre]] (former CVP) (17.2%, +3.1), the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (15.6%, -5.1), the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (14.7%, -0.3), [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (12.7%, -0.2), the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|glp]] (9.0%, -1.5). The [[voter turnout]] was 51.3%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.admin.ch/de/lu/ |title=Eidgenössische Wahlen: Luzern - Nationalrat, Gemeinde: Luzern |format=interactive graphics |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2023 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2025-10-15}}</ref>

In the [[2019 Swiss federal election|2019 federal election]] for the [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss National Council]] the most popular party was the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|PS]] which received 25.0% (-0.7) of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (20.8%, +7.4), the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (15.0%, -4.6), the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|CVP]] (14.1%, 0), [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (13.0%, -2.5), the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|glp]] (10.5%, +1.8).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386461/appendix |title=NR - Ergebnisse Parteien (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |via=opendata.swiss |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> In the federal election a total of 25,836 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 49.5%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386463/appendix |title=NR - Wahlbeteiligung (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |type=official statistics |via=opendata.swiss |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

In the 2015 election for the [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss National Council]] the most popular party was the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]] which received 25.8% of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (19.5%), the [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (15.4%), the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|CVP]] (14.1%), the [[Green Party of Switzerland|GPS]] (13.3%), and the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|GLP]] (8.9%). In the federal election, a total of 26,521 voters were cast, and the voter turnout was 49.48%.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 March 2016 |title=Nationalratswahlen 2015: Stärke der Parteien und Wahlbeteiligung nach Gemeinden |trans-title=National Council Elections 2015: Strength of the Parties and Voter Turnout by Municipality |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/07/03.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802003536/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/07/03.html |archive-date=2 August 2016 |access-date=2016-08-03 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |language=de, fr |type=official statistics |format=XLS |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref>

===International relations===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Switzerland}}

====Twin towns====
Lucerne is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with the following towns:<ref name="Lucerne twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.stadtluzern.ch/de/themenbereiche/?action=showthema&themenbereich_id=9&thema_id=94|title=Partnerstädte der Stadt Luzern|access-date=2013-08-01|work=Stadt Luzern|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621204147/http://www.stadtluzern.ch/de/themenbereiche/?action=showthema&themenbereich_id=9&thema_id=94|archive-date=2013-06-21}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*{{flagicon|UK}} [[Bournemouth]], United Kingdom (1981)<ref name="Lucerne twinnings"/><ref name="Dorset twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.twinning.org.uk/main.htm|title=Dorset Twinning Association List|access-date=2013-08-01|work=The Dorset Twinning Association|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120621101744/http://www.twinning.org.uk/main.htm|archive-date=2012-06-21 }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], United States (1999)<ref name="Lucerne twinnings"/>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Guebwiller|Guebwiller / Murbach]], France (1978)<ref name="Lucerne twinnings"/>
*{{flagicon|CZE}} [[Olomouc]], Czech Republic (1994)<ref name="Lucerne twinnings"/>
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Potsdam]], Germany (2002)<ref name="Lucerne twinnings"/><ref name="Potsdam twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.potsdam.de/cms/ziel/27222/DE/|title=Die Partnerstädte der Landeshauptstadt Potsdam|work=www.potsdam.de|access-date=24 June 2010|language=de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625001110/http://www.potsdam.de/cms/ziel/27222/DE/|archive-date=25 June 2010}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+Largest groups of foreign residents 2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ausländische Personen nach Nationalität und Status Ende 2021 - Stadt Luzern |url=https://www.lustat.ch/files_ftp/daten/gd/1061/w012_005t_gd1061_zz_d_0000_001_008.html |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de}}</ref>
|-
!Nationality || Numbers || % of total<br/>(% of foreigners)
|-
||{{flag|Germany}}|| 3,772 || 4.56 (18.39)
|-
||{{flag|Italy}} || 2,225 || 2.69 (10.85)
|-
||{{flag|Portugal}}|| 1,376 || 1.66 (6.71)
|-
|{{flag|Eritrea}}
|866
|1.05 (4.22)
|-
||{{flag|Serbia}}|| 843 || 1.02 (4.11)
|-
||{{flag|Kosovo}}|| 783 || 0.95 (3.82)
|-
||{{flag|Spain}}|| 713 || 0.86 (3.48)
|-
||{{flag|Sri Lanka}}|| 629 || 0.76 (3.07)
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}
|499
|0.60 (2.43)
|-
||{{flag|Croatia}}|| 428 || 0.52 (2.09)
|-
||{{flag|North Macedonia}}|| 365 || 0.44 (1.78)
|-
||{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}|| 323 || 0.39 (1.57)
|}

{{Historical populations|1850|11382|1860|13166|1870|16450|1880|20419|1888|23607|1900|32954|1910|43611|1920|48394|1930|52102|1941|59847|1950|66170|1960|76148|1970|83374|1980|78274|1990|76466|2000|75425|2010|77491|2020|82620|source=<ref>{{cite web |title=Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, 1850-2000 |trans-title=Population development according to institutional divisions, 1850-2000|url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-4004000000_101/-/px-x-4004000000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=513a4f6a-09be-49d1-99c7-23421ad2dd49 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |type=Official statistics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Permanent resident population by Year, Canton / District / Commune |url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-0102010000_101/-/px-x-0102010000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=18b2f0c5-2cf6-4847-9f6f-3f23d3e7129d |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |type=Official statistics}}</ref>}}Lucerne has a population (as of 31 December 2021) of 82,771<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ausgewählte Bevölkerungskennzahlen seit 1991, Stadt Luzern |url=https://www.lustat.ch/files_ftp/daten/gd/1061/w011_001t_gd1061_zz_d_0000.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de}}</ref> As of 2021, 20,508 or 24.78% of the population was made up of foreign nationals, of which 18.22% are from [[Europe]], 3.63% from [[Asia]], 1.85% from [[Africa]] and 0.97% from [[Americas|America]].<ref name=Lustat2013Foreign>{{cite web |date=19 August 2014 |title=Ausländische Personen nach Nationalität und Status Ende 2013 |trans-title=Foreign persons by nationality and status at the end of 2013 – City of Lucerne |url=http://www2.lustat.ch/download/lustat_new/gd/1061/w012_015t_gd1061_ss_d_2013.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141123182903/http://www2.lustat.ch/download/lustat_new/gd/1061/w012_015t_gd1061_ss_d_2013.html |archive-date=23 November 2014 |access-date=2014-11-23 |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de |type=Official statistics}}</ref> Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 1.2%.

Most of the population (as of 2020) speak [[German language|German]] (83.26%), with [[English language|English]] with 7.45%, as well as [[Italian language|Italian]] (5.06%) and [[Serbo-Croatian]] (3.80%) being respectively second, third and fourth most common first languages reported. Following, there are [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (2.81%), [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (2.53%), [[Albanian language|Albanian]] (2.25%) and [[French language|French]] (2.11%) language speakers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LUSTAT Statistik Luzern |url=https://www.lustat.ch/files_ftp/daten/gd/1061/w163_005t_gd1061_zz_d_0000_001.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de |type=Official statistics}}</ref>

The age distribution in Lucerne is ({{As of|2013|lc=y}}); 12,916 people or 15.7% of the population is 0–19 years old. 26,381 people or 33.8% are 20–39 years old, and 25,863 people or 32.1% are 40–64 years old. The senior population distribution is 10,530 people or 13.1% are 65–79 years old, 4,208 or 5.2% are 80–89 years old and 900 people or 1.1% of the population are 90+ years old.<ref name="Lustat2013Prozent">{{cite web |date=18 August 2014 |title=Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Altersgruppen Ende 2013 – Gemeinden Kanton Luzern – Männer und Frauen - in Prozent |trans-title=Permanent resident population by age groups at the end of 2013 – Municipalities of the Canton of Lucerne – Men and women – in percent |url=http://www2.lustat.ch/download/lustat_new/kt/0003/w012_002t_kt0003_gd_d_2013_002_008.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210014924/http://www2.lustat.ch/download/lustat_new/kt/0003/w012_002t_kt0003_gd_d_2013_002_008.html |archive-date=10 February 2015 |access-date=2015-02-09 |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de |type=Official statistics}}</ref>

In Lucerne about 73.6% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]] or additional higher education (either university or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').

{{as of|2000}} there are 30,586 households, of which 15,452 households (or about 50.5%) contain only a single individual. 853 or about 2.8% are large households, with at least five members.<ref name=LUSTAT>{{Cite web |title=Gemeindeübersicht - LUSTAT Statistik Luzern |trans-title=Municipality Overview - LUSTAT Statistics Lucerne |url=http://www.lustat.ch/index/daten_online/gemeinden/gd_0003/gemeinde_uebersicht.htm |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20141129015101/http://www2.lustat.ch/index/daten_online/gemeinden/gd_0003/gemeinde_uebersicht.htm |archive-date=2014-11-29 |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=Canton of Lucerne |website=LUSTAT |location=Lucerne, Switzerland |language=de |type=Official statistics}}</ref> {{as of|2000}} there were 5,707 inhabited buildings in the municipality, of which 4,050 were built only as housing, and 1,657 were [[Mixed-use development|mixed use]] buildings. There were 1,152 single family homes, 348 double family homes, and 2,550 multi-family homes in the municipality. Most homes were either two (787) or three (1,468) story structures. There were only 74 single story buildings and 1,721 four or more story buildings.<ref name=LUSTAT/>

===Religion===
The city grew up around Sankt Leodegar Abbey, founded in AD 840, and remained strongly [[Roman Catholic]] into the 21st century. By 1850, 96.9% of the population was Catholic, in 1900 it was 81.9% and in 1950 it was still 72.3%. {{as of|2000|alt=In the 2000 census}} the religious membership of Lucerne was: 35,682 (60%) Roman Catholic, 9,227 (15.5%) Protestant, with an additional 1,979 (3.33%) who were of some other Christian denominations; 1,824 individuals (3.07% of the population) Muslim; 196 individuals (0.33% of the population) Jewish. Of the remainder, 1,073 (1.8%) individuals were another religion; 6,310 (10.61%) stated they do not belong to any organized religion; and 3,205 (5.39%) did not answer the question.<ref name=LUSTAT/>

==Economy==

{{as of|2012}}, there were a total of 77,641 people employed in the municipality. Of these, a total of 166 people worked in 53 businesses in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]]. The [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] employed 7,326 workers in 666 separate businesses. Finally, the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]] provided 70,149 jobs in 6,929 businesses. In 2013 a total of 11.0% of the population received social assistance.<ref name=SFSO2016>{{Cite web |title=Regional portraits |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160911184605/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |archive-date=2016-09-11 |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |type=Official site}}</ref> {{as of|2000}} 51.7% of the population of the municipality were employed in some capacity. At the same time, women made up 47.9% of the workforce.<ref name=LUSTAT/>

Lucerne is home to a number of major Swiss companies, including [[AlpTransit Gotthard rail link]], [[Schindler Group]], [[Chronoswiss]], [[Emmi AG|Emmi]], and the [[Luzerner Kantonalbank]]. [[Suva (insurer)|Suva]], one of Switzerland's oldest accident insurance companies, is also based in Lucerne, as is the [[University of Lucerne]], the youngest of Switzerland's traditional universities. An international company is the [[EF Education First]]. Thanks to its continuous tax-cutting policies, Lucerne has become Switzerland's most business-friendly canton. {{As of|2012}} Lucerne offers Switzerland's lowest corporate tax rate at cantonal level.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/startseite/die-steuern-sind-weiter-gesunken-1.14373408 | trans-title= Taxes have fallen further in 2012| title= Die Steuern sind weiter gesunken |newspaper=[[Neue Zürcher Zeitung]] |language=de |first= Hansueli |last=Schöchli |date=17 January 2012 |access-date=20 December 2010}}</ref>

One of the first export oriented branches was the production of [[scythe]]s from the 14th century onwards.<ref name=DublerWG>{{Cite book |last=Dubler |first=Anne-Marie |title=Luzerner Wirtschaftsgeschichte im Bild |publisher=[[Luzerner Kantonalbank]] |year=1975 |location=Lucerne |pages=34–36}}</ref> Lucerne imported iron and steel and the cities blacksmiths produced scythes which were exported to western Switzerland and northern Italy.<ref name=DublerWG/> The workshops of the blacksmiths were located in the outskirts of the city due to fire concerns.<ref name=DublerWG/> The workshops at the Krienbach creek included hammers moved by watermills.<ref name=DublerWG/> Furthermore, Lucerne also offers very moderate personal income tax rates. In a recent published study of BAK Basel Economics taxation index 2012, Lucerne made it to the 4th place with an only marginally 2% higher tax rate compared to the top canton in this comparison.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bakbasel.ch/downloads/competences/location_factors/taxation/BAK_TIX_2012_Zwischenbericht_Executive_Summary.pdf |title=Zwischenbericht Executive Summary |website=BAK Basel |language=de | access-date=20 December 2010}}</ref>

==Sights==
[[File:Lucerne, Switzerland.jpg|thumb|The Chapel Bridge and [[Jesuit Church, Lucerne|Jesuit Church]] St. Francis Xavier on the Reuss]]
Since the city straddles the [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]] where it drains the lake, it has a number of bridges. These include the Chapel Bridge (''[[Kapellbrücke]]''), a {{convert|204|m|ft|abbr=on}} long wooden covered bridge originally built in 1333, the oldest covered bridge in [[Europe]], although much of it had to be replaced after a fire on 18 August 1993, allegedly caused by a discarded cigarette. Partway across, the bridge runs by the octagonal Water Tower (''Wasserturm''), a fortification from the 13th century. Inside the bridge are a series of paintings from the 17th century depicting events from Lucerne's history.

Downriver, between the Kasernenplatz and the Mühlenplatz, the [[Spreuer Bridge]] (''Spreuerbrücke'' or ''Mühlenbrücke'', Mill Bridge) zigzags across the Reuss. Constructed in 1408, it features a series of medieval-style 17th century plague paintings by [[Kaspar Meglinger]] ([[:de:Kaspar Meglinger|de]]) titled ''[[Dance of Death]]'' (''Totentanzzyklus''). The bridge has a small chapel in the middle that was added in 1568.

[[File:Männliturm Museggmauer 02 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|320px|View of the old town centre and Lake Lucerne from one of the watch towers ("Männliturm")]]
Old Town Lucerne is mainly located just north of the Reuss, and still has several fine [[half-timber]] structures with painted fronts. Remnants of the old town walls exist on the hill above Lucerne, complete with eight tall watch towers. An additional gated tower sits at the base of the hill on the banks of the [[Reuss (river)|Reuss]].

The twin needle towers of the [[Church of St. Leodegar (Lucerne)|Church of St. Leodegar]], which was named after the city's patron saint, sit on a small hill just above the lake front. Originally built in 735, the present structure was erected in 1633 in the late [[Renaissance]] style. However, the towers are surviving remnants of an earlier structure. The interior is richly decorated. The church is popularly called the ''Hofkirche'' (in German) and is known locally as the ''Hofchile'' (in Swiss-German).

[[Bertel Thorvaldsen]]'s carving of a dying lion (the ''[[Lion Monument]]'', or ''Löwendenkmal'') is found in a small park just off the Löwenplatz. The carving commemorates the hundreds of [[Swiss Guards]] who were [[10 August (French Revolution)|massacred in 1792]] during the French Revolution, when an armed mob stormed the [[Tuileries Palace]] in [[Paris]].

The [[Swiss Museum of Transport]] is a large and comprehensive museum exhibiting all forms of transport, including [[locomotive]]s, [[automobile]]s, [[ship]]s, and [[aircraft]]. It is to be found beside the lake in the northern-eastern section of the city.

The [[Culture and Convention Center]] (KKL) beside the lake in the center of the city was designed by [[Nouvel Jean|Jean Nouvel]]. The center has one of the world's leading concert halls, with acoustics by [[Russell Johnson (architect)|Russell Johnson]].

The [[Richard Wagner Museum, Lucerne|Richard Wagner Museum]] is found on the lake at [[Tribschen]] and is dedicated to the composer [[Richard Wagner]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.richard-wagner-museum.ch/ |title=Startseite |publisher=Richard-wagner-museum.ch |access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref> Wagner lived in Lucerne from 1866 to 1872 and his former villa now hosts the museum dedicated to him.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

Lucerne also has a [[Natur-Museum Luzern|Nature Museum]].

==Culture and events==
===Culture===
[[File:Lucerne reflections.jpg|thumb|The [[Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre]] at night]]
Since plans for the new culture and convention centre arose in the late 1980s, Lucerne has found a balance between the so-called established culture and [[alternative culture]]. A consensus was reached that culminated in a culture compromise (Kulturkompromiss). The established culture comprises the [[Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre]] (KKL), the city theater ([[Luzerner Theater]]) and, in a broader sense, smaller establishments such as the Kleintheater, founded by [[comedian]] [[Emil Steinberger (actor)|Emil Steinberger]], a Lucerne native, or Stadtkeller, a music restaurant in the city's old town. KKL houses a concert hall as well as the Museum of Art Lucerne ([[Kunstmuseum Luzern]]).

Alternative culture took place mostly on the premises of a former tube factory, which became known as [[Boa (Lucerne)|Boa]]. Other localities for alternative culture have since emerged in the same inner city area as Boa. Initially, Boa staged various plays, but concerts became more and more common; this new use of the building clashed with the development of [[apartment]] buildings on nearby lots of land. Due to possible noise pollution, Boa was closed and a replacement in a less heavily inhabited area is currently under construction. Critics claimed though that the new establishment would not meet the requirements for an alternative culture.

[[Südpol]] is a center for performing arts in Lucerne presenting music-, dance- and theatre-events. The house at the foot of [[Pilatus (mountain)|Pilatus]] opened in November 2008.

Lucerne is home to the [[Luzerner Sinfonieorchester]], a category A [[symphonic orchestra]], and to the [[21st Century Symphony|21st Century Symphony Orchestra]], and they both hold most of their performances in the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre.

Another art museum in Lucerne is the [[Rosengart Collection Museum]].

=== Lucerne in art ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180px">
(Barcelona) Lucerne from the Walls, Sample Study - William Turner - Tate Britain.jpg|{{center|''Lucerne from the Walls''<br>[[Joseph Mallord William Turner|William Turner]], [[1841]]<br>[[Tate Britain]]}}
Joseph Mallord William Turner - Lucerne from the Lake - Google Art Project.jpg|{{center|''Lucerne from the Lake''<br>[[Joseph Mallord William Turner|William Turner]], [[1845]]<br>[[Morgan Library and Museum|Morgan Library]], [[New York City]]}}
</gallery>

===Events===
[[File:Luzerner Fasnacht 2009.JPG|thumb|Lucerne Fasnacht]]
Every year, towards the end of winter, ''[[Fasnacht]]'' ([[Carnival]]) breaks out in the streets, alleyways and squares of the old town. This is a glittering outdoor party, where chaos and merriment reign, and nothing is as it normally is. Strange characters in fantastic masks and costumes make their way through the alleyways, while ''Guggenmusiken'' (carnival bands) blow their instruments in joyful cacophony and thousands of bizarrely clad people sing and dance away the winter. {{ill|Lucerne Fasnacht|de|Luzerner Fasnacht}}, based on religious, Catholic backgrounds, starts every year on the Thursday before ''Aschermittwoch'' ([[Ash Wednesday]]) at 5 am with a detonation called ''Urknall'' (Big Bang), the signal to begin the ''Tagwache'' (wake-up procession).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fasnacht in Luzern, Fasnachtskalender |url=https://www.luzern.com/de/highlights/fasnacht-in-luzern |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=City of Lucerne |language=de}}</ref> There are big parades in the afternoon on ''Schmotzige Donnerstag'' (literally: [[Fat Tuesday|Lardy Thursday]])<ref>{{cite news |date=17 February 2013 |title=Woher hat der Schmutzige Donnerstag seinen Namen? |trans-title=Where does "Dirty Thursday" get its name from? |url=http://www.rontaler.ch/20330/woher-hat-der-schmutzige-donnerstag-seinen-namen |access-date=2015-02-07 |newspaper=Regionalzeitung Rontaler AG |language=de}}</ref> and the following Monday, called ''Güdismontag'' (literally: [[Shrove Monday|Paunch Monday]]), which attract tens of thousands of people. Lucerne's Carnival ends with a crowning finish on ''Güdisdienstag'' (literally: [[Fat Tuesday|Paunch Tuesday]]) evening with the ''Monstercorso'', a tremendous parade of ''Guggenmusiken'', lights and lanterns with even a larger audience. Rather recently a fourth Fasnacht day has been introduced on the Saturday between the other Fasnacht days, the ''Rüüdige Samstag'' while mainly several indoor balls take place. From dusk till dawn on the evenings of ''Schmotzige Donnerstag'', ''Güdismontag'', and after the ''Monstercorso'' many bands wander through the historical part of the city playing typical Fasnacht tunes. Until midnight, the historical part of the city usually is packed with people participating. A large part of the audience are also dressed up in costumes, even a majority in the evenings.

The city hosts various renowned festivals throughout the year. The [[Lucerne Festival]] for classical music takes place in the summer. Its orchestra, the [[Lucerne Festival Orchestra]], is hand-picked from some of the finest instrumentalists in the world. In June yearly the pop music festival B-Sides takes place in Lucerne. It focuses on international acts in [[Alternative rock|alternative music]], [[indie rock]], [[experimental rock]] and other [[State of the art|cutting edge]] and [[left field]] artistic musical genres. In July, the [[Blue Balls Festival]] brings jazz, blues and punk music to the lake promenade and halls of the Culture and Convention Center. The [[Lucerne Blues Festival]] is another musical festival which usually takes place in November. Since spring 2004, Lucerne has hosted the [[Festival Rose d'Or]] for television entertainment. And in April, the well-established comics festival ''[[Fumetto]]'' attracts an international audience.

Being the cultural center of a rather rural region, Lucerne regularly holds different [[folklore]] festivals, such as [[Lucerne Cheese Festival]], held annually. In 2004, Lucerne was the focus of [[Schwingen|Swiss Wrestling]] fans when it had hosted the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine festival ({{lang|de|Eidgenössisches Schwing- und Älplerfest}}), which takes place every three years in a different location. A national music festival ({{lang|de|Eidgenössiches Musikfest}}) attracted marching bands from all parts of Switzerland in 2006. In summer 2008, the [[yodelling]] festival ({{lang|de|Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest}}) had a similar impact.

The [[2021 Winter Universiade]] was planned to be hosted by Lucerne, but was cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

==Transport==
[[File:VBL NAW NT und GT Bahnhof Luzern.jpg|thumb|Lucerne bus station ''Luzern Bahnhof'' in front of the railway station]]
[[File:Dampfschiffe in Luzern (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Paddle steamer]]s ''Schiller'', ''Stadt Luzern'' and ''Gallia'' in the harbour of Lucerne]]

After [[Ferdinand von Zeppelin]] landed his [[Zeppelin|airship]] in Lucerne in 1909,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Waldis |first=Alfred |title=Es begann am Gotthard |publisher=Maihof Verlag |year=2002 |isbn=3-95220335-1 |location=Lucerne |pages=52}}</ref> the city became a pioneer for the aeronautical industry in Switzerland. In February 1910 the country's first (and after the [[DELAG]] of Germany the second in the world<ref name=":1">Waldis, Alfred (2002), p. 58</ref>) air transport company was founded,<ref>Waldis, Alfred (2002), p. 53</ref> in July the same year then also the first [[airship hangar]] at Tribschenmoos.<ref>Waldis, Alfred (2002), p. 54–55</ref> The company provided flights with airships until 1914 without notable accidents.<ref name=":1" />

Lucerne boasts a developed and well-run transport network, with the main operator, [[Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern|Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern (VBL)]], running both the [[trolleybuses in Lucerne]] and a [[motor bus]]es network in the city and to neighboring municipalities. Other operators, such as [[PostBus Switzerland|PostAuto Schweiz]] and [[Auto AG Rothenburg]], provide [[bus]] services to other towns and villages.

[[Lucerne railway station]] is one of Switzerland's principal stations, and is well-connected to the rest of Switzerland via [[Rail transport in Switzerland|railway]] services operated by [[Swiss Federal Railways|Swiss Federal Railways (SBB&nbsp;CFF&nbsp;FFS)]], the [[Südostbahn|Südostbahn (SOB)]], the [[BLS AG|BLS]] and the [[Zentralbahn|Zentralbahn (zb)]]. It is served by national and international trains as well as local trains of the [[Lucerne S-Bahn]]. There are 40 trains per day between Lucerne and [[Zurich]], with an average travel time of 48 minutes.<ref name=SBB>{{Cite web |title=SBB timetable |url=https://www.sbb.ch |publisher=SBB CFF FFS |location=Berne, Switzerland}}</ref> [[Zurich Airport]] can be reached in just over an hour.<ref name=SBB/> The [[Voralpen Express]] directly links Lucerne with [[Eastern Switzerland]].

Adjacent to the station is [[Luzern Bahnhofquai]], from which ships of the [[Lake Lucerne Navigation Company]] operate to various destinations on [[Lake Lucerne]]. Between April and mid October, the tourist oriented [[Gotthard Panorama Express]] connects Lucerne with [[Lugano]] once a day by boat and train, travelling by boat along the length of [[Lake Lucerne]] and then by train over the historic high-level Gotthard route.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/panoramareisen/gotthard-panorama-express.html |title=Gotthard Panorama Express |publisher=SBB CFF FFS |location=Berne |date=2019 |access-date=2019-07-15 |archive-date=2019-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714230532/https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/panoramareisen/gotthard-panorama-express.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Three other railway stations are located within the city boundaries, with {{rws|Lucerne Allmend/Messe}} close to the [[Swissporarena]] in the south of the city, {{rws|Luzern Littau}} in the former municipality of [[Littau]] and the {{rws|Luzern Verkehrshaus}} adjacent to the [[Swiss Museum of Transport]] in the east.

Lucerne's city transit system is fully integrated into the coherent and integrated fare network system called [[passepartout (fare network)|passepartout]] encompassing all kind of public transport in the cantons of [[canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]], [[canton of Obwalden|Obwalden]], and [[canton of Nidwalden|Nidwalden]].<ref> https://passepartout.ch/liniennetz-tarifzonen/</ref>

A funicular, [[Gütsch Funicular|Gütschbahn]], links the city to [[Château Gütsch]], 90 m above. [[Standseilbahn Hotel Montana]] runs from the lakefront to [[Hotel Montana (Lucerne)|Hotel Montana]]. From 1912 to 1978, there was [[Dietschibergbahn]] at [[Dietschiberg]].

==Sport==
[[Image:Swissporarena luftaufnahme cropped.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Swissporarena]] is home to [[FC Lucerne]] of the [[Swiss Super League]].]]
There are several [[association football|football]] clubs throughout the city. The most successful one is [[FC Luzern]] which plays in Switzerland's premier league ([[Swiss Super League]]). The club plays its home matches at the new [[Swissporarena]], with a capacity of 16,800.

The city's main [[Ice hockey|hockey]] team is the HC Luzern which plays in the [[Swiss 2. Liga (ice hockey)|Swiss Second League]], the fourth tier of Swiss hockey. They play their home games in the 5,000-seat Eiszentrum Luzern.

In the past, Lucerne also produced national successes in men's [[Team handball|handball]] and women's [[volleyball]] and [[softball]].

Having a long tradition of [[equestrianism|equestrian sports]], Lucerne has co-hosted CSIO Switzerland, an international equestrian [[show jumping]] event, until it left entirely for [[St. Gallen]] in 2006. Since then, the Lucerne Equestrian Masters replaced it. There is also an annual [[horse racing]] event, usually taking place in August.

Lucerne annually hosts the final leg of the [[World Rowing Cup]] on [[Rotsee]], a very silent lake at its northern outskirts. Numerous [[World Rowing Championships]] have been held in Lucerne including the inaugural World Championships of [[1962 World Rowing Championships|1962]] and then the regattas of [[1974 World Rowing Championships|1974]], [[1982 World Rowing Championships|1982]] and [[2001 World Rowing Championships|2001]].

Lucerne hosts the annual [[Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern]] [[track and field]] meeting, which attracts world class athletes such as [[Yohan Blake]] and [[Valerie Adams]].

The city also provides facilities for [[ice-hockey]], [[figure-skating]], [[golf]], [[human swimming|swimming]], [[basketball]], [[Rugby union|rugby]], [[skateboarding]], [[climbing]] and more.

Lucerne hosted [[FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour]] event Lucerne Open 2015 and [[FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships|FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championship]] in 2016.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="130px" heights="100px">
Lucerne's Jesuit Church at Sunset.jpg|[[Jesuit Church, Lucerne|Jesuit Church]]
Löwendenkmal tourists.jpg|Lucerne's [[Lion Monument]] commemorates the Swiss Guards of [[Louis XVI]] who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.
Luzern - Rathausquai.JPG|The crowded Rathausquai
Luzern asv2022-10 Rathaus img1.jpg|Lucerne's town hall has been home to the city's government for centuries.
Hotel Château Gütsch Luzern 20230529 0457.jpg|[[Château Gütsch]]
Lucerne from Pilatus.jpg|View of Lucerne from [[Pilatus (mountain)|Pilatus]]
</gallery>

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of people from Lucerne}}

== See also ==
* [[List of mayors of Lucerne]]
* [[Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre]]

==Notes and references==
===Notes===
{{reflist|group=note}}

===References===
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Switzerland |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Coblenz |year=1863 |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/switzerlandwith00firgoog#page/n118/mode/2up |chapter=Lucerne }}
*{{Citation |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Leipzig |title = Switzerland, Together with Chamonix and the Italian Lakes |edition=26th |date = 1922 |oclc = 4248970 |chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/switzerlandtoget00karl#page/94/mode/2up |chapter= Lucerne |ol = 23344482M }}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Lucerne (town) |volume= 17 |last= Coolidge |first= William Augustus Brevoort |author-link= W. A. B. Coolidge| page = 97 |short= 1}}
* André Meyer: ''The Jesuit church of Lucerne'', Berne 1985 (= Schweizerische Kunstführer, ser. 32, Nr. 314).
* Laura Stokes: ''Demons of urban reform. Early European witch trials and criminal justice, 1430–1530''. Basingstoke 2011. {{ISBN|978-1-4039-8683-2}}.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{Official website|http://www.luzern.ch|City of Lucerne official website}}

{{Municipalities of the district of Lucerne}}
{{Cantons of Switzerland}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lucerne| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Cantonal capitals of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne (capital)]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the canton of Lucerne]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1st millennium]]
[[Category:Lakeside resorts in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Free imperial cities]]
[[Category:Populated places on Lake Lucerne]]
[[Category:1330s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:1332 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:14th-century establishments in the Old Swiss Confederacy]]