The Chapel Bridge rebuilt after the fire is 30 years old
Published: Sunday, Apr 14th 2024, 04:40
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The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, rebuilt after the fire, was inaugurated 30 years ago. On April 14, 1994, the tourist city celebrated with a grand spectacle.
Eight months earlier, on the night of August 18, 1993, the 200-metre-long, wooden, covered pedestrian bridge over the Reuss, adorned with picture panels, had gone up in flames and burned to the ground. The fire on the 650-year-old structure made headlines around the world.
The Chapel Bridge with the water tower is a symbol of identity for Lucerne, and the ensemble has a priceless recognition value for tourism. On the day of the fire, the city decided to rebuild the landmark.
To rebuild the bridge, 160 cubic meters of wood were used and 29,000 bricks were replaced. The reconstruction cost a total of 3.4 million francs.
Celebration with 15,000 people
On April 14, 1994, 15,000 people, including Federal Councillor Flavio Cotti and 200 media representatives from all over the world, watched the opening spectacle. The event was broadcast live on television.
With a big bang, the white cladding fell from the structure, which was blessed with the ringing of bells and an airplane raining flowers down on it. The bridge looked unusual at the time with its new light-colored wood. This is no longer the case today.
However, traces of the fire are still visible. It destroyed the majority of the 111 triangular paintings, which date back to the 17th century and are hung in the gables of the roof.
Because the bridge had been shortened in the 19th century, there were still paintings in storage that could be used to replace some of the destroyed paintings. However, some of the gables remained empty or were fitted with fire-damaged paintings.
Visible history
The city wanted to make the history of the bridge visible, in line with the preservation of historical monuments. Not everyone was happy about this. A lawyer had copies of the destroyed images made, a popular initiative was launched - but the gaps remained.
This is likely to remain the case. The city is not seeking to change the current hanging regulations, the city architect said when asked.
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