Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee): The "Lake of the Four Forest Cantons"

Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee): The "Lake of the Four Forest Cantons"

Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee)

Lake Lucerne (German: Vierwaldstättersee, lit. "Lake of the Four Forest Cantons") is a lake in central Switzerland, the fourth largest in the country.

The lake is a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² (44 sq mi), an elevation of 434 m (1,424 ft), and a maximum depth of 214 m (702 ft). 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 Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus.

It borders on the three original Swiss cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden (which today is divided into the Cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden), as well as the canton of Lucerne, thus the name. Many of the oldest communities of Switzerland are along the shore, including Küssnacht, Weggis, Vitznau, Gersau, Brunnen, Altdorf, Buochs, and Treib. In addition, the meadow of the Rütli, traditional site of the founding of the Swiss Confederation, is on the southeast shore of the lake.

Lake Lucerne at Weggis

The Reuss River enters the lake at Flüelen (in the canton of Uri, the part called Urnersee) and exits at Lucerne. The lake also receives the Muota (at Brunnen) Engelberger Aa (at Buochs), the Sarner Aa (at Stansstad).

It is possible to circumnavigate the lake by road, though the route is slow, twisted, and goes through tunnels part of the way. Dozens of steamers ply between the different towns on the lake. It is a popular tourist destination, both for native Swiss and foreigners, and there are many hotels and resorts along the shores.

The level of the lake is maintained by a pioneering needle dam in the Reuss River in Lucerne, just upstream from the Spreuerbrücke.

The lake's surface is the lowest point of the cantons of Uri, Obwalden and Nidwalden.

Mount Titlis: The Peak of Glacier

Mount Titlis: The Peak of Glacier

Titlis

The Titlis (3,238 m) is a mountain in the Urner Alps of Switzerland. It is located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden and Berne in Switzerland, overlooking Engelberg (Obwalden) and is famous as the site of the world's first revolving cable car. The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis (3,028 m) through the three stages of GerschnialpTrübsee (1,796 m) and Stand (2,428 m). (1,262 m),

The last part of cable car way leads above the glacier. In Klein Titlis, it is possible to visit a glacier cave.

Titlis Peak of Glacier

The peak of the glacier near Lucerne offers a special sensation: when taking the aerial cable-car to the top, the gondolas start revolving on the 600-meter-long segment beginning in Stand and ending at the mountain station Klein Titlis located at 3,020 meters above sea level.

Titlis Rotating Cable Car

The installation of this daring project was just another technical pioneering feat in Engelberg. In 1927, the first aerial cableway in the Alps started operating. Then in 1959, Engelberg was the first town to install parallel cable-cars, and in 1989 the first revolving cable-car. the Titlis-Rotair, was approved. During the five-minute ride, the gondolas turn 360° around their axis, giving all passengers the opportunity to marvel at the panorama of the Engelberg Valley, the deep abbysses and the crevasses of the Titlis Glacier. The summit tour on the "Ice Flyer" glacier chairlift offers breathtaking views of the crevasses on the glacier at the top of the Titlis. This is followed by a visit to the glacier grotto and finally fun in the summer snow with all kinds of equipment for sliding on.

Rigi Mountain: The "Queen of the Mountains"

Rigi Mountain: The "Queen of the Mountains"

Rigi at the Vierwaldstädtteresee.

Rigi is a mountain in central Switzerland and part of the Swiss Alps. It's also known as the "Queen of the Mountains."

The mountain is easily accessible by public transportation. It offers many winter and summer excursions such as skiing or sledding. Hiking there is also a favorite. It can be reached from Goldau and Vitznau by the Rigi-Bahnen, a rack railway, and from Weggis by cable car.

The Rigi has been further made famous through paintings by JMW Turner, including "The Blue Rigi, Lake of Lucerne, Sunrise".

Rigi behind Lake Lauerz.

The Rigi is a quite well-known 1800m mountain in the pre-Alps, occupying a spectacular location above the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Lucerne) and offering on a clear day splendid views south to the Alps as well as north back to the area around Zurich. The Rigi featured in a book by Mark Twain and in a number of paintings by J.M.W. Turner. The Rigi, while not the highest, is one of the best known mountains in Switzerland and is named "Queen of the mountains". Its proximity to Zurich and Lucerne make it a magnet for tourists visiting the area.

Rigi consists of many peaks. Vitznauerstock V (also called Gersauerstock), Kulm K, Hochfluh H.

One may choose to hike to the top or climb or combine hiking with a climb up one of the several rock routes in the 4+ to 6 range.

Swiss Railways offer a special round-trip excursion, the “Rigi-Rundfahrt”, covering multiple segments by train, cog-railway, gondola (optional) and lake steamer.

If you had a toy cablecar as a kid, chances are it was a Rigi Seilbahn replica manufactured nearby.