Lucerne

=Lucerne=

==This city is one of Europe's most heavily touristed towns. Why? Well, Lucerne is a town in the heart of Switzerland that has a population of 57,890, making it the most populated city in Central Switzerland, to start with. However, it is Lucerne's beautiful sights that make it such a popular place to visit. The city is on the shore of Lake Lucerne, and has a great view of the Alps, as shown below. == ==Since the city is surrounded by water, it has a lot of bridges, with the Chapel Bridge being the most visited. Overlooking the Reuss River, it stretches 670 feet and is the city's most famous landmark. Not only is the bridge great to view on the outside, but the inside is worthwhile to see as well. The inner walls are decorated with 17th century paintings that show important events from the town's history. Another great sight is the Lion Monument, which commemorates the Swiss Guards that died during the French Revolution. It was carved by Bertel Thorvaldsen and alone attracts thousands of tourists each year. So, Lucerne is full of amazing places to see and I can't wait to go there! -Rachel Kamenir==


 * The Swiss city of Lucerne sits at the base of the northern Alps. The Reuss and Kleine Emme River run through the city. The transportation system is extremely efficient. Mountain railways connect passengers to boats on the river. Tourism is the main source of income for the Swiss city. Main attractions include casinos, beaches, regattas, horse-racing competitions, and their international music festival which is held once a year.Lucerne’s climate is usually mild though can be very wet. Be prepared in case of rain.

Sports: Soccer is Lucerne's most popular sport. Their successful home team, FC Luzern, plays in Allmend Stadium. A new, updated, and more complex stadium is under construction and is expected to be finished by the end of this year. Players of men's handball and women's volleyball in Lucerne have reached success within Switzerland. Other popular sports include: horse racing, ice-hockey, figure-skating, rugby, and more.

Sister Cities of Lucerne:**
 * Chicago, IL, USA
 * Bournemouth, UK
 * Cieszyn, Poland
 * Guebwiller, France
 * Olomouc, Czech Republic
 * Potsdam, Germany

-Christine Gregory

Historical Background: In 1178 Lucerne acquired its independence from the jurisdiction of Murbach Abbey. The city gained importance as a strategically located gateway for the growing commerce from the Gotthard trade route. By 1290 Lucerne became a good-sized, self-sufficient city with about 3000 inhabitants. About this time King Rudolph I von Habsburg gained authority over the Monastery of St. Leodegar and its lands, including Lucerne. The populace did not appreciate the increasing Habsburg influence, and Lucerne allied with neighboring towns to seek independence from Habsburg rule. In 1415 Lucerne gained Reichsfreiheit from 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 around 1350 and several wars. As the confederacy broke up during Reformation after 1520, most cities became Protestant but Lucerne remained Catholic. When the French army marched into Switzerland in 1798, The old 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 countrywide rate at that time. 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. Reasons to Visit: Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne, within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, Lucerne is traditionally considered first and foremost as a tourist destination. Constructed in 1408, it is the oldest covered bridge in Europe and features a series of medieval-style 17th Century plague paintings by Kaspar Meglinger titled Dance of Death. Meglinger's paintings portray various conditions of men and women, priests and warriors, princes and men of learning, the young bride, the devout nun, the lawmaker, the hunter, the miller, even the artist himself, are all depicted at the mercy of Death, with his mocking smile and his ever-changing garb. These paintings, suitable for a Benedictine abbey, are seen by every inhabitant of beautiful Lucerne who crosses the river via the //Spreuerbrücke//. It has a small chapel in the middle that was added in 1568. TEMPERATURE WILL BE AROUND 63 DEGREES WHILE WE ARE THERE

Food: What are basic food items in Switzerland? A huge selection of bread (white, whole wheat etc.), dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter and - of course - a great variety of the world famous Swiss cheese. Also important are vegetables including beans, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach etc. Sausages and meat - mainly veal, beef, pork, chicken or turkey - are served in many different ways: grilled, cooked, sliced or cut. Side dishes include French fries, rice, potatoes and different types of pasta. Fruits are available from all over the world, locally grown fruits include apples, pears, grapes and different types of berries, such as black berries, blueberries, raspberries, red currants and strawberries. Finally, there are a lot of sweets, including the second type of food that Switzerland is world famous for: Swiss chocolate. What do people eat? In Switzerland, breakfast typically includes bread, butter or margarine, marmalade or honey, maybe some cheese or cereals, plus milk, cold or hot chocolate, tea or coffee. Lunch may be as simple as a sandwich or a birchermüesli or it could be a complete meal. Depending on what people had for lunch, dinner can be a full main course or just some bread, cheese, maybe some dried meat or any other light meal. Drinks range from plain water, over different types of soft drinks including most internationally well known brands plus some local products, to a great variety of beers and wines. Hot drinks include many different flavors of tea and coffee.

How expensive is the food? Food is quite expensive in Switzerland, at least compared to most European countries and especially compared to the U.S. If you go to a fast food place, you may easily spend up to CHF 10 for a burger, a soft drink and a coffee. In a family restaurant, a menu will cost somewhere between CHF 15 and 50, self service restaurants are somewhat less expensive. Population Statistics:

Ethnic divisions:

 * **Total population:**
 * German 65%
 * French 18%
 * Italian 10%
 * Romansh 1%
 * other 6%
 * **Swiss nationals only:**
 * German 74%
 * French 20%
 * Italian 4%
 * Romansh 1%

Religions:

 * Roman Catholic 47.6%
 * Protestant 44.3%
 * other 8.1%

Languages:
Even though Switzerland is a small country, its people do speak no less than four different languages. Everything from the list of the ingredients on the package of the groceries to the manual of the most complicated TV set has to be printed in three different languages (German, French and Italian). The so called "German speaking" Swiss don't speak the same German as the Germans or the Austrians do, but what is known as "Swiss-German". To make it even worse, each state has its own dialect, but there is no written "Swiss-German" at all! Fortunately, the Germans, the Austrians and the Swiss-Germans use the same written German language which in turn is close to the so called "High German", a "quasi-standard" of the German languages. -Elisha Gutmann
 * **Total population:**
 * German 65%
 * French 18%
 * Italian 12%
 * Romansh 1%
 * other 4%
 * **Swiss nationals only:**
 * German 74%
 * French 20%
 * Italian 4%
 * Romansh 1%
 * other 1%