The Martini Plan of Lucerne: A Renaissance Masterpiece

The city of Lucerne has several beautiful medieval maps, but one of the most fascinating is the Martini Plan of Lucerne, created in 1597. It is considered one of the finest copper engravings of its time.

What makes the Martini Plan so charming is that geometric accuracy was not Martini’s priority. Instead, he adjusted reality in order to present the city in the most pleasing way. Some details are hidden, others enlarged. The houses appear slightly smaller, while the streets and squares are shown a little wider — inviting the viewer to wander through them with their eyes.

And then Martini brings the city to life. He populates the map with people: ladies in elegant hats strolling through the streets, and men with staffs crossing the market squares. The city is not just drawn — it is inhabited.

You can explore the Martini Plan on Wikimedia Commons:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martiniplan_Luzern.jp

Another fascinating old map of Lucerne is the Schumacher Plan of 1790.

Map key on the Martiniplan

1. Gütsch
2. Gütsch Tower
3. Senti Gate, St. Antonius Church
4. Pfründer Hospital and lower Languish House
5. Municipal Wood House
6. Municipal Hospital St. Jakob
7. Crossbow and Shooting Club House und Kuzweil Square
8. St. Anna Hospital
9. Riflemen Club
10. Basler Gate, Custom House, Oat Tower
11. Municipal Smith House
12. Jew Tower, Grain Store
13. Arsenal
14. Pfistergasse
15. Bruchgasse
16. Bruchtor, Gasse um den Burggraben (heute Hirschengraben)
17. Kesselturm
18. Ketzerturm (
19. Obergrundstrasse
20. Krienser Gate
21. Inn zum Schlüssel
22. Bartüssergasse und Platz
23. Barefooter (Franciscan) Abbey and Church
24. Schmiedgasse
25. Burger Gate, Krienbach (Creek) und Brüggli
26. Münzgasse (Mint Lane)
27. Heiliggeistspital und Kirche (Holy Ghose Hospital and Church)
28. Jesuitenkirche und Kollegium (Jesuit Church and Convent)
29. Jesuitengymnasium, Gasse und Platz (Jesuit Gymnasium)
30. Kropfgasse und Tor
31. Frauenturm (Women Tower)
32. Freienhof
33. Kapellbrücke mit Wasserturm (Chapel Bridge with Water Tower)
34. St. Peterskapelle (St. Peters Chapel)
35. Zurgilgenhaus und Turm (Zurgilgen House and Tower)
36. Wyghaus des Klosters Engelberg
37. Herberge der römischen Kaiser und der österreichischen Fürsten
38. Rat- und Richthaus, darunter Korn-, Kaufhaus und Ankenmarkt
39. Eggstiege
40. Haus der Gesellschaft zu Pfistern, darunter Obstmarkt
41. Haus der Gesellschaft zu Schneidern
42. Markt an der Fischerstatt
43. Haus der Gesellschaft zu Schützen und zu Fritschi, darunter Metzg
44. Reussbrücke und Reussgässli
45. Kramgasse mit der Apotheke (Kramgasse and Pharmacy / Pillory)
46. Fisch- oder Weinmarkt
47. Kornmarkt
48. Furrengasse
49. Kapellgasse und Platz
50. Sust und Kornhaus
51. Hoftor, Aufgang zur Hofbrücke
52. Vordere Ledergasse und Ledertor (heute Gerbergasse)
53. Hintere Ledergasse und Ledertor
54. Rosengartenturm
55. Gasse unter den Bäumen, Schwesternhaus (heute Sternenplatz)
56. Weggistor, lnneres Weggistor oder schwarzer Turm
57. Grabengasse
58. Graggentor
59. Neuer Platz
60. Alter Rossmarkt
61. Mühlenplatz
62. Mühlentor
63. Harnischer- und Poliererhaus
64. Spreuerbrücke mit Mühlen und Schleife
65. Roter Turm mit Lindentor (heute Nölliturm)
66. Männliturm
67. Luegisland
68. Wacht- oder Heuturm
69. Zeitturm
70, Schirmertor
71. Pulverturm
72. Allenwindenturm
73. Dächliturm
74. Ausseres Weggistor
75. Weggisgasse (heute Hertensteinstrasse)
76. Löwengraben
77. Cysathaus und Kapelle
78. Mariahilfgasse
79. Seegraben
80. Hoftor in der Vorstadt
81. Stift St. Leodegar und Mauritius
82. Propstei
83. Leutpriesterei
84. Hofschule
85. St. Leonhardskapelle und Beinhaus
86. Tor zum Kirchhof
87. Predigerstatt, Platz unter den Linden
88. Hofgasse in der Vorstadt
89. St. Antonius Kapelle
90. Heiliges Kreuz
91. Kapuzinerkloster
92. Dietschiberg
93. Road to Einsiedeln
94. Jesuiter-Baumgarten
95. Municipal Boat House

.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Lucerne in Pictures: The Gates to the Hof Bridge and the Boat Landing - Xaver Schwegler

By Ralf Fioretti • January 6, 2026

The painting “The Gates to the Hof Bridge and the Boat Landing” by Xaver Schwegler (1832–1902) shows the view from the lower Kapellplatz toward the lake, the way this place looked around 1834 . Schwegler painted the picture around 1900 , using a drawing by his father Jakob Schwegler , who had seen the scene himself. On the right side of the painting is the Zur Gilgen House . Next to it is part of the old city wall with two gateways : The left gateway , with a pointed arch, leads to the Hof Bridge . The right gateway , with a round arch, leads to the boat landing . Through this round arch you can see Mount Rigi in the background.

The House "Zur Gilgen" and its Gothic Round Tower

By Ralf Fioretti • January 6, 2026

When you stand at Schwanenplatz in Lucerne, you will notice a special building right away: the house “Zur Gilgen” with its gothic round tower. It stands at Kapellplatz 1 , between the River Reuss and Schwanenplatz — right in the heart of the old town. A medieval tower becomes a stone house Long ago, a wooden defence tower stood here as part of Lucerne’s city walls. After it burned down around 1500, Melchior zur Gilgen built today’s stone house and tower between 1507 and 1510. It is the oldest surviving stone house in Lucerne . Melchior Zur Gilgen was a soldier, military leader, and diplomat. He died of malaria in 1519 on his way home from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was buried on Rhodes.

Lucerne in Pictures: The Nölliturm — Joseph Clemens Kaufmann, 1901

By Ralf Fioretti • January 5, 2026

This painting is by Joseph Clemens Kaufmann and is dated 1901 ( oil on canvas, 58 × 76 cm ). The artist was probably standing on the Spreuer Bridge when he painted this beautiful scene. It shows the right bank of the River Reuss below the bridge around 1890 . At the centre of the painting stands the Nölliturm , built between 1516 and 1519 , marking the lower end of the Musegg Wall . Because of its bright red tiled roof, it was once called the “Red Tower.” The painting shows a time when the riverside was still quiet, natural, and free from traffic – the St. Karli Quay and the Geissmatt Bridge did not yet exist. The river lies calm in the warm sunlight, the houses reflect in the clear water, and gardens and old trees rise up on the hillside. The whole scene feels peaceful and timeless , as if everyday life had paused for a moment.

The Little Earth Man gives Magdalena a cheese and some healing herbs.

The Little Earth Man on the Kastelen Alp

By Ralf Fioretti • January 3, 2026

Long ago, on Mount Pilatus , there lived little mountain men . They lived inside the whole mountain , from the top down to Hergiswil and the Eigental. They could suddenly come out of caves and disappear again very fast. They were very small and wore green clothes and red hats . Their feet looked like goose feet . They had long white hair and beards down to the ground . They looked after animals and fish and helped the farmers . But if someone was unkind to them, they took revenge very quickly . On the Kastelen Alp , there once lived a rich farmer named Klaus . One day, Magdalena came to him. Her mother was poor and sick . Magdalena asked Klaus for help. But Klaus only laughed at her . So Magdalena walked sadly down the mountain. On the way, she met a farm boy from the Bründlen Alp . He saw how sad she was. So he gave her his only small cheese .

The Little Earth-Woman and the poor Widow

The Earth Fairy and the Poor Widow

By Ralf Fioretti • January 3, 2026

In the valley of the Hilfern , on the western slope of the Schratten near Marbach , there lived a poor widow in a very small and crooked little house. Often she did not know how she could feed herself and her children. She owned only one cow , and in the attic there was just a small, thin pile of hay.

© Lucerne Tourism / Ivo Scholz | Switzerland Tourism

The Pilatus Legend – or How the Mountain Got Its Name

By Ralf Fioretti • December 4, 2025

Mount Pilatus strongly stimulated the imagination of the people in Switzerland early on. This was because it seemingly rose gently from the flatlands, but then suddenly jutted steeply upwards in massive rock formations. The ancients called it "Fractus mons" (broken mountain) or Frakmont . They considered it nothing more than a split and broken-up mighty hill. Since the people of antiquity could not explain the elemental forces that once split the mountain, they saw in them the work of evil powers. Because fire, water, storms, and lightning had always terrified the residents, they believed that these forces were causing mischief on the mountain. In the ignorance of the Middle Ages, one thing was clear: spirits lived there. In the stories, one heard of dragons, ghosts, spirits, hobgoblins (Herdmännlein), and mischievous dwarves (Toggelis); even the Türst and the Sträggele caused trouble there.

The Theft of the State Treasury

By Ralf Fioretti • November 15, 2025

Lucerne, 1758. The Golden Time of the Republic was coming to its autumn. Wars and bad harvests in Europe meant that the soldier contracts, which the city lived from, were paid slowly. This made the state treasury, the heart of the Lucerne Republic, even more important. It was stored in the safest place you could think of: in the upper room of the Water Tower. The Reuss river flowed around it, and you could only reach it over the Chapel Bridge or by boat.

The war horn in the Historical Museum Lucerne, Photo: 12Nov25.

The Legend of the Lucerne War Horns

By Ralf Fioretti • November 14, 2025

A painting on the Chapel Bridge (panel Nr. 25) once showed a famous Lucerne legend: The Emperor Charlemagne giving special "Harsthörner" (war horns) to warriors from Lucerne to honor them. (Please note: This original painting was unfortunately destroyed in the 1993 Chapel Bridge fire and is no longer on the bridge.) The legend says that in 778, warriors from Lucerne joined Charlemagne’s army in Spain. They bravely saved his nephew, Roland, in a battle. As a "thank you" for their loyalty and courage, the emperor gave them the special war horns, a great privilege.

Riese von Reiden Johann Leopold Cysat Vier Wald Staettersee 1661

The Giant of Reiden

By Ralf Fioretti • November 9, 2025

A famous painting on Lucerne's Chapel Bridge (Panel No. 1) shows an old city legend. It pictures a giant man with a tree trunk standing next to a normal-sized man.

Lucerne Schilling, 1513, Folio 210r (P.425). A servant in Bellinzona, who wanted
to betray the city

The Executioner's Code

By Ralf Fioretti • November 8, 2025

Just like any good craftsman, the executioner tried to do a "clean" job. When it came to torture, he was only allowed to go as far as it was useful—he wasn't supposed to kill them. The executioner had to be extremely careful that the tortured prisoners didn't die, so they could still be brought to their "real" punishment.