Luzern: Kapellbrucke
Live Cam

The Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge, is the image most people carry away from Lucerne: a covered wooden footbridge angling across the River Reuss, with the stone Water Tower standing beside it in the current. This live camera keeps a steady eye on that scene, from the flower boxes along the railings to the swans drifting under the timbers below.

Why Lucerne? Lucerne sits where the Reuss leaves Lake Lucerne, hemmed in by mountains and by a compact old town of painted facades. The Kapellbrücke is its centrepiece, one of Europe's best known wooden bridges, rebuilt after fire damage in the 1990s. Watching it live means catching the water, the light and the constant flow of walkers crossing between the two riverbanks.

Kapellbrücke highlights: As you enjoy the live view, be sure to look out for:

• The Water Tower: The octagonal stone tower set into the river beside the bridge is the most photographed detail in the city, and it anchors every frame.
• Swans And Gulls: Swans and gulls work the Reuss around the bridge piers all day, drifting with the current and gathering wherever people stop to watch.
• Evening Lighting: After dark the bridge and tower are lit, and their reflections stretch across the moving water toward the old town quays.

Beyond the Bridge: Both banks reward a wander. The old town side holds frescoed houses, squares and the remains of the Musegg wall with its towers, while downstream the Spreuerbrücke offers a second, quieter covered crossing. Lake steamers leave from the quays, and Pilatus and Rigi rise within easy reach of the city.

Thanks to the camera operator who keeps this view of the Kapellbrücke online and freely available. Maintaining a steady stream over a busy river scene takes real effort, and it lets people far from Switzerland watch one of the country's most loved landmarks whenever they like.

Tune in to see the Chapel Bridge as Lucerne does every day, with the Reuss running beneath it and the Water Tower holding its ground in the stream.