Kapellbrücke covered wooden Chapel Bridge on river Reuss at sunset, Lucerne, Switzerland

Bridge at blue hour

The Kapellbrücke is the most enduring symbol of Lucerne, central Switzerland’s biggest city. Spanning the river Reuss at the point where it flows from Lake Lucerne, it’s Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge, dating back to 1395. It’s also the world’s oldest surviving example of a truss bridge, an efficient design stabilized by support beams arranged in sturdy triangular shapes – now seen worldwide on bridges of all sizes and materials. The Kapellbrücke’s interior is also notable, its rafters lined with triangular paintings that depict local history. Unfortunately, most of the original 158 paintings burned in a 1993 fire, but around 30 were saved and restored.