A fost închisoare, arhivă și cameră de tortură. Turnul din mijlocul celui mai vechi pod de lemn din Europa

Kapellbrücke, the wooden covered bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland, spans the Reuss River for nearly seven centuries. Built in the 14th century as part of the city’s fortifications, it is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe and one of the country’s most photographed landmarks. The bridge connects the south side of the city, beginning at the Teatrul in Lucerne, to St. Peter’s Chapel on Rathausquai, crossing the river diagonally over a distance of about 200 metres. Adjacent to the bridge stands the Wasserturm, a 34‑metre‑high octagonal stone tower that predates the bridge. Historically the tower served as a watchtower, prison, torture chamber, treasury, and city archive; today it is a nesting site for alpine choughs each spring. Inside the bridge’s roof are 17th‑century wooden panels depicting scenes from Lucerne’s history and Switzerland, including episodes from the lives of the city’s patron saints, Leodegar and Maurice. On 18 August 1993 a fire destroyed most of the bridge. Investigations suggested the blaze began when a cigarette was discarded onto a boat beneath the bridge, igniting the wooden beams. Only the bridge’s ends and the tower survived. The incident attracted worldwide attention. Lucerne rebuilt the damaged section in eight months, and the bridge reopened on 14 April 1994. Prior to the fire, 147 paintings adorned the bridge. The fire destroyed 110 of them, and about two‑thirds of the remaining works were severely damaged. Only 30 paintings were fully restored.

Article source: Mediafax | Image credit: Mediafax