Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares
On Gingerguide's self-guided Lucerne audio tour, Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Lucerne Lucerne guide
About Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares
A knot of old-town squares where every townhouse facade is painted top to bottom, gathered around an ornate fountain in the former wine market of Lucerne.
The Weinmarkt is one of a chain of connected squares in Lucerne's old town, alongside the Hirschenplatz and the Kornmarkt, ringed by late-medieval and Renaissance townhouses whose facades are covered in painted frescoes of guilds, trades, saints and historical scenes. At its centre stands an ornate Gothic fountain; the figures now on display are copies, the fragile originals having been moved indoors for safekeeping. One facade depicts the marriage at Cana, a nod to the square's old role as the city's wine market.
The neighbouring Hirschenplatz takes its name from a former inn, Zum Hirschen, whose gilded stag sign survives, while the Kornmarkt was the medieval grain market, where a trading hall built around 1370 later became the town hall. Lucerne is known for its historic fountains, many still fed by spring water, and these frescoed squares remain among the most atmospheric corners of the old town.
Did you know? One frescoed facade on the Weinmarkt shows the wedding at Cana, where water became wine, a fitting picture for a square that once served as the city's wine market.
How much time do you need at Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares?
Around ~30 min works well for Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares?
Yes — Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares made the cut as one of 15 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Lucerne. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Lucerne
Day 1 of the Lucerne in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Weinmarkt and the Old Town Squares
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