ViaJacobi
Overview
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Distance 19 km
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Duration 5 h 10 min
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Ascent 520 m
Intro
With its cycle of paintings, the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) in Luzern campaigned for Catholicism and pious moral conduct. A shady riverside path along the Emmen takes you to Werthenstein Monastery, majestic on a cliff just outside the village.
Detour / Closure
There are detours or closures along this route, for more information see https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/route-4/stage-25
Description
The tomb of the Apostle James in Santiago de Compostela became the third main Christian pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages, alongside Rome and Jerusalem. The Way of St. James is actually a collective term for all pilgrimage routes to the burial site in Spain. The classic, however, is the almost 800-kilometre-long Camino Francés from Saint Jean to Santiago. In Switzerland, it runs from Lake Constance to Geneva.
Stage 25 starts in Lucerne. With the development of the Gotthard in the 12th century, the significance of the then small fishing town increased. Thanks to its ideal location between north and south, Lucerne became an important transshipment point for goods and therefore developed just as quickly as Zurich, Geneva and Constance.
The hiking trail leads past the famous Chapel Bridge and branches off into the Gütschwald forest. Down below at attractive Sonnenberg, you continue hiking through the forest of the same name. After around two and a half hours, you reach the banks of the Emme. Along the Kleine Emme, you pass the Malters residential area. You cannot help but notice the steel beams that stand out in the middle of the landscape. This is a form of driftwood retention, as this poses a major problem during floods. In 2005, there was a massive flood here. Shortly afterwards, you find yourself at the hydroelectric power plant in Ettisbühl. It supplies electricity for almost 1,000 households.
Further along the Emme and past the Schachen industrial area, you can soon see the Werthenstein monastery in the distance, which stands majestically on a rock. An hour later, you are standing in front of the building with its eventful history, which dates back to the 16th century. Back then, a gold panner is said to have met an angel here. Word spread quickly and the first chapel was built in 1520. As the flow of visitors steadily increased, the Lucerne council decided in 1607 to build a church and monastery.
You cross the small Emme via the old wooden bridge to the destination for this stage in Werthenstein. The river, which is only 36 kilometres long, occasionally shows its wild, destructive side during strong thunderstorms.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Luzern
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Werthenstein
|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Ascent |
520 m
|
| Descent |
400 m
|
| Distance |
19 km
|
| Duration |
5 h 10 min
|
| Duration back |
5 h
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
All year
|
| Theme |
Along Water
|
| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
