Château Gütsch

The Château Gütsch is a castle-style hotel on the Gütsch hill above the western part of the Old Town of Lucerne, Switzerland, at Kanonenstrasse 1. It was built in 1888 during the boom in Alpine tourism, when entrepreneurs in Lucerne commissioned grand buildings to impress foreign guests. Its design was modelled on Bavarian royal castles, such as those associated with King Ludwig II, and it combines turrets, a tall central tower, steep roofs and decorative masonry in a historicist fairy-tale manner. The hill takes its name from the Gütsch, a high point that was once used for fortifications and the position of cannon, hence the street name. The hotel was conceived as a destination with sweeping views over the city, the lake and the Alps, and visitors originally reached it on foot or by carriage. In the early 20th century a funicular, the Gütschbahn, was built to link the hill with the lower town, and it remains in operation today, with a short ride up the slope. The building passed through several owners and phases of use, and suffered a fire in 2000 that damaged part of the structure; it has since been restored and updated as a luxury hotel. The castle is a private property, so there is no public tour, but visitors can see the exterior and the grounds, and the terrace and restaurant offer views to those who dine or stay. The ride on the Gütschbahn is part of the experience, as is the walk from the hilltop through the surrounding park. The castle is a visible landmark from the lake and the city.