Church of St. Leodegar

What is this place

The Hofkirche St. Leodegar is Lucerne’s parish and collegiate church on a hill above the lakeside. Built 1633–1639 on the site of earlier churches dating back to the 8th century, it is regarded as Switzerland’s most important Renaissance church.

Key features

• Twin medieval towers ~69 m survived the 1633 fire and define the façade – a rare blend of Gothic towers with a Renaissance body.
• High altar of black Unterwalden marble highlights the bright, white-stone interior.
• Major organ complex: core built 1640–1648; today ~111 stops / ~7,500 pipes after 19th–20th-century enlargements.
• Cloister-like Hoffriedhof arcades 1639–1640 surround the church – a pantheon of Lucerne patricians.
• One of few large churches erected north of the Alps during the Thirty Years’ War – a key work of the German late Renaissance.

What to see

• The twin-tower façade with its grand stair and terrace overlooking the lake and rooftops.
• The bright interior with gilded altars, carved seating, the black high altar and the historic organ fronts.
• The Hoffriedhof burial arcades with heraldic slabs and small chapels.

History

A monastery church stood here from the 8th century; a Romanesque and later Gothic basilica followed. On Easter evening 1633 a fire destroyed the church, sparing the towers and some treasures.

The present building rose swiftly 1633–1639, a standout of Swiss Renaissance sacred architecture in the Counter-Reformation era. Burial arcades were added 1639–1640; organs and altars enriched the interior over later centuries.

In the 19th–20th centuries the organ saw major rebuilds and the complex underwent restorations. Today the church, treasury and cemetery form a nationally protected ensemble and a noted concert venue.

Practical information

Location: St.-Leodegar-Strasse 6, 6006 Lucerne – on a hill east of the Old Town.

Getting there: 12–15 minutes on foot from Luzern Bahnhof via Seebrücke and Löwenstrasse; buses 1, 19, 22 to Löwenplatz, then 3–5 minutes’ walk.

Access: Active parish; free entry. Main stair is steep and there is no lift; quieter access via side passages as signed.

Visiting hours: Daily in daylight hours; access to parts of the church may be restricted during services.

Visit duration: 20–40 minutes; up to 1 hour with the arcades and an organ rehearsal.

Best time: Weekday mornings or golden hour for the façade and terrace; organ concerts follow parish and festival listings.

Notes: Keep quiet and dress respectfully; no-flash photography is generally allowed – follow on-site signage.