Page 207 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Must See
the holes and the fascinating
Mirror Maze of more than 90 PICTURE PERFECT
mirrors in the royal style of Fancy Frescoes a regular visitor to Lucerne.
Granada’s Alhambra fortress. Each building lining the It was here that he wrote the
Weinmarkt is uniquely third act of his opera Tristan
and intricately painted. und Isolde. Two complete
t Pay attention to the operas, Die Meistersinger von
details of these beau­
Nürnberg and Siegfried, date
Weinmarkt tiful frescoes that often from this period, and Wagner
Lined with historic houses, tell a story and be sure also started work here
this square is one of the most to take a snapshot of on Götterdämmerung.
attractive features of the Old the square. The tranquil Villa Tribschen,
Town. In the centre stands the where Wagner and his wife
Weinmarktbrunnen, a Gothic and son lived from 1866 to
fountain which is a close copy 1872, is devoted to this par­
of the original that now stands y "- ticularly happy period. Its
in the quiet courtyard of the Richard Wagner rooms, with original furniture,
Ritterscher Palast, on pretty Museum are filled with memorabilia of
Bahnhofstrasse. The houses ⌂ Richard-Wagner-Weg 27 the composer’s life, including
around both this square and #Apr–Nov: 10am–5pm paintings, letters and musical
the adjacent Hirschenplatz Tue–Sun ∑ richard- instruments. Overlooking the
have painted façades, ornate wagner-museum.ch lake, the museum’s setting is
doorways and oriel windows. very tranquil and there is also
Many of these buildings were The German Romantic a little café outside in the
once guild houses, and Passion composer Richard Wagner was summer months.
Plays enacting Christ’s last
days were performed in this
iconic location in the late
Middle Ages. These plays grew
famous across Europe.

The brightly coloured
frescoes decorating
Weinmarkt's buildings

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