Luegislandturm (Look Toward the Land Tower), Lucerne

Luegisland is the tallest tower along the Musegg Wall. Its narrow stone structure rises to 52.6 meters and is topped by a steeply pitched tiled roof. Despite an older date sometimes given for it, archaeological research now places its construction around 1368–1370, making it the oldest known part of the Musegg fortifications.

Now, look upward at Luegisland itself. Its name roughly means “look toward the land,” a reminder of its original role as a lookout over the countryside outside the city walls. Guards used to live here, watching for approaching danger and, just as importantly, for fires within Lucerne. They also helped mark the passing hours. Records from the 15th century show that the watch was carefully organized so that someone was always awake and ready to respond. The tower continued serving as a high watch post until 1768, when that function was transferred to the neighboring Wachtturm, or Watch Tower.

Take a closer look at the stonework. Luegisland is exceptionally important because it has changed remarkably little since the Middle Ages. This is the only surviving shell tower on the Musegg Wall, meaning that its side facing the Old Town was originally left open rather than completely enclosed. Inside, even pieces of medieval scaffolding timber remain embedded in the masonry. Unfortunately, you cannot normally go inside to see them; the tower is kept closed to the public to protect this unusually well-preserved structure.

Finally, look up at the roof. Its lower section is square, while the upper part becomes eight-sided and has acquired a slight twist over the centuries. Small pointed turrets project from the roof to the north and south, and at the very top you can spot the weathercock. These roof details, together with the tower’s exceptional height, make Luegisland one of the easiest Musegg towers to identify from a distance.

The tower later became part of Lucerne’s water infrastructure: a reservoir was installed here in 1874, followed by a pressure-reduction system in 1924, and a municipal high-pressure water line still runs beneath it today. For visitors, however, Luegisland is mainly an exterior sight-a remarkably intact piece of medieval Lucerne best appreciated by walking around its base and comparing it with the neighboring towers along the wall.