Hotels near Spreuer Bridge (Spreuerbrücke) with the Dance of Death Paintings

The Spreuer Bridge (Spreuerbrücke) is Lucerne's second surviving covered wooden bridge, completed in its current form in 1408 and named for the chaff (Spreu) that millers were once allowed to dump into the river from it. Where the Chapel Bridge is famous and photogenic, the Spreuer Bridge is quieter and, for many visitors, more memorable. Under its gables hang 67 triangular panels of the Dance of Death (Totentanz) cycle, painted between 1616 and 1637 by Kaspar Meglinger. Each panel shows Death interrupting a figure from a different walk of life - a merchant, a pope, a young mother, a soldier - and together they form one of the most complete surviving examples of the medieval memento mori tradition in Europe. Small chapel bay in the middle of the bridge dates from 1568.

Crossing is free and takes about three minutes. The paintings are best read west-to-east, which follows their original narrative order.

Pro Tip: Combine this with the nearby Historisches Museum Luzern on Pfistergasse 24 (CHF 10 in 2026, closed Mondays) which sits at the southern end of the bridge and gives context on the paintings and the medieval city. Photography inside the bridge is allowed without flash - bring a fast lens because the light is genuinely dim even at midday.