iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

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At the end of the street, after passing the Festhalle, we shall arrive at the Seepark, the beautiful, shady park by Lake Sempach.

The former presbytery (Alte Leutpriesterei) is an imposing building with a baroque appearance, most of which dates from the late Middle Ages. In the German-speaking regions, the Leutpriester was a substitute priest, usually a secular priest, who reported to the local bishop and not to the holder of the parish rights.

The Blumenweg (Flower Path) is aptly named. It passes through private gardens lovingly cultivated by the inhabitants.

Watching over the Monument Square (Denkmalplatz) from the top of its stairs, St. Stefan's church with its impressive façade occupies a key position in Sempach's urban landscape.

The Kirchenplatz (Church Square) is the main square of Sempach. It is also known as Denkmalplatz (Monument Square), as the Löwendenkmal, statue commemorating the 500th anniversary of the famous Battle of Sempach, stands here.

The Kreuzgasse starts at the Stadtstrasse, the main street of the old town, and continues through the Alleestrasse to the Lake Park (Seepark).

Pass to the left of the boathouses and follow the lakefront for 1 km to the Swiss Ornithological Institute, which offers visitors a unique opportunity to meet the native birdlife through an interactive exhibition suitable for all ages.

Just a stone's throw from the centre of the small city of Sempach, this green area by the lake invites you to relax. If you follow the shoreline path southwards, you will reach the Swiss Ornithological Institute, where you can learn about the world of birds.

The Luzernertor, as its name suggests, controlled access from the road to Lucerne, a town about 15 km south-east of Sempach. The close links between the two towns were one of the reasons for the war between the Confederates and the Austrians in 1386.

The history of the Lucerne Gate is largely obscure. It was probably not part of the original fortifications of the town and in the 13th century was probably an ashlar gate on which the central tower was later built. The building on the other side of the road is the former Corporation House, built at the turn of the 20th century but of great importance for local history.

Here we see the Corporation House and the Lucerne Gate from outside the old town. On the right, the crenellated building behind a modern building is the Hexenturm (Witches' Tower), part of the medieval fortifications, dating from the 13th century. Behind us is the Heiligkreuz-Kapelle, a chapel built in 1629 in the transition period between late Gothic and Baroque.

In front of the neo-classical St. Stefan's Church, the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal) was erected in 1886 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Sempach, which was won against Habsburg Austria by the Lucerneans and their allies of the Confederation of the VIII Cantons.

The northern gate of Sempach, whose name means "Oxen Gate", has nothing medieval about it any more, since it was demolished in 1865 and only rebuilt in 1985 in order to give the town a new look. Its name probably comes from the ox carts of the farmers who came to sell their products at the market.

Several alleys lead from the Stadtstrasse, the heart of the old town, to the lakeside. The Pfarrhusbögli runs underneath a residential house dating from 1731 and ends here at the former parsonage building (Alte Leutpriesterei).

The Alleestrasse leads to the large green area of the Lake Park (Seepark). The large building on the right is Sempach's Festhalle, where cultural, business and private events are held. Its large hall can accommodate up to 750 people in a seated configuration.

The well-shaded Seepark is a very pleasant place to relax and stroll for both residents and visitors of Sempach. Strangely enough, it is not overcrowded: these panoramas were shot on a beautiful Saturday in late May 2021, when many more people were expected in such a nice park!

At the end of the 18th century, St. Stefan's Church stood on the present Monument Square. It was so worn out that experts said that it could not be repaired. It was demolished in 1832 and replaced by the present neoclassical church. Its construction in 1830 changed the whole northern part of the city, breaking the medieval wall and opening up a large square to meet the urban planning trends of the 19th century.

The Stadtstrasse ("City Street") is the main street of Sempach, stretching from the Ochsentor (north gate) to the Luzernertor ("Lucerne Gate", south gate). It is lined with some old buildings that are worth seeing.

Many of the buildings along the Stadtstrasse are considered worthy of protection, but their appearance is often not exceptional. Some of them are centuries old, although their facades are sometimes not very characteristic.

The most beautiful building in the street is the old town hall, built around 1475. For centuries it served as a multi-purpose building. A butcher's shop occupied the ground floor and the first floor was used for trading, while above it were two council chambers. Since 2014 it houses a historical museum. The granite fountain in front of the building dates from the 17th century, with a pillar topped by a lion dating back to 1550.

Huddled together along the street, these houses date for the most part from the 17th to 19th centuries. Although their architecture is not very remarkable, their decoration often catches the eye.

Here we come to the Luzernertor, the southern gateway to the city. After having taken a closer look at it, we will take the passage that opens up on our right to go to the lakeside, discovering some more beautiful old buildings along the way.