M盲nnliturm (Little Man Tower), Lucerne

The second tower on the ascending Musegg Wall ridge is M盲nnliturm. This tower got its name from the small 鈥� half-length, two-meter-high 鈥� figure of an "iron man" (M盲nnli means 鈥渓ittle man鈥�) clad in the knight's armor and holding a flag and a sword in his hands. This merry warrior, sitting atop one of the two oriel turrets in the battlements, is known to everyone in Switzerland.

The M盲nnliturm was built around the 15th century (exact year is unknown) and has not changed its shape ever since, except for the roofs of the oriel turrets 鈥� renewed in 1537. Also, the original monopitch roof was replaced with a reinforced concrete slab in 1934. The most recent renovation took place in 1951, after a lightning strike.

From 1847, the 鈥淟ittle Man鈥� was used by the Swiss Army 鈥� fitted with an optical telegraph for military communication 鈥� way until after the Second World War.

Inside the tower is divided into four floors. The bottom floor 鈥� half-walled 鈥� opens towards the city and has rectangular loopholes on the outer wall to fend off the enemy attack.

The building itself stands 33 meters high, from ground to pinnacle, and is the third tallest in the Musegg Wall. The 125 steps leading to the viewing platform (approximately 30 meters high), offer a spectacular view of the city, Lake Lucerne, Reuss River, and the Pilatus.

The tower has been open to the public since 1978: in summer, from 8 am to 8 pm.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Lucerne. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: M盲nnliturm (Little Man Tower)
Sight Location: Lucerne, Switzerland (See walking tours in Lucerne)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Lucerne's Towers Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Lucerne, Switzerland

Create Your Own Walk in Lucerne

Creating your own self-guided walk in Lucerne is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Lucerne's Architectural Jewels Walking Tour

Lucerne's long religious and cultural history is duly reflected in its architecture, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Switzerland. There are quite a few places in the city that need not strive for attention and can easily catch the eye of any passer-by. Such like are:

The Lucerne Railway Station 鈥� an architectural jewel and main hub of the Swiss railway network,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Lucerne's Towers Walking Tour

Lucerne boasts a wealth of spectacular medieval towers, located in the Musegg Wall area. This former symbol of power forms an impressive city crown, shaping up its skyline, and affording great panoramic views of Lucerne and the eponymous lake, the Reuss river, and the surrounding mountain scenery.

Built in the 13th-14th centuries, the 870-meter wall, complete with its nine towers, is one of... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles

Lucerne Introduction Walking Tour

Renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture surpassed by majestic snowcapped Alps, Lucerne is one of the prettiest cities in Switzerland. Sitting compactly on the shore of the eponymous lake, its colorful Altstadt (Old Town) is bordered on the north by a 14-century rampart called Museggmauer (Musegg Wall).

The town grew around St Leodegar Abbey, established in 840 AD, on the territory... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

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