Outside the Spreuerbrucke Lucerne looks like an old world place, almost bucolic, the kind of place where lovers medieval might have met on a warm spring day. But crossing the bridge we welcome tens of historical paintings, placed under the roof, with skeletons and the harvester of souls, reminding travelers that every second spent a moment brings us closer to death.
The bridge to the hut was built in the thirteenth century to connect a group of mills to the mainland. During the early times, the mill workers were allowed to unload from their waste into the river, because they were outside the villages.
Then in the middle of 1600 it was decided that the bridge would have been cleaned up a bit, and “embellished” with plans to create a series of artworks themed “dance of death”, also known as “Danse Macabre” or “Totentanz” in German. The aim of these works was to remember that death comes to everyone: young or old, rich or poor.
At the end were eventually made 67 paintings, placed between the beams of the covered bridge all that in at least one element of the painting described a skeletal death omen. Monks, knights, nuns and beggars are all seen struggling with death, no matter what was their fate in life.
The rustic walks covered bridges, not to mention the wonderful Ponte Vecchio in Florence, are often associated with times of peace, beauty, relaxation, and simple life, but the Spreuer Bridge means that people know of constantly has “enjoy” until you can: everyone without distinction.