Hammetschwand Elevator, Outdoor elevator at Mount Bürgenstock, Switzerland
The Hammetschwand Elevator is an outdoor lift on Mount Bürgenstock. Its 2 by 2 metre metal lattice tower rises 119 metres from a 45 metre rock shaft, with the lower station, engine room and first 14 metres of the shaft inside the mountain. The tower stands at the end of a wooden walkway and carries a 12-person glazed cabin to the Hammetschwand viewpoint at 1114 metres above sea level.
This lift opened in 1905 and was among the first vertical transportation systems built to serve mountain tourism in Switzerland. Its construction marked a turning point in how Alpine terrain was made accessible to visitors.
The lift is run under a federal concession for regular commercial passenger transport, one of only two such elevators in Switzerland, alongside Bern's Mattelift. A lift attendant sells the tickets, and the 2009 ruling extended the concession to 2034. At dusk, 16 lamps fixed to the lattice tower are switched on, making the structure visible at night in clear weather.
The lift allows visitors to bypass steep paths and reach the viewing area quickly, making it convenient for those who want to save time or prefer not to climb stairs. From the platform above, you can easily take in the lake views and access other hiking trails nearby.
The tower's 2 by 2 metre lattice frame stands on a 45-metre rock shaft; the first 14 metres of that shaft, the entrance and the engine room lie inside the mountain, and the next 31 metres open toward Lake Lucerne. Since 1992 a three-sided glazed cabin carries 12 people, and 16 lamps on the lattice light the tower at dusk.
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