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This is a relatively recent addition to the morning chapel, the Rex Whistler Memorial, which was engraved by his brother Laurence Whistler and given to the cathedral in 2000. Rex Whistler, whose family lived in the Close, was killed in Normandy in 1944. The engraved glass prism is 12 inches high and revolves in a blue-bronze lantern. Half the building is engraved up to the centre of the tower, coinciding with one corner of the prism so that as the prism revolves the image is doubled and suggests the whole Cathedral. The nave and transepts, trees and the Walton Canonry in the Close (where the brothers lived) and a distant view of Old Sarum appear and disappear. The blank prism was given by Stephen Steuben of New York, and the bronze lantern by the Welsh Guards. It was cast by Richard Cowdy in 1987. I don't really understand how it does it, but if you click on the photo you can see inside and outside the cathedral at the same time.

Demo has started on the main factory of Grayslake Gelatin, the last building remaining at the site. The warehouse and research laboratory - both later additions to the 1912 structure - have been torn down.

 

Grayslake Gelatin -- Grayslake, IL -- 1/14/17

A recent addition to the Maltese register, ex-Alitalia A321 I-BIXR now 9H-AHW at Cornwall Airport Newquay.

 

TZ70_P1020920EC

Another addition to my western diorama.

 

Many thanks for the help to Andelko, Franko and Mrva!

 

Check out my other western creations.

V/Line operates a large fleet of VLocity diesel units across its outer suburban routes in addition to loco hauled stock, they are built by Bombardier and were first introduced in 2005 and are still in production in 2017.

The final part to this massive project! Hopefully it will be done by Brickfair. I'm shooting for July.

A couple years back I was hired by Andy and Fred of 'AFA' (pioneers of advanced noise cancellation technology).

 

These images were harder to produce than might appear. I knew I wanted to prioritize Andy and Fred, but also at the same time give a sense of speed and movement. Had I shot in traditional fashion then the shutter speed needed to produce motion blur of the cars would have been dangerously low to also introduce motion blur of Andy and Fred as well. So in order to successfully achieve this look I needed to shoot the images on a tripod and involve strobe work directed at the guys which assists with 'freezing motion' (as well as helping them 'pop out' of the scene). In addition to this I used ND filters to allow me to shoot at wide apertures to allow me to help separate them from the busy backdrop and keep attention placed firmly on them.

The additional benefits of using a tripod allowed me to take several images and blend speeding cars and smoke into any scene of the two of them that I liked.

Overall I think they turned out pretty good.

 

I am saddened to hear that since this shoot Fred has passed away (pictured on the right). He seemed like such a lovely man with a genuine gentle soul.

My newest addition. I've wanted to add a Madoka to my family since I started collecting BJDs. I was finally able to bring her home thanks to my friend Cauldy who found her (as a boy) on YJ. She doesn't look like a boy anymore.

Housed in The Old Police and Fire Station in downtown Coral Gables, The Coral Gables Museum shines a spotlight on the 1920s planned community, nicknamed the City Beautiful. After the restoration and renovation of the historic building, the cultural organization opened in 2011 to celebrate the civic arts of architecture and urban environmental design.

 

The Coral Gables Police and Fire Department building was designed by Phineas Paist. Paist is notable for being the first registered architect in Miami and was the principal architect of all of Coral Gables. The Police and Fire Department building is designed in a Mediterranean Revival style, similar to most of the city. Some distinctive features of this style, which can be found in the Police and Fire Department building, are a low-profile clay roof, arched windows, simple columns, and an attached tower at a corner of the building. The Police and Fire Department building is masonry construction out of a native keystone, oolitic. Oolitic rock is formed by coral sediment, and in the case of the Coral Gables Police and Fire Department building, was quarried from Windley Key in the Florida Keys.

 

In addition to the authenticity of the architecture, the Police and Fire Department building is also notable for Depression Moderne sculptures commissioned from Theresa Keller. Keller — who worked under the name Jon Keller — created the sculptures in a Depression Moderne style. This style incorporates elements of Beaux-Arts and Art Deco, but tempers design flairs through more classically inspired elements. Keller’s monumental busts of two firefighters grace the primary facade of the building, while a group of five pelicans flank the entrance.

 

A courtroom addition was made to the Coral Gables Police and Fire Department building shortly after construction completed, but since then there have been no major exterior modifications. The building continued to serve as a base for the police and fire departments until 1975. After this, the city of Coral Gables maintained ownership of the building and housed civic offices there. In the mid 1990s, Coral Gables Commissioner Wayne Withers expressed interest in hosting a museum in Coral Gables. There was significant community interest, and Withers considered the former Police and Fire Department building to be a perfect location for the new museum. In 2003, the Coral Gables Museum Corporation was formed as a non-profit.

 

The first step in the creation of the museum was rehabilitating the building. Coral Gables Historical Resources Department received grants for over $1.5 million dollars, which allowed the Museum to hire architect Jorge L. Hernandez. Construction began in 2008, and a 3,000 square foot gallery and 5,000 square foot plaza were added according to Hernandez’s plans. The Coral Gables Museum opened to the public three years later, in 2011. The building is now one of a few historic buildings in the United States that is LEED certified.

 

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

theclio.com/entry/14270

www.hotels.com/go/usa/coral-gables-museum-miami

www.coralgables.com/attractions/coral-gables-museum

 

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Atkinson Mk I Silver Knight 4x2 tractor unit Reg No ARN 722C was a new addition to the Walter Edmundson fleet in 1965.

 

Powered by a Gardner 150 engine it is pictured here when brand new parked just off Lodge Street Preston while coupled to a tandem axle trailer with a loaded Lancashire Flat on board.

 

A brief history of Walter Edmundson

 

Walter Edmundson started trading in Preston as a timber merchant during the 1920's.

 

His first venture into Road Haulage was with the acquisition of Mitchell Bros. of Darwen, but this was short-lived, due to the Nationalisation of Road Haulage in 1948.

 

In 1955, with John Edmundson now having joined his father in the business, they re-entered the road haulage industry in a very small way and the company purchased an operating base in Preston.

 

Preston Dock was at its peak of success at this period in time, and Walter Edmundson Limited became Preston agents for Companies servicing Northern and Southern Ireland with the handling of ships from Larne, Belfast, Dublin & Waterford.

 

Edmundson's represented in Preston companies such as Northern Ireland Eggs Ltd., Ulster Ferry Transport Ltd and Jenkinson & Archer Ltd.,(J.&A. Line of Dublin) who later became part of the George Bell (Bell-Line) empire.

 

Preston dock, at this time was said to be busier than both Liverpool & Manchester ports.

 

By the mid 1960's there came a call for bigger and faster vessels to serve Ireland, and preferably from non-tidal ports and as a result Preston lost out to Liverpool & Fleetwood, and the ever increasing popularity of the Scottish ports at the top end of the M6.

 

During the late 1960's the Isle of man became embraced in this new method of handling cargo so Ronagency (Shipping) Ltd., Walter Edmundson Ltd and a few small private investors formed Manx Line, and purchased M.V Monte Castillo from Navier Aznar of Spain.

 

She was refitted in Leith emerging as the Manx Viking and this seaborne operation became embroiled in the massive organisation that was known as Sealink.

 

Sealink eventually acquired Manx Line, itself becoming a part of Sea Containers empire shortly afterwards.

 

Sealink was later privatised, and merged with Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. Ltd.

 

Still very much in business today Edmundson Haulage are owned by Manx Independent Carriers of Isle of Man and are now based at 8 Prospect Place, Prescot Road, East Pimbo Estate, Skelmersdale.

 

Operating a large fleet of vehicles more details can be found on the Edmundson Ronagency website

post processed by Photoshop

Another addition at Mounts Bay Coaches is this rare Autosan A1012T 'Eagle' 70 seat school bus, which has replaced the old Vehixel bodied Ivecos. One of just 54 UK examples, this was one of final examples to enter service, being new to Taylors of Yeovil from whom it came last Autumn.

Island Time Poppy Parker

MOD of the LEGO Creator Emerald Express set. Built a tender and passenger car. Thanks to Mel for the engine. :-)

14th Street NW, Washington, DC.

Latest addition to the Cargolux Airlines International fleet. Boeing 747-4HAERF 'LX-LCL' (ex. OO-THB in TNT Livery) just landed at Malta International Airport for a paint job at Aviation Cosmetics Malta to change to Cargolux Livery - 17.05.2019

A recent addition to the fleet, Nu-Venture WVL239 KGZ 6146 is seen on Tonbridge Road (A26) near Barming whilst working SDO route 555. Thursday 18th April 2024.

 

Volvo B7TL - Wrightbus Gemini (Ex-Go-Ahead London WVL239 registered LX06 DZY, Imperial Coaches - registered A14 VXH, Chiltern Automotive & Cambridge Bus and Coach)

 

Recently ordered some pieces to expand my military and Indiana Jones collections

John Allen Photography 2018

In addition to the Wrightbus Streetlite's (63256-76) at Midland Bluebird (Larbert), Scotland East (Livingston, Deans) have recieved five (63251-5) in the two tone blue livery. SN65 OKR (63251) is seen here in Whitburn whilst working service 22 (Harthill-Livingston). Despite the fleet numbering, this is October 2015 registered whilst Larbert's were September registered. Note that this carries First Midland Bluebird lettering above the doors.

In addition to the magnificent architecture, the mosaics in San Vitale are the main attractions. These are considered the largest and best-preserved Byzantine mosaics outside modern-day Istanbul.

 

Original mosaics from late antiquity still cover the whole apsis and altar area.

 

In the theophany of the apsis, a beardless Christ sits on a blue globe that represents the universe. He offers Saint Vitale the crown of martyrdom while Bishop Ecclesius offers Christ a model of the church. As he was only one of the church builders, it is fairly certain that this specific mosaic is from soon after 525.

 

The two most famous mosaics in San Vitale are definitely slightly younger and must date after 540, when the Byzantines had re-conquered Ravenna for the (Eastern) Roman Empire. These mosaics are political statements showing Emperor Justinian I (the Great) and his wife Theodora as rulers of Ravenna. (Justinian never actually visited Ravenna.)

  

The Basilica of San Vitale is a highlight of any visit to see the Byzantine wall mosaics in Ravenna, a town popular with day trippers from Venice and Bologna. San Vitale in Ravenna has the largest Byzantine mosaics outside Istanbul and is the best example of Justinian church architecture in existence.

 

Ravenna in Italy is famous for its Late Antiquity and Byzantine wall and ceiling mosaics in early Christian monuments and churches, which are the top UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed sites to see when visiting this interesting town.

I felt like I needed some more rolling stock to start off the new year.

 

Boxcars from BMR and Tankers from BTD

 

Decals by OKBrickworks

A spot to sit and wonder while looking at Burford's ancient church.

 

The church dates to Saxon times, many additions were later added including the South Aisle which sits at an angle.

Found another piece - the trinket box on the left. Each one found separately!

In addition to the subway-level entrance, Kmart has windows that look into the store from the subway platform. These types of windows were common in cities like Manhattan and Newark, NJ in the early 20th Century, though most of the windows have been closed off over the years.

 

These were display windows when the store was John Wanamaker’s, but after the store closed in the 1950’s, the windows were bricked over as the building became a low-rent office building. When Kmart took over, they removed the bricks, but opened the windows to look into the store, instead of using them as display windows.

 

In 2002, in Newark, NJ, an abandoned streetcar tunnel revealed a similar subway-level entrance to the Kresge Department store, closed off since 1966.

-------------------

 

At 154,000 sq ft, Astor Place Kmart is one of the largest Kmart stores still in operation. This store was opened in a grand former Wanamaker’s department store close to NYU, in Greenwich Village. Kmart occupies the first and second levels, as well as the subway-level (or at least it did until Sears found out how much money Facebook was willing to spend to buy out the second level lease).

 

The store has an entrance from the street, as well as an extremely cool entrance directly from the No. 6 Subway platform with windows that allow commuters to look directly into the store.

 

Astor Place Kmart thrives as one of the only places in the neighborhood with suburban-style selection and discount prices, yet this store is notably less busy than its Midtown sister, Penn Plaza Kmart, which benefits greatly from tourist trade and commuters.

 

The store opened in 1996, a month after the Penn Plaza store, and at a time when Kmart’s formula had stopped working its magic in its traditional suburban comfort zone and the company was looking to urban areas for growth.

 

*********************************************

Backstory: In 1990, Kmart knew it was in trouble and embarked on a $3 billion program to renovate, expand or relocate all of its aging 2200 Kmart store base. From 1990-95, the company built hundreds of big new and replacement Kmart stores and Super Kmart Centers, financed by lots and lots of borrowed Wall Street money and by selling off divisions like its Pace Warehouse Clubs, Builder’s Square, and Office Max.

 

The bigger, brighter Kmarts increased store sales for a short while, but as Walmart continued to elbow in on Kmart’s territories, sales slipped. With so much debt, the company had huge interest payments and in 1996, it narrowly avoided bankruptcy by striking a deal with its lenders that slashed its debt rating to junk bond status.

 

It was during this time that Kmart opened its 2 Manhattan stores, hoping that the company would make up for the higher NYC rents by doing more volume. It seems to have worked, as both Manhattan stores are top 25 stores.

Grade II listed historic building originally constructed in 1882 with an addition in 1933.

 

"Newark-on-Trent or Newark (/ˈnjuːərk/) is a market town and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of the county of Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 – on the route of the ancient Great North Road – and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman, as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way. The town grew around Newark Castle, now ruined, and a large market place, now lined with historic buildings. It was a centre for the wool and cloth trades. In the English Civil War, it was besieged by Parliamentary forces and relieved by Royalist forces under Prince Rupert." - info from Wikipedia.

 

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

 

Now on Instagram.

 

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon.

Pretty blonde swimsuit bikini model goddess modeling the Nikon D800E-based 45WindSurfer / 9Shooter !

 

Just got the D800E in addition to my D800!

 

Shooting photographic stills & video @ same time with Nikon D800E & 70-200 mm VR2 Nikkor Lens bracketed to a camcorder--the awesome Panasonic HDC-TM900 32GB Flash Memory HD Camcorder ! It shoots stabilized 60P video for super-smooth slow-mo when I slow it down in post!

 

I call it the 9shooter / 45WindSurfer Bracket, as you can catch video's constant wind and still photography's intermittent waves!

 

Just as windsurding was invented by combining two sports--surfing and sailing--so too was 45windsurfing born by combining two art forms!

 

When you get to work with pretty swimsuit bikini models, you want to make the most of everyone's time & shoot stills photography and motion pictures / video @ the same time!

 

Shooting (45WindSurfing) on El Matador Beach in Malbu!

 

The 45WindSurfer bracket allows one to attach any two cameras! Can hardly wait to attch a 4K Sony or JVC!

 

Modeling the Gold 45 Revolver Gold'N'Virtue bikini!

 

All the best on your hero's journey!

 

Shot with the Sony A77 !

~~♥♥ ~~ In addition to the design shown here, we would also like to invite members of the community to contribute their own charitable designs to the Marketplace. Royalties from these designs will be donated to charity. ~~♥♥ ~~

***CLICK HERE*** for more information or *****SHOP THE STORE HERE*****

Any suggestions on a name? This little one was wild ( someone threw out a mama cat with kittens). We've tamed him slowly, now he can't be petted enough.lol

Swords Express are busy adding to their fleet, Plaxton/Vovlo 11D56402 is seen on its 507 service to Swords Manor via Mountgorry.

Home office.

The sliding glass doors open to an interior pocket courtyard filled with bamboo. The ceiling is recycled lumber. The door is built from recycled lumber from the demolition of parts of the old house, whose materials were re-used through-out the project.

 

Project Name: Red Box

Project Type: Addition and remodel to a house

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Designer: Jeremy Levine Design

www.jeremylevine.com

Schweiz / Nidwalden - Vierwaldstättersee

 

seen from Stanserhorn

 

gesehen vom Stanserhorn

 

Lake Lucerne (German: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four forested settlements" (in English usually translated as forest cantons), French: lac des Quatre-Cantons, Italian: lago dei Quattro Cantoni) is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.

 

Geography

 

The lake has a complicated shape, with several sharp bends and four arms. It starts in the south–north bound Reuss Valley between steep cliffs above the Urnersee from Flüelen towards Brunnen to the north before it makes a sharp bend to the west where it continues into the Gersauer Becken. Here is also the deepest point of the lake with 214 m (702 ft). Even further west of it is the Buochser Bucht, but the lake sharply turns north again through the narrow opening between the Unter Nas (lower nose) of the Bürgenstock to the west and the Ober Nas (upper nose) of the Rigi to the east to reach the Vitznauer Bucht. In front of Vitznau below the Rigi the lake turns sharply west again to reach the center of a four-arm cross, called the Chrütztrichter (Cross Funnel). Here converge the Vitznauer Bucht with the Küssnachtersee from the north, the Luzernersee from the west, and the Horwer Bucht and the Stanser Trichter to the south, which is to be found right below the northeast side of the Pilatus and the west side of the Bürgenstock. At the very narrow pass between the east dropper of the Pilatus (called Lopper) and Stansstad the lake reaches its southwestern arm at Alpnachstad on the steep southern foothills of the Pilatus, the Alpnachersee. The lake drains its water into the Reuss in Lucerne from its arm called Luzernersee (which literally translates as Lake of Lucerne).

 

The entire lake has a total area of 114 km² (44 sq mi) at an elevation of 434 m (1,424 ft) a.s.l., and a maximum depth of 214 m (702 ft). Its volume is 11.8 km³. Much of the shoreline rises steeply into mountains up to 1,500 m above the lake, resulting in many picturesque views including those of the mountains Rigi and Pilatus.

 

The Reuss enters the lake at Flüelen, in the part called Urnersee (Lake of Uri, in the canton of Uri) and exits at Lucerne. The lake also receives the Muota at Brunnen, the Engelberger Aa at Buochs, and the Sarner Aa at Alpnachstad.

 

It is possible to circumnavigate the lake by train and road, though the railway route circumvents the lake even on the north side of the Rigi via Arth-Goldau. Since 1980, the A2 motorway leads through the Seelisberg Tunnel in order to reach the route to the Gotthard Pass in just half an hour in Altdorf, Uri right south of the beginning of the lake in Flüelen.

 

Steamers and other passenger boats ply between the different villages and towns on the lake. It is a popular tourist destination, both for native Swiss and foreigners, and there are many hotels and resorts along the shores. In addition, the meadow of the Rütli, traditional site of the founding of the Swiss Confederation, is on the Urnersee shore. A 35 km commemorative walkway, the Swiss Path, was built around the Lake of Uri to celebrate the country's 700th anniversary in 1991.

 

Archaeologists surveying the lake-bed (during the construction of a pipeline) from 2019 to 2021 found the remains of a Bronze Age village with artifacts dating to around 1000 BC. Later, the new findings indicated that the area was settled 2,000 years earlier than historians previously thought.

 

Lake Lucerne borders on the three original Swiss cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden (which today is divided into the cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden), as well as the canton of Lucerne, thus the name Vierwaldstättersee (lit.: Lake of the Four Forested Settlements). Many of the oldest communities of Switzerland are along the shore, including Küssnacht, Weggis, Vitznau, Gersau, Brunnen, Altdorf, Buochs, and Treib.

 

Lake Lucerne is singularly irregular and appears to lie in four different valleys, all related to the conformation of the adjoining mountains. The central portion of the lake lies in two parallel valleys whose direction is from west to east, the one lying north, the other south of the ridge of the Bürgenstock. These are connected through a narrow strait, scarcely one kilometre wide, between the two rocky promontories called respectively Unter Nas and Ober Nas (Lower and Upper Nose). It is not unlikely that the southern of these two divisions of the lake—called Buochser Bucht—formerly extended to the west over the isthmus whereon stands the town of Stans, thus forming an island of the Bürgenstock. The west end of the main branch of the lake, whence a comparatively shallow bay extends to the town of Lucerne, is intersected obliquely by a deep trench whose south-west end is occupied by the branch called Alpnachersee, while the north-east branch forms the long arm of Küssnacht, Küssnachtersee. These both lie in the direct line of a valley that stretches with scarcely a break in between the Uri Alps and the Emmental Alps. At the eastern end of the Gersauer Becken, where the containing walls of the lake-valley are directed from east to west, it is joined at an acute angle by the arm of Uri, or the Urnersee, lying in the northern prolongation of the deep cleft that gives a passage to the Reuss, between the Uri Alps and the Glarus Alps.

 

The Urnersee occupies the northernmost and deep portion of the great cleft of the Reuss Valley, which has cut through the Alpine ranges from the St Gotthard Pass to the neighbourhood of Schwyz. From its eastern shore the mountains rise in almost bare walls of rock to a height of from 3,000 to 4,000 ft (910 to 1,220 m) above the water. The two highest summits are the Fronalpstock and the Rophaien (2078 m). Between them the steep glen or ravine of the Riemenstaldener Tal descends to Sisikon, the only village with Flüelen right on the shore on that side of the Urnersee. On the opposite or western shore, the mountains attain still greater dimensions. The Niederbauen Chulm is succeeded by the Oberbauenstock, and farther south, above the ridge of the Scharti, appear the snowy peaks of the Gitschen and the Uri Rotstock (2,928 m). In the centre opens the Reuss Valley, backed by the rugged summits of the Urner and Glarner Alps.

 

The breadth of these various sections of the lake is very variable, but is usually between one and two miles (3 km). The lake's surface, whose mean height above the sea is 434 metres, is the lowest point of the cantons of Uri, Obwalden and Nidwalden. Originally the lake was susceptible to variations in level and flooding along its shoreline. Between 1859 and 1860, the introduction of a needle dam in the Reuss in the city of Lucerne, just upstream from the Spreuerbrücke, allowed the lake level to be stabilised.

 

The culminating point of the lake's drainage basin, as well as Central Switzerland, is the Dammastock at 3,630 metres above sea level.

 

Name

 

The name of Vierwaldstättersee is first used in the 16th century. Before the 16th century, the entire lake was known as Luzerner See "Lake Lucerne", as remains the English (and partly Italian, as Lago di Lucerna) usage. The (three) "Waldstätte(n)" (lit.: "forested sites/settlements", in English usually translated as forest cantons[6]) since the 14th century were the confederate allies of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. The notion of "Four Waldstätten" (Vier Waldstätten), with the addition of the canton of Lucerne, is first recorded in the 1450s, in an addition to the "Silver Book" of Egloff Etterlin of Lucerne.

 

The nine different parts of the lake have individual designations:

 

Urnersee ("Lake of Uri"): The first part of the lake, at the mouth of the Reuss between Flüelen and Brunnen.

Gersauer Becken ("Basin of Gersau") next to Gersau below the Rigi massif is the deepest part of the lake.

Buochser Bucht ("Bay of Buochs"): The bay of Bouchs, where the Engelberger Aa enters the lake.

Vitznauer Bucht ("Bay of Vitznau"): The part between the Bürgenstock and Rigi.

Alpnachersee ("Lake of Alpnach"): the almost separate, southern arm below the southern mountainside of Pilatus near Alpnach.

Stanser Trichter ("Funnel of Stans"): The part north of the Pilatus, west of Bürgenstock, and in front of Hergiswil and Stansstad.

Küssnachtersee ("Lake of Küssnacht"): The most northern arm, west of the Rigi with Küssnacht SZ at its northern end.

Chrütztrichter ("Cross Funnel"): The meeting point of Stanser Trichter, Luzernersee, Küssnachtersee, and Vitznauer Bucht.

Luzernersee ("Lake of Lucerne"): in German usage now limited to the bay at Lucerne as far as Meggenhorn, with its effluence of the Reuss.

 

Navigation

 

The lake is navigable, and has formed an important part of Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least since the opening of the first track across the Gotthard Pass in 1230. This trade grew with the opening of a new mail coach road across the pass in 1830. This road had its northern terminus at Flüelen at the extreme eastern end of the lake, and the lake provided the only practical onward link to Lucerne, and hence the cities of northern Switzerland and beyond.

 

Whilst the development of Switzerland's road and rail networks has relieved the lake of much of its through traffic, it continues to be used by a considerable number of vessels, both private and public. Much of this usage is tourist or leisure oriented, but the lake continues to provide practical public and cargo transport links between the smaller lakeside communities.

 

Passenger boats of the Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees (SGV) provide services on the lake, including many run by historic paddle steamers. The SGV serves 32 places along the shore of the lake, with interchange to both main line and mountain railways at various points. Under separate management, the Autofähre Beckenried-Gersau provides a car ferry service between Beckenried, on the south bank of the lake, and Gersau on the north.

 

Cargo barges, to a local design known as Nauen, are still used on the lake. Some have been converted for use as party boats. Other barges are used by the gravel dredging industry that operates on the lake, using large dredgers to obtain sand and gravel for use in the construction industry.

 

Cultural references

 

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata derives its name from an 1832 description of the first movement by poet and music critic Ludwig Rellstab, who compared it to moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne.

 

Gioacchino Rossini uses this in his William Tell Overture Section A: Sunrise over the Alps.

 

Rowing

 

Lake Lucerne has twice been used as a venue for the European Rowing Championships: in 1908 and then in 1926. The nearby Rotsee has since 1933 been used for rowing regattas instead.

 

Tourism

 

On the way south, the English discovered the mountains of central Switzerland. Several spa and bathing resorts such as Weggis or Gersau were created. In 1871, the very first rack railway in Europe, the Vitznau-Rigi Railway, was opened. In 1889 the steepest cog railway in the world was built from Alpnachstad to Mount Pilatus. Mark Twain described an ascent to the Rigi, which led to the blossoming of Swiss tourism in the United States in the 19th century. One of the largest steamship fleets in Europe operates with five steamships on Lake Lucerne.

 

In the area surrounding the lake and on terraces at medium height (for example Morschach and Seelisberg) there are numerous places for tourists. The Rigi, Pilatus, the Bürgenstock, the Stanserhorn, the Buochserhorn, and the two legends, the Urirotstock and the Fronalpstock are attractive panoramic mountains near Lake Lucerne. Most of them can be reached by mountain railways, some of which have their valley station near boat stations on the lake.

 

There are numerous locations on the lake that are important in Swiss cultural and tourism history: Rütli, Tellsplatte, Tell Chapel, Carving Tower of Stansstad, Neu-Habsburg, Schillerstein, Treib, Astrid Chapel (Küssnacht) and Meggenhorn Castle.

 

Watersports

 

Different sports are possible in some separate areas due to the water and wind conditions. The lake is accessible from boat and yacht harbors, to lake resorts and pools (e.g. the Lido pool in Lucerne, built in 1929 by Arnold Berger). Therefore, the lake can be easily accessible from both shores. The See-Club Luzern was founded in 1881, which is now Switzerland's largest rowing club, as well as the Reuss Luzern rowing club (Ruderclub Reuss Luzern) in 1904. The Lucerne Yacht Club (Yachtclub Luzern) has existed since 1941 and has been running since 1966 a boathouse and buoy field on Churchill-Quai in Lucerne.

 

The Brunnen water sports club (Wassersportclub Brunnen), founded in 1958, held on Lake Lucerne in the first years of its existence international motorboat races and water ski championships. In 1965 the association chose a new name for the club: Lake Lucerne Water Sports Club (Wassersport-Club Vierwaldstättersee). The Central Switzerland Motorboat Club (Motorbootclub Zentralschweiz) was established in 1980 and the Hergiswil Water Sports Club (Wassersportclub Hergiswil) in 1986. SchweizMobil has created a canoe tour across Lake Lucerne between Brunnen and Gersau. Due to the wind in the Reuss Valley, the southern part of Lake Uri between the campground at Gruonbachstrand in Flüelen and Isleten is a center of windsurfing.

 

Diving

 

There are about ten places where you can dive without a boat in Lake Lucerne. The water is rather chilly all year round and therefore mostly very clear. In Lake Uri, at Sisikon, one can dive to a fragmented steep vertical wall, at the northern portal of the Schieferneggtunnel. The Lediwrack Bruno lies in front of Brunnen at a depth of 15 meters. Other well-known diving spots are in front of Vitznau, Weggis, Gersau and Hergiswil.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Stanserhorn is a mountain in Switzerland, located in the canton of Nidwalden near to the border with Obwalden, with the peak at 1,898 metres (6,227 ft) above sea level.

 

It is a popular tourist destination, which can be reached from the adjacent town of Stans by a funicular railway and cable car, or via walking routes from Stans or Dallenwil.

 

History

 

The first public transport route to the peak was started in 1891 and completed in 1893, a three section funicular railway. The builders were the business partners Franz Josef Bucher-Durrer and Josef Durrer-Gasser.

 

The first section started from Stans town, through the low pastures above the town and over three level crossings, to an intermediate station at Kälti (also sometimes spelt Chälti). The second section continued through forest to another intermediate station at Bluematt (also sometimes spelt Blumatt), then the third section crossed the high pastures and the exposed slope leading up to the summit station and hotel. This third section included a 160 metres (520 ft) long tunnel and a number of avalanche protection walls; the final section of it was carried on a stone embankment. Each section was electrically powered (making it one of the world's first electrically powered mountain railways), with the complete trip to the summit taking 45 minutes.

 

The railway ran a tourist service until 1970, when on the night of the 2/3 October the funicular cable was struck by lightning. This started a fire which destroyed the summit hotel and the driving engine for the third section in its basement. As a result of this, and also the imminent expiry of the concession, the second funicular section stopped operating in 1974. Part of the driving engine of this section can be seen today outside the summit buildings, while parts of two cars can still be seen at the former Bluematt station.

 

A new cable car was built to replace the two upper funicular sections, which started operation in May 1975. The first funicular section continued in operation, as it does to this day.

 

In 2001 a revolving restaurant was built at the summit station, and in 2003 an outside observation deck was added.

 

In 2010 construction work started on a new cable car to replace the 1975 installation. This was to be a new design, the world's first "CabriO" double deck open top cable car, built by Garaventa. Carrying 60 passengers per cabin with room for 30 on the open deck, passengers are able to observe the mountain scenery as well as the cable and engineering installations during the six-minute journey. While this new cable car was being built, the first funicular section and its original wooden cars were renovated. The final run of the former cable car was on 23 October 2011;[8] the renovated funicular and new "CabriO" were opened on 29 June 2012.

 

Visiting

 

he funicular railway and cable car normally run daily from mid-April to mid-November.

 

The journey to the top starts in Stans town at the original 1893 bottom station (450 metres (1,480 ft) elevation), close to Stans railway station on the Luzern-Engelberg line. The journey, on the original wooden funicular wagons, takes 9 minutes to the Kälti intermediate station (714 metres (2,343 ft) altitude). From here the "CabriO" cable car takes 61⁄4 minutes to the summit station (1,850 metres (6,070 ft) altitude). The cable car closely follows the route of the original second and third stage funiculars, and the remains of the track and the Bluematt station can still be seen.

 

The summit buildings include a self-service restaurant, three meeting/dining rooms, a souvenir shop, and a sun terrace and observation deck.

 

From the summit buildings, a round trip walk is available around the summit (30 minutes), or to the peak at 1,898 metres (6,227 ft) altitude. From the peak, on a clear day, as well as the mountains around there are views as far as Alsace and the Black Forest in Germany. Ten lakes in total are visible: the Zugersee, Wichelsee, Vierwaldstättersee, Sempachersee, Sarnersee, Hallwilersee, Gerzensee, Bannalpsee, Baldeggersee and Alpnachersee.

 

A variety of hiking trail routes are available down to Bluematt-Kälti-Stans, Ahornhütte-Büren, Wiesenberg-Dallenwil, or Wirzweli-Wolfenschiessen. The routes to/from the summit are closed in winter or in bad weather.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Vierwaldstättersee (französisch Lac des Quatre-Cantons; italienisch Lago dei Quattro Cantoni, Lago di Lucerna; rätoromanisch Lai dals Quatter Chantuns) ist ein von Bergen der Voralpen umgebener Alpenrandsee in der Zentralschweiz. Er liegt auf dem Gebiet der Kantone Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden (d. h. Nid- und Obwalden) und Luzern. Die grössten Orte am Ufer sind Luzern, Küssnacht, Horw und Brunnen. Der See ist 114 km² gross, liegt auf einer Höhe von 433 m ü. M. und ist 214 m tief. Da es sich um einen charakteristischen Zungenbeckensee mit mehreren Zweigbecken handelt, ist die Uferlänge im Bezug zur Seefläche mit etwa 150 km relativ gross.

 

Name

 

Seinen Namen hat der Vierwaldstättersee von den vier an ihn angrenzenden Waldstätten (heutige Kantone). Bis ins 16. Jahrhundert wurde die Bezeichnung Luzerner See verwendet.

 

Entstehung

 

Der Vierwaldstättersee entstand in den Eiszeiten, u. a. der letzten Eiszeit, durch Erosion des Reussgletschers. Der See bildete sich als Gletscherrandsee am Ende der Eiszeit vor rund 12'000 Jahren. Im Gletschergarten Luzern zeigt eine Dokumentation die Geschichte der Alpen, der Eiszeiten und der Gletscher in den Zentralalpen.

 

Geographie

 

Zufluss

 

Die Hauptzuflüsse des Vierwaldstättersees sind die Reuss mit der Einmündung bei Flüelen und Seedorf, die Engelberger Aa bei Buochs, die Sarner Aa bei Alpnachstad und die Muota bei Brunnen. Die Reuss fliesst mit einem starken Gefälle aus dem Gotthardmassiv und führt grosse Mengen Geschiebe mit sich, so dass sich das Reussdelta im Laufe der Zeit um 10 km nach Norden in den Urnersee hinein erweitert hat.

 

Im Urnersee im Bereich des Reussdeltas zwischen Flüelen und Seedorf wurde von 2001 bis 2005 mit dem Ausbruchmaterial des Umfahrungstunnels Flüelen und des Gotthard-Basistunnels der Seegrund teilweise wieder aufgeschüttet. Es entstanden Flachwasserzonen, die durch den Kiesabbau verschwunden waren, und einige neue Inseln: die Neptuninseln und die Inselgruppe Lorelei. Einige der Inseln sind Vogelschutzgebiet. Im Naturschutzgebiet erlaubt der Reussdeltaturm die Beobachtung der Fauna.

 

Kleinere in den Vierwaldstättersee einmündende Gewässer sind der Gruonbach, der Isitaler Bach, der Riemenstaldnerbach, der Cholbach von Emmetten, der Lielibach bei Beckenried, der Teuffibach, der Melbach, die Kleine Schliere bei Alpnachstad, zehn Bäche am Ostabhang des Pilatus (darunter Mülibach, Steinibach bei Horw, Widenbach, Fridbach, Feldbach und Steinibach bei Hergiswil) und der Würzenbach in Luzern.

 

Gliederung

 

Der Vierwaldstättersee besteht aus mehreren Seebecken und Buchten:

 

Der Urnersee erstreckt sich von der Einmündung der Reuss bei Seedorf 11 km in nördlicher Richtung bis nach Brunnen

Der Gersauer See (auch Gersauer Becken oder Gersauerbecken) führt 14 km von Ost nach West von Brunnen nach Ennetbürgen, wo die Engelberger Aa in den See mündet. In der Mitte zwischen Beckenried und Gersau erreicht der See mit 214 m Tiefe seine tiefste Stelle.

Der Chrüztrichter (Kreuztrichter) bildet im Westen des Weggiser Beckens das eigentliche Zentrum des nördlichen Seeteils. Von ihm zweigen vier Hauptarme (Trichter) ab:

Das Weggiserbecken (östlicher Arm des Kreuztrichters) liegt südlich von Weggis und verläuft von Ost nach West. Es führt zwischen Hertenstein im Norden und dem Bürgenstock im Süden hin zur Seemitte. Es wird auch Vitznauerbecken genannt.

Der Stanser Trichter (südwestlicher Arm des Kreuztrichters). Im Südwesten davon liegen

die Horwerbucht und

der Alpnachersee, der zwischen Acheregg und Stansstad durch eine nur 100 Meter breite Engstelle, über die eine Brücke führt, vom restlichen See abgetrennt wird und am Südfuss des Pilatus liegt.

der Küssnachtersee (nordöstlicher Arm aus dem Kreuztrichter) zweigt zwischen Hertenstein und Meggenhorn in nordöstlicher Richtung nach Küssnacht, am Nordrand des Rigimassivs gelegen, ab.

der relativ kurze Luzernersee (auch Luzerner Bucht) ist zugleich nordwestlicher Arm des Kreuztrichters und Schlussteil des Sees. Er verläuft nach Nordwesten nach Luzern.

Abfluss

In Luzern verlässt die Reuss den See, kontrolliert mit einem Regulierwehr, und fliesst durch das Mittelland zur Aare.

 

Strömungen

 

Durch das verhältnismässig warme Wasser der Reuss und den Föhn, der das Wasser ständig umschichtet, ist der Urnersee am Grund wärmer und leichter als das Wasser im Gersauer Becken. Durch diesen Temperaturunterschied strömen jeden Frühling gewaltige Wassermassen vom Gersauer Becken in die Tiefen des Urnersees. Ähnliche Tiefenwasserströmungen bestehen auch vom Alpnachersee in das Gersauer Becken.

 

Wasserqualität und Temperaturen

 

Das Wasser bleibt durchschnittlich dreieinhalb Jahre im Seebecken und hat Trinkwasserqualität. Die Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Limnologie der Eawag überwacht die Wasserqualität. Im Sommer erreicht der See eine Temperatur von 22 °C. 1929 und 1963 froren der Alpnachersee und die Luzerner Bucht zu. Aus dem 17. und 19. Jahrhundert sind Vereisungen des ganzen Vierwaldstättersees dokumentiert. 1684 und 1685 konnte das Gersauer Becken auf dem Eis überquert werden.

 

Klima und Vegetation

 

Das Klima rund um den föhnbegünstigten und von Bergen geschützten Vierwaldstättersee ist im Vergleich zu anderen Regionen der deutschsprachigen Schweiz relativ mild; die Vegetation gleicht zum Teil derjenigen des Kantons Tessin. Die mittlere Tageshöchst-/-tiefsttemperatur beträgt in Luzern 2,6 °C (Januar) und 23,5 °C (Juli). In Altdorf südlich des Sees liegen die Werte bei 3,9 °C (Januar) und 23,0 °C im Juli (Klimamittel der Jahre 1961–1990). An den Seeufern wachsen Hanfpalmen, Feigen, Yuccas, Zypressen, Opuntien, Edelkastanien und andere südländische Pflanzenarten.

 

Die Edelkastanien wurden bis ins 19. Jahrhundert wirtschaftlich als Nahrungsmittel genutzt. Mit der Verbreitung der Kartoffel nahm die Bedeutung der Kastanie jedoch ab. Noch heute findet in Greppen regelmässig ein Kastanienmarkt, die sogenannte Chestene-Chilbi statt. An den Marktständen werden Kastanienprodukte und regionale Spezialitäten angeboten.

 

Naturgefahren

 

Hochwasser in Luzern August 2005

 

Nach dem Erdbeben vom 18. September 1601 entstanden Tsunamis im Vierwaldstättersee mit vermutlich bis zu 4 Meter hohen Flutwellen. Ein weiteres solches Ereignis soll im Jahr 1687 stattgefunden haben. Auch vom Genfersee ist ein Binnentsunami-Ereignis aus dem Jahr 563 bekannt, und vom Lauerzersee aus dem Jahr 1806.

 

Die Folgen der allgemeinen Erderwärmung in den Alpen werden auch für den Vierwaldstättersee und seine Umgebung diskutiert. Das Hochwasser 2005 mit diversen Muren und Erdrutschen könnte als Warnsymptom verstanden werden.

 

Seit 1861 wird der Wasserspiegel des Vierwaldstättersees durch die Reusswehranlage in Luzern etwa zwei bis drei Meter über dem natürlichen mittleren Wasserstand gehalten.

 

Verkehr

 

Schifffahrt

 

Auf dem See verkehren die Schiffe der Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees (SGV) zu den zahlreichen Schiffstationen. Bis zum Bau der Axenstrasse in den Jahren 1863 bis 1865 war der Wasserweg die einzige aus dem Norden mögliche Verbindung zum Kanton Uri, zum Gotthardpass und damit auch der einzige Weg von den Städten im Nordwesten Europas nach Mailand und zu den italienischen Häfen am Mittelmeer. Das gilt auch für die Pilgerwege des Mittelalters nach Rom. Noch heute verkehren auf dieser Strecke die grossen Raddampfer der SGV Stadt Luzern (das Flaggschiff der SGV) Uri, Unterwalden, Gallia und Schiller.

 

Autofähre Beckenried–Gersau

 

Zwischen Beckenried und Gersau verkehrt die Autofähre Beckenried–Gersau. Auf dem See fahren ausserdem Lastschiffe privater Transportunternehmen.

 

Beim Zusammenstoss des Nauens Schwalmis mit dem Motorschiff Schwalbe vor Horw starben am 12. Oktober 1944 zwanzig Gäste einer 33-köpfigen Hochzeitsgesellschaft aus der Region Entlebuch. Die Unfallursache konnte nicht restlos geklärt werden. Es war das bislang grösste Unglück der Schweiz mit einem motorisierten Schiff.

 

Strasse und Schiene

 

Seit dem Bau der Gotthardstrasse, der Gotthardbahn (Eröffnung 1882), der Gotthardautobahn (1982) und der Eisenbahnschnellfahrstrecken von AlpTransit (NEAT) zum Gotthard-Basistunnel (2016) tangieren grosse internationale Verkehrswege die Gegend um den Vierwaldstättersee. In Flüelen wechselten vor dem Bau der Eisenbahn die Reisenden von den Bergpässen vom Maultier oder der Postkutsche auf das Schiff. Am östlichen Ufer führt die Axenstrasse mit vielen Tunnels und Galerien von Flüelen über Sisikon nach Brunnen. Sie ist Bestandteil der A4. Die Bahnlinie führt mehrheitlich unterirdisch von Flüelen nach Brunnen. Auf dem Weg nach Küssnacht erinnern alte, restaurierte Hotelbauten an die Zeit des frühen Tourismus im 19. Jahrhundert.

 

Zwischen Hergiswil und Stansstad führen Strassenbrücken (Kantonsstrasse und Autobahn A2) und eine Eisenbahnbrücke der Luzern-Stans-Engelberg-Bahn bei der Lopper-Halbinsel über eine Landenge im See.

 

Der 1991 auf alten Verkehrswegen angelegte Wanderweg mit der Bezeichnung Weg der Schweiz führt rund um den südlichsten Teil des Sees, den Urnersee.

 

Luftverkehr

 

Zwischen Buochs und Ennetbürgen bei Stans liegt der Flugplatz Buochs, der früher fast nur von der Schweizer Armee und den Pilatus-Flugzeugwerken benutzt wurde. Heute steht der Flugplatz dem zivilen Flugverkehr offen. Der Militärflugplatz Alpnach wird von der Schweizer Armee als Helikopterbasis genutzt.

 

Hängegleiter und Gleitschirme nutzen bei geeignetem Wetter die Thermik der Felswände über den steilen Ufern des Sees. Die beliebtesten Fluggebiete für Gleitschirme um den Vierwaldstättersee sind der Pilatus, die Rigi, das Gebiet von Emmetten, das Stanserhorn und das ganze Engelbergertal. Beim Fliegen sind die Kontrollzonen der Flugplätze Alpnach, Buochs und Emmen zu beachten.

 

Geschichte

 

Zu den frühesten menschlichen Spuren am See gehörten die neolithischen Seeufersiedlungen aus dem 5. bis 4. Jahrtausend v. Chr. bei Stansstad-Kehrsiten. Zahlreiche Ortsnamen weisen auf eine keltische, später gallorömische Besiedlung hin. In Alpnach fand sich eine römische Villa. Spätestens im 7. Jahrhundert liessen sich Alemannen nieder.

 

Am Ausfluss der Reuss entstand im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert die Stadt Luzern, rund um den See die Länderorte Uri, Schwyz und Unterwalden. Diese erlangten die Hoheit über das sie verbindende Gewässer bis hin zur Seemitte, sieht man von der Fläche in der Verlängerung des Bürgenbergs bis vor Hertenstein ab. Diese gelangte 1378 zusammen mit dessen Nordflanke an Luzern. Dennoch kam es bis 1967 – zwischen Nidwalden und Luzern – zu Auseinandersetzungen um Fischereirechte und Grenzstreitigkeiten. Da es extrem schwierig war, Strassen um den See zu bauen, war das Gewässer zugleich eine Hauptverkehrsader.

 

Kirchlich bildete der Raum vom Hochmittelalter bis 1821 das Dekanat Luzern bzw. das Vierwaldstätterkapitel im Bistum Konstanz. Danach wurde der Raum auf die Bistümer Chur und Basel aufgeteilt. Über den See oder an ihm entlang führten früher Pilgerwege nach Rom. Auch der westwärts nach Santiago de Compostela führende Jakobsweg führt von Einsiedeln nach Brunnen. Von hier führt er weiter westlich mit dem Schiff nach Luzern oder über den Alpnachersee nach Süden zum Brünigpass.

 

Im Gegensatz zum offenen See, auf dem frei gefischt werden durfte, gehörten die Uferstreifen zur Gemeinmarch der Siedlungsgenossen. Nur ihre Fischer durften dort ausfahren. Daneben bestanden herrschaftliche Rechte wie die Fischämter von St. Leodegar in Luzern. Aus derlei Organisationsformen gingen etwa 1465 die Luzerner Rohrgesellen oder 1607 die St.-Niklausen-Bruderschaft von Stansstad hervor. Auch hier konnten Fischereirechte zu heftigen Auseinandersetzungen führen, wie 1655 zwischen Luzern und Nidwalden. Statuten für den Fischmarkt finden sich in Luzern schon im ältesten Ratsbüchlein (um 1318).

 

Nach der Helvetik wurde die Fischerei in allen Orten zu einem Hoheitsrecht der Kantone. 1890 schlossen sich die Kantone zum Fischereikonkordat Vierwaldstättersee zusammen. Noch Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts beschäftigten 27 Betriebe rund 40 Vollzeitarbeitskräfte.

 

Der regionale Markt mit Luzern als Mittelpunkt und der Verkehr über den Gotthard führten zum Aufbau eines Transportwesens. In Flüelen wurde 1313 ein Reichszoll erwähnt, Anfang des 14. Jahrhunderts sind in Luzern Lagerhäuser bezeugt, ähnlich wie in anderen Orten.

 

Im 17. Jahrhundert bestanden in Alpnach fünf Fahrrechte, in Brunnen arbeiteten 60 Schiffsleute. 1687 kam es zum Abschluss eines Schifffahrtsvertrags, der bis ins 19. Jahrhundert Bestand hatte. 1837 begann die Dampfschifffahrt, 1870 entstand die Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees. Sie verdrängte die lokalen Schifffahrtsgenossenschaften. Ab 1859 entstand im Einzugsgebiet des Sees ein Eisenbahn-, Bergbahn- und Strassennetz, was den Tourismus stark anwachsen liess und eine entsprechende Infrastruktur hervorbrachte. Ab Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts wurde die Sand- und Kiesgewinnung zu einem expandierenden Industriezweig.

 

1859–1860 wurde mit dem Bau des Luzerner Nadelwehrs die Basis für eine Regulierung des Wasserpegels gelegt. Zugleich belasteten Kiesabbau, das Wachstum der Orte und der unkontrollierte Häuserbau, dazu Gewässerverschmutzung und Wassersport den See. Daher entstand 1916 das Hydrobiologische Laboratorium (1960 in die ETH Zürich integriert), das im Bereich des Gewässerschutzes tätig wurde und bis heute die Kantone berät. 1953 wurde der Gewässerschutz in der Bundesverfassung verankert, aber erst das revidierte Gewässerschutzgesetz von 1971 ermöglichte es schliesslich die Sanierung des Sees bis 1987 voranzutreiben. Bereits ab 1980 versorgten sich Luzern, Bürgenstock sowie Küssnacht, Horw und Weggis mit Trinkwasser aus dem See. 1973 setzten die Uferkantone einen Landschaftsschutzplan in Kraft, dessen Umsetzung der 1984 gegründete Landschaftsschutzverband Vierwaldstättersee vorantreibt.

 

Kulturelle und historische Eigenheiten des Seegebietes sind der Kommunalismus, die eigenständige Rezeption der italienischen Renaissance und des Barock oder der Einfluss der Gegenreformation, aber auch die Kleinräumigkeit des lokalen Brauchtums und der Mundarten.

 

Tourismus

 

Fremdenverkehr

 

Auf dem Weg in den Süden entdeckten Engländer die Bergwelt der Innerschweiz. Es entstanden mehrere Kur- und Badeorte wie Weggis oder Gersau. 1871 eröffnete man die allererste Zahnradbahn Europas, die Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn. 1889 baute man von Alpnachstad auf den Pilatus die heute immer noch steilste Zahnradbahn der Welt. Einen Aufstieg auf die Rigi beschrieb Mark Twain, was in den USA des 19. Jahrhunderts zum Aufblühen des Schweizer Tourismus führte. Auf dem Vierwaldstättersee verkehrt mit fünf Dampfschiffen eine der grössten Dampfschiffflotten Europas.

 

In der Umgebung des Sees und auf Terrassen in mittlerer Höhe (wie z. B. Morschach und Seelisberg) liegen zahlreiche Tourismusorte. Attraktive Aussichtsberge nahe am Vierwaldstättersee sind die Rigi, der Pilatus, der Bürgenstock, das Stanserhorn, das Buochserhorn, die beiden Mythen, der Uri Rotstock und der Fronalpstock. Die meisten davon sind mit Bergbahnen erreichbar, die teilweise ihre Talstation in der Nähe von Schiffstationen am See haben.

 

Am See befinden sich zahlreiche Örtlichkeiten mit Bedeutung in der Schweizer Kultur- und Tourismusgeschichte: Rütli, Tellsplatte, Tellskapelle, Schnitzturm von Stansstad, Neu-Habsburg, Schillerstein, Treib, Astrid-Kapelle (Küssnacht) und Schloss Meggenhorn.

 

Wassersport

 

In den einzelnen Seebereichen sind wegen den Wasser- und den Windverhältnissen verschiedene Sportarten möglich.Von Boots- und Yachthäfen, See- und Strandbädern (z. B. das 1929 von Arnold Berger gebaute Strandbad Lido in Luzern) und von andern Uferabschnitten aus ist der See zugänglich. 1881 wurde der See-Club Luzern gegründet, der heute der grösste Ruderclub der Schweiz ist, 1904 der Ruderclub Reuss Luzern. Seit 1941 besteht der Yachtclub Luzern, der am Churchill-Quai in Luzern seit 1966 ein Bootshaus und ein Bojenfeld betreibt. Der im Jahr 1958 gebildete Wassersportclub Brunnen führte in den ersten Jahren seines Bestehens auf dem Vierwaldstättersee internationale Motorbootrennen und Wasserskimeisterschaften durch. 1965 wählte der Verein den neuen Namen Wassersport-Club Vierwaldstättersee. 1980 entstand der Motorbootclub Zentralschweiz, 1986 der Wassersportclub Hergiswil. SchweizMobil hat eine Kanutour über den Vierwaldstättersee zwischen Brunnen und Gersau beschrieben. Der südliche Teil des Urnersees zwischen dem Campingplatz am Gruonbachstrand in Flüelen und Isleten ist wegen des Windes im Reusstal ein Zentrum des Windsurfens.

 

Tauchsport

 

Es gibt etwa zehn Plätze, an denen man ohne Boot im Vierwaldstättersee tauchen kann. Das Wasser ist ganzjährig eher kühl und deshalb meist sehr klar. Die zerklüftete Steilwand bei Sisikon, am nördlichen Portal des Schieferneggtunnels, kann man seit einem Erdrutsch und dem Verschütten eines Parkplatzes, der auch als Einstieg genutzt wurde, nicht mehr von Land aus betauchen. Vor Brunnen liegt das Lediwrack Bruno auf 15 Meter Tiefe. Weiter bekannte Tauchplätze liegen vor Vitznau, Weggis, Gersau und Hergiswil.

 

Wirtschaft

 

In mehreren Gemeinden am Vierwaldstättersee befinden sich an den leicht zugänglichen Bergflanken im Uferbereich seit Jahrhunderten Steinbrüche, die teilweise noch heute genutzt werden. Das Gestein gelangt auf dem Seeweg kostengünstig zu Verbrauchern oder Bahnhöfen. Die auffälligen Eingriffe in die Naturlandschaft stiessen schon früh auf Kritik seitens der Landschaftschutzorganisationen. 1930 wies ein Bericht auf die Zunahme der Grossanlagen hin: «Zwei Steinbrüche [liegen] im Urner See zwischen Seedorf und Isleten, vier zwischen Beckenried und Treib, einer in der Matt unter dem Bürgenstock, einer zwischen Kehrsiten und Stansstad, fünf im Alpnachersee, einer am Lopperberg zwischen Stansstad und Hergiswil, einer bei Greppen, einer zwischen Vitznau und Gersau, zwei zwischen Gersau und Brunnen». Bei Kehrsiten am Bürgenstock baut die Holcim in einem Schotterwerk harten Kieselkalk ab, der auch in den Brüchen Schwibogen und Rotzloch gewonnen wird, während vier andere Nidwaldner Steinbrüche im Uferbereich aufgelassen sind. Der Landschaftschutzverband Vierwaldstättersee begleitet die Entwicklung einzelner Steinbruchprojekte.

 

Seit 1891 baut das Unternehmen Arnold & Co. Sand- und Kieswerk AG bei Flüelen mit Schwimmbaggern Kies aus dem Schwemmfächer vor dem Delta der Reuss ab, wofür sie dem Kanton Uri Konzessionsgebühren entrichtet. Heute sind nur noch der vierte und fünfte Schwimmbagger aus den 1950er und 1960er Jahren in umgebautem Zustand im Einsatz. Die Flotte der Arnold + Co. AG umfasst etwa fünfzehn Nauen. Zwischen 2001 und 2005 legte das Unternehmen im Urnersee mit Schutt aus dem NEAT-Stollen Amsteg und der Umfahrung Flüelen sechs Inseln an.

 

Auch bei Beckenried und anderen Stellen wird vor den Flussmündungen Kies abgebaut.

 

Mitte April 1957 wurde ein Telefonkabel von Spissenegg nach Stansstad im See verlegt. Die Teilverkabelung des Vierwaldstättersees hatte zwei Gründe: Die damalige Bezirkskabelanlage war durch den Bau des neuen Autobahnabschnittes Horw-Stans erheblich gefährdet. Der Schutz der Kabel hätte aber zu kostspieligen Sicherungsmassnahmen geführt. Da die Seekabellegung in diesem Fall preiswerter und der Bedarf an zusätzlichen Leitungen gross war, bewilligte die Telefondirektion in Bern das Projekt.

 

100 Jahre zuvor, 1854, wurde exakt auf dieser Strecke das erste, in den Telegrafenwerkstätten in Bern eigens hergestellte Seetelefonkabel verlegt. Es diente zur Verbindung der anschliessenden oberirdischen Telegrafenlinien Luzern-Brünig-Interlaken.

 

Belastung mit Munition

 

Zwischen 1918 und 1967 entsorgten Schweizer Munitionsfabriken ihre Produktionsabfälle im Vierwaldstätter-, Brienzer- sowie Thunersee. Die Gesamtmenge, welche in bis zu 200 Metern Tiefe im Vierwaldstättersee versenkt wurde, wird auf 3'300 Tonnen geschätzt, 2'800 Tonnen im Urnersee sowie 500 Tonnen im Gersauer Becken.

 

Namensverwandtschaften

 

Der Jacobiweiher im Stadtwald von Frankfurt am Main wird im Volksmund seiner Form wegen Vierwaldstättersee genannt.

Auch ein künstlicher See im Zoo Berlin wird aus dem gleichen Grund Vierwaldstättersee genannt.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das Stanserhorn ist ein 1897 m ü. M. hoher Berg im Schweizer Kanton Nidwalden, der Hausberg von Stans und liegt in den Urner Alpen an der Grenze zum Kanton Obwalden.

 

Geographie

 

Das Stanserhorn liegt zwischen den Ortschaften Stans, Ennetmoos, Kerns, Dallenwil und Oberdorf, südlich des Vierwaldstättersees und somit (gemäss SOIUSA) in den Unterwaldner Voralpen. An der Südostflanke des Stanserhorns liegt auf einer Höhe von 1226 m ü. M. der kleine Ferienort Wirzweli.

 

Die Rundsicht reicht von den nahen Alpengipfeln bis hin zu den Vogesen im Elsass (Frankreich) und zum Feldberg im Schwarzwald (Deutschland). Dazwischen sind zehn grössere Seen auszumachen: Zugersee, Wichelsee, Vierwaldstättersee, Sempachersee, Sarnersee, Hallwilersee, Gerzensee, Bannalpsee, Baldeggersee und Alpnachersee.

 

Erschliessung

 

Die beiden Bergbahnpioniere Franz Josef Bucher-Durrer und Josef Durrer-Gasser begannen im Juni 1891 mit dem Bau der Stanserhorn-Bahn, die wegen der grossen Streckenlänge von knapp 4 km in drei getrennten Standseilbahn-Sektionen von Stans über Kälti und Alp Blumatt auf den Gipfel führte. Die Bahn wurde am 23. August 1893 eröffnet, gleichzeitig mit dem ebenfalls neu errichteten Hotel Stanserhorn Kulm. 1895 wurde auf dem Gipfel ein elektrischer Scheinwerfer mit der «Kraft von 22'000 Normalkerzen» installiert, um damit auf das Stanserhorn als Attraktion aufmerksam zu machen. Durch einen Kurzschluss in der Station Blumatt wurde am 2. Oktober 1970 ein Brand ausgelöst, wodurch der Antrieb der 3. Sektion, das Hotel und das Scheinwerferaggregat zerstört wurden. Anstatt des Hotels wird seitdem ein Restaurant auf dem Gipfel betrieben.

 

Nachdem 1974 der Betrieb der Standseilbahn eingestellt worden war, wurde 1975 die Luftseilbahn Kälti–Stanserhorn eröffnet, die nun zusammen mit der ursprünglichen 1. Sektion den Berg erschloss. Seit 2012 kann man mit der doppelstöckigen «CabriO-Bahn» auf das Stanserhorn fahren. Das offene Oberdeck der Seilbahnkabine kann während der Fahrt über eine Wendeltreppe erreicht werden, die Kabine fasst 60 Personen, das Oberdeck davon 30.

 

Als Touristenattraktion wurde 2001 das Drehrestaurant Rondorama eröffnet. Von der sich im Innern des Gebäudes drehenden Plattform hat man eine Rundsicht auf die umliegenden Berge und Seen. Ein Murmeltiergehege und ein ausgeschilderter Gipfelrundgang von rund 30 Minuten ergänzen das Angebot auf dem Stanserhorn, das auch als 5-Sterne-Berg und Faulenzer-Berg vermarktet wird. Auf der Route vom Stanserhorn zur Wirzweli befindet sich der Geo-Weg (Bergwanderung im Schwierigkeitsgrad T2 gemäss SAC-Wanderskala), der gemeinsam durch die Organisationen Nidwaldner Wanderwege, Pro Natura und WWF Unterwalden realisiert wurde.

 

Das Stanserhorn wird von Drachenfliegern und Gleitschirmpiloten benutzt, es gilt als Hausberg des grössten und ältesten noch aktiven Drachenfliegerclubs der Schweiz, des Deltaclubs Stans. An sonnigen Tagen – vor allem an den Wochenenden – finden von April bis Oktober jeweils um die Mittagszeit viele Starts statt.

 

(Wikipedia)

The classic Mini was introduced in 1959. During the first years the Austin version was called Seven. This one has some later additions like the black wheel arches.

Stunning new additions to the Blackpool fleet are ten of these buses such as 407 (SN16OVH) painted in the company's new livery. These are the first brand new double-deckers for the company since a batch of East Lancs bodied Alexander Dennis Tridents came in 2006 - incidentally these were some of the last Tridents built before production switched to the then new Enviro 400.

 

Blackpool has been upgrading its fleet and introduced the 'Palladium' brand to specify services run with higher quality vehicles. It was first introduced on a batch of Mercedes-Benz Citaro's bought in 2015 and since then has been expanded to include a batch of Plaxton Centro bodied Volvo B7RLE, which until the Merc's were the fleets newest buses and which arrived in 2010.

 

However, for double-deckers it has bought something very different. This was a batch of the first single-door pure diesel Enviro 400 City buses for a UK-operator. The Enviro 400 City is a variant of the MMC which uses some New Routemaster styling cues. It was developed primarily for London and met Transport for London's desire to have more of the buses having a standard look. However, unlike the Wrightbus version - The SRM based Volvo B5LH - it is a distinctly ADL product. The SRM suffers - in my opinion - for looking too much like a New Routemaster and for the lack of a back window.

 

The ADL Enviro 400 City I feel is a better balanced design enhanced by the livery which follows the flow of the bus. Although launched as a hybrid it was always available as a pure diesel and has already achieved what the New Routemaster didn't as its attracted an order from a fleet outside London. Buses magazine reports that a further 25 are due to arrive in 2017.

another addition to my postcard like collections

 

I usually don't like doing edits of two similar pics, but this one had to be done. there is definitely enough reason to do both portrait and landscape shots from the Hancock as there's wayyyyyyyyyy to much to see from up there.

 

Corsindae pictured in 1961, when the slightly grubby looking harling we see today, was evidently still quite fresh!

 

According to Tranter, the first addition to the L-plan tower-house described under the previous photo, was the left-hand round tower, built in its re-entrant. I haven't seen a plan of the castle (MacGibbon & Ross didn't show much interest in it for some reason), but unsurprisingly, given its location, it contains a stair.

 

(Photo courtesy of www.canmore.org.uk )

Wild Black Bear Yearling in Ontario. (Graham)

 

I do not share exact locations. Our wildlife should be protected and when locations are shared these animals are put at risk. This is especially true with Black Bears. When bears are reported to authorities or MNR they are often shot even if they have done nothing and should not have been deemed a nuisance bear. In addition Ontario brought back the Spring Bear Hunt a couple of years ago and unfortunately it looks like it will continue. Please do not ask. Any comments "outing" the locations will be deleted....

 

All of my photographs/video are Copyright © Megan Lorenz, All Rights Reserved. They may not be used in whole or in part for artistic reference, blogged, reproduced, redistributed, copied or manipulated for commercial or personal use under any circumstances without a license and/or my written consent.

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