Discover Littau

Littau offers several distinct themes to consider when planning a trip: the history of technology along the Kleine Emme, art at Thorenberg, historic trails, church architecture and a coffee-roastery tour. If you are looking for a hotel in Littau, the main focus of your stay can be a good starting point for planning. The themes and activities differ depending on whether you prefer a nature trail, a historical trail or an insight into a production process.

Power station and art at Thorenberg

Thorenberg Power Station is a run-of-river power station on the Kleine Emme in the Littau district of Lucerne. It began operating in 1886 and is considered Switzerland’s first alternating-current power station to supply a power grid with both medium- and low-voltage levels. This connects a specific location on the Kleine Emme with the history of energy supply. At the fish ladder, a walkable metal grating offers the opportunity to observe individual fish.

The “Guardian of Thorenberg”, a rooster sculpture, stands on the Thorenberg Bridge. It was created as part of a 1958 competition for a sculpture on the newly built bridge and was unveiled in 1961. The finished sculpture is eleven metres tall and weighs around 60 tonnes. The competition, unveiling and measurements offer different points of reference for the work’s creation and scale.

Local history and church architecture

The “Littau History” historical trail is 2.5 kilometres long and includes nine information boards. It is free of charge and open all year round. The station titles include Littau Church, Littau Cemetery, Thorenberg Castle and Thorenberg Bridge. The trail thus focuses on several named historical stops rather than a single building.

The parish church of St. Theodul adds architectural history and a distinctive use of light to this theme. It was built in 1938–1939 to a design by Otto Dreyer. Its position on the edge of the slope separates Littau’s village centre from the valley of the Kleine Emme. Inside, indirect light through the tower windows creates a focal point in the otherwise windowless western end. The construction period, architect and interior design offer different ways to appreciate the church.

Trails through the landscape and Littau’s history

The Roterwald Nature Trail is a circular route with information boards about the landscape, geology and forest edge. Its focus is therefore on the landscape and its interpretation. If you are more interested in named historical places, the “Littau History” trail offers a different approach: its main points are stops such as the church, cemetery, castle and bridge. One trail combines a circular route with nature themes; the other links a series of historical stops with nine boards along a 2.5-kilometre route.

The Emmenuferweg offers another perspective on the trails through Littau. Its fourth and final stage runs from Malters via Littau to Emmenbrücke. The route passes directly by every BLS station on the Lucerne–Schüpfheim line. When planning, you can therefore choose between a circular route with information about the landscape and geology, a historical trail, and a stage with named endpoints.

A look inside coffee roasting

On the tour of Hochstrasser Kaffee AG’s roastery, you can learn more about production processes and the steps involved in roasting high-quality coffee. The tour also offers an insight into the world of coffee. Advance registration is required, so bear this in mind when planning. After the tour, you can buy fresh coffee at Hochstrasser Kaffee AG’s Coffee Competence Centre. The visit therefore includes both an insight into roasting and the opportunity to purchase coffee on site afterwards.

A historical note from 1839

A single date also adds to the picture of local history: in March 1839, a first exploratory tunnel was built in Littau. Later, during the period of mining, it served as an explosives store. These two phases of use record how the tunnel’s function changed over time.

Discover more destinations: Meierskappel, Root, Weggis, Dierikon, Gisikon, Schachen, Rigi Kaltbad, Greppen

For the main travel overview: Lucerne.