KKL Luzern (Culture and Convention Centre)

The KKL Luzern, the Culture and Convention Centre Lucerne, stands on the lakefront right beside the railway station and is the city's great modern landmark. It was designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel: the concert hall opened in 1998 and the complete building in 2000. Its most famous feature is the enormous, wafer-thin roof that juts out far beyond the walls towards the lake, sheltering a public terrace and framing views of the water, the old town and the mountains. Nouvel even brought the lake into the building, with channels of water running into the forecourt.

Inside, the main concert hall is regarded as one of the finest in the world for its acoustics, which were developed by the acoustician Russell Johnson and can be adjusted with movable canopies and echo chambers. It is the principal stage of the Lucerne Festival, whose summer season brings leading orchestras, conductors and soloists to the city, and it hosts concerts throughout the year, from symphony orchestras to jazz and popular music. The building also contains a smaller hall, conference rooms, restaurants and bars.

On the top floor, the Kunstmuseum Luzern presents changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, as well as works from its own collection, and its roof terrace offers one of the best views over Lucerne. Even without a ticket, it is worth walking under the overhanging roof and along the lakeside promenade, especially in the evening, when the building is lit and the old town glows across the water. Check the KKL and Lucerne Festival programmes in advance, as popular concerts sell out early.