Wooden Bridge From Rapperswil To Hurden

The Wooden Bridge from Rapperswil to Hurden, the Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden, is a timber footbridge that crosses Lake Zurich at its narrowest point, between the town of Rapperswil on the St. Gallen shore and the village of Hurden on the Schwyz shore. It runs alongside the Seedamm causeway, which carries the road and railway, and offers a slow, car-free way across the water. At 841 metres it is among the longest wooden pedestrian bridges in Switzerland, and the crossing takes ten to fifteen minutes at a relaxed walking pace. The route is open all year and free to use.

There has been a crossing at this spot for a very long time, and archaeological finds point to wooden crossings in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. The first wooden bridge was built in the 14th century, by Duke Rudolf IV of Habsburg, and it served merchants, soldiers and pilgrims for centuries. It was part of the pilgrim road known as the Way of St. James, which leads from eastern Switzerland toward Einsiedeln and on to Santiago de Compostela, and walkers on that route have crossed here for generations. In the 19th century, after the Middle Ages and many repairs, the old wooden bridge was replaced by a solid embankment, and today’s bridge, opened in 2001, rebuilds the historic crossing in modern form. The planks and railings are new, but the line is the old one, and the bridge restores something that had been lost.

On the bridge you feel the width of the lake. To the west, the long main body of Lake Zurich stretches away toward the city of Zurich, and to the east lies the Obersee, with the Glarus Alps in the distance. Looking back to Rapperswil, you see the old town and the castle rising on their rock, a view that appears on many postcards, and in the evening the castle is lit. Water birds gather in the reeds beside the bridge, and the light on the water changes through the day and the seasons. In windy weather the bridge is exposed, so dress warmly, and in frost the planks can be slippery.

On the Hurden side, a short walk leads to a small village with a harbour and restaurants, and the lake path continues in both directions. A circular outing is easy: cross the bridge, walk along the shore, and return by train or boat. Cyclists may use the bridge, but they are asked to push their bikes when it is busy. The bridge starts near the Rapperswil harbour and station, so it links easily with the old town, the rose gardens, the castle and the Lake Zurich shore.

The bridge suits walkers, photographers, pilgrims and families. For the best light, go at sunrise or at sunset, when the water is calm and the colours are soft.