Vitznau is nestled between Lake Lucerne and the southern slope of the Rigi. The charming village benefits from its sheltered location. The mild climate allows palm trees and grapes to flourish.
Vitznau was originally part of the district of Weggis and not an independent municipality, which is why Vitznau's history is closely linked to that of Weggis. Vitznau separated politically from Weggis in 1799.
Europe's first mountain railway
The cog railway has been travelling tirelessly up the Queen of the Mountains since 1871.
"I want to take all the people up the mountains so that they can all enjoy the splendour of our sublime country!" exclaimed Riggenbach when he patented his invention of using a cogwheel and rack to guide trains up inclines in France in 1863. When the mountain railway pioneer Niklaus Riggenbach patented the cogwheel system, nobody could have predicted how quickly this system would spread in the following years.
Construction of the railway from Vitznau to Mount Rigi began in mid-September 1869. On Riggenbach's birthday, 21 May 1870, locomotive no. 1, the "Stadt Luzern", completed the first trial run on the 300 m long line in Vitznau. Europe's first mountain railway was officially opened on 21 May 1871. Riggenbach himself led the procession to Rigi Staffelhöhe, the terminus at the time.
With the commissioning of Europe's first cogwheel mountain railway, the Rigi Railways set a precedent and from then on expanded its rail network to include further routes using the cogwheel system. In the first half of the 20th century, the cogwheel railway was gradually electrified.
Today, the Rigi Railway still runs on the cogwheel system installed in 1871. The cogwheels and their technical equipment are lovingly maintained and restored on a daily basis. Regular inspections of the railway network and quality checks guarantee a safe journey and a ride as enjoyable as in 1871.