Staatsarchiv Luzern State Archives of the Canton of Lucerne

Overview

The Staatsarchiv Luzern (State Archives of Lucerne) is the official cantonal archive of the Swiss Canton of Lucerne. Located at Schützenstrasse 9 in the city of Lucerne, the archive secures, describes, and provides access to all archive-worthy records about the canton, from both cantonal institutions and private sources.

History and Founding

The State Archives of Lucerne have deep historical roots, with the archive's oldest holdings dating to the 13th century. The former archives building, constructed between 1729 and 1731 as a Jesuit grammar school on Bahnhofstrasse, served until the late 20th century when it reached capacity limits and developed security deficiencies. An open architectural competition in 1988/89 was held for a new building on Schützenstrasse; construction began in 1989 based on designs by Gassner Ziegler Partner Architekten. The new State Archives opened in 1993.

Collections and Holdings

The archive holds approximately 17,000 linear meters of state and non-state records and a library of about 40,000 volumes. Its catalogue provides access to over 810,000 archival units. Holdings are divided into four main groups: the administrative records of the city of Lucerne and the Swiss federal state (13th–18th centuries); documentation of cantonal administration and courts (since 1798); the archives of monasteries abolished in the 19th century; and the archives of private persons and institutions, including associations, political parties, and industrial or commercial enterprises. The private institutional archives include documents of Catholic organizations with a national scope across Switzerland. The archive also holds microfilm copies of parish records from approximately 1600 to 1875, many of which are available online.

Access and Usage

Archive material is accessible to all researchers, generally free of charge. The reading room is open Tuesday through Thursday, 08:00–17:15, and on the fourth Saturday of each month, 08:00–12:00. Short queries by mail, email, or phone are answered without charge; more extensive research may be billed per cantonal fee regulations.