Root offers a direct connection to village history as well as trails through forests and rolling hills. At the heart of its cultural history is the Root Museum in the “Haus beim Brunnen,” a 17th-century Lucerne Tätschhaus (a traditional house with a hipped roof). Outdoors, options range from walking trails in Hasliwald to hiking and mountain biking routes on Rooterberg. If you are considering Root as a destination, you can first weigh up whether you would prefer your stay to focus on historic sites or time outdoors.

The Museum and Root’s Village History

One part of the museum is dedicated to Josef Stücheli (1892–1967), Root’s last itinerant shoemaker. His largely preserved estate conveys the everyday life of an independent craftsman shaped by poverty and hardship. This places a specific career and life story at the heart of the museum, alongside the history of the village.

Other topics explore different chapters in village life. The photo exhibition “Root Through the Ages” presents changes in photographs, while a separate exhibition explores the history of Root’s inns. The “Schniiderlilonzi-Haus” is one of the houses with its own story. It once housed Root’s first telephone exchange, a hair salon, a tailor’s workshop and a colonial goods shop—different uses under one roof.

The museum also includes Langjahr Film’s analogue film workshop, with editing tables, cameras and tape recorders. The collection is complemented by DVDs of interviews with contemporary witnesses, which can be viewed on site. Alongside photographs and stories of the houses, film technology and personal memories offer different ways to explore the local past.

Historic Sites in the Village and on Rooterberg

The ossuary, St. Martin’s Church, its porch and the fountain form a unified historic ensemble. St. Martin’s Church was consecrated on 4 November 1708. The Morgenrot Chapel offers a different perspective: it stands by a stream in the middle of the village and was built in 1888 to replace an older chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

On Rooterberg, a mountain church of granite and wood stands on the site of a mission cross erected in Carolingian times, around 1,400 years ago. The village and the mountain therefore offer different points of historical reference. When considering the religious buildings, you can distinguish between St. Martin’s precisely dated consecration, the construction of Morgenrot Chapel and the much older history of the mission cross.

Forest, River and Trails

Hasliwald extends south of the Perlen paper mill for about 1.5 kilometres northeast from Buchrain to the municipality of Root. Several walking trails lead to places including a biotope; there is also a Vita-Parcours fitness trail. Before heading out, check the trail’s condition and the state of the paths.

The banks and paths along the Reuss in Root are also a very popular local recreation area of importance to several municipalities. The river adds another landscape to the forests and hills, which you can take into account when choosing your activities.

Rooterberg has various hiking and mountain biking routes. The descent from Michaelskreuz to Root follows tracks, forest paths and meadow trails. At Michaelskapelle, a viewpoint and old lime trees invite you to linger. The Rontaler Höhenweg offers wide views over the valley and passes through forests and along scenic ridges. Its 14-kilometre route runs from Lucerne through Ebikon, Dierikon, Root and Gisikon to Honau; along the way, you’ll find barbecue spots, playgrounds and viewpoints.

Planning Your Stay

For a museum visit, the Root Museum is a ten-minute walk from Gisikon-Root station; bus route 23 also serves the Root Dorf stop. Check the current timetable before travelling. From Gisikon-Root, you can also return to Lucerne by bus or train; check the relevant timetable for this journey too.

If you are considering staying overnight in Root, your planned focus can help you decide whether it is the right place for you: the museum and historic religious buildings sit alongside walking trails in Hasliwald, the banks of the Reuss and routes on Rooterberg. This can help you decide whether you want your stay to focus mainly on village history, trails through the landscape or a combination of both.

Discover more destinations: Perlen, Weggis, Dierikon, Rigi Kaltbad, Schachen, Kriens, Ebikon, Meggen

Return to the main travel overview: Lucerne.