Canton of Lucerne

The canton of Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland in the central, German-speaking part of the country, and its capital is the city of Lucerne. Its territory grew out of lands that the city of Lucerne acquired by treaty, armed occupation or purchase during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, beginning with Weggis in 1380 and later taking in towns such as Sursee, Willisau and Beromünster. Lucerne became the fourth member of the Swiss Confederation in 1332, the first town to join the rural forest cantons. The canton lies on the northern foothills of the Swiss Alps, and its highest point is the Brienzer Rothorn at 2,350 metres. It borders Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Zug, Aargau and Bern, and it is divided into six districts and 79 municipalities. At the end of 2020 its population was 416,347.