Glasi Hergiswil

September 5, 2019

Rain was forecast so I decided to visit Glasi Hergiswil, the glass making factory.

My sister bought me a rain cape for this trip. It is light weight and folds up quite small and compact. It is terrific!!! I received a few compliments while I was on the train. Thank you MJ. I love it and it came in very handy today!

The train I was originally planning to take was 14 minutes late. So instead of heading toward Interlaken Ost, I took a train that was headed in the opposite direction. Either train would have gotten me to Hergiswil.

The Hergiswil Glass works has been in operation since 1817. The Siegwart brothers found an excellent location here for transporting hydroelectric power and merchandise. In 1975, the glass works were scheduled for closure. 

Automated glass production abroad almost forced the owners out of business. The glass producers, the town of Hergiswil and above all Roberto Niederer saved the works from closure. The artisan tradition was revived and combined with a now prevalent design. Today, over 100 glass makers are employed at the Glass works.

"Museums and Exhibitions The exhibition “Formed by Fire” tells the story of glass making and of the Hergiswil Glass works. Visitors are guided through a labyrinth of scenes by light and sound. The decorated sets of the individual rooms reflect the development of the craft in the Hergiswil Glass works and the economic ups and downs of the company. One can watch the glass makers as they produce the glass at the furnace, before continuing the tour through the exhibits “Glass Archives,” “Phenomenal Glass,” "ecnirP and ssecnirP" and "Flüeliglas".

A platform is built above so you can look down at the workers. It is a very, very, very hot noisy room but it is fun to look down and see them work.

Wow, 55 years working at Glasi!!!

I enjoyed "playing with glass" to make sounds.

The Glasi also has a museum and is home to the first glass labyrinth in Switzerland.

Glass Labyrinth  "This is an accessible and moving experience for the visitor that expresses the fascination associated with glass. Visitors are not just viewers - they are participants who immerse themselves in a world of glass." 

In the Hergiswil Glass works on Lake Luzern, near the City of Luzern, Switzerland’s first glass labyrinth has opened its doors. In an area spread over 99 square meters, visitors are guided by ultramodern light and sound effects along 77 glass panels. After entering this palace of glass the eyes need some time to get used to the dim light refracted in the glass walls. As the visitors head for the exit, they take care not to bump into anything. This work of art, which consists of light, sound and illusion, is an impressive experience. A tour takes from seven to fifteen minutes.