The history of the «Adler»
The «Adler» has been part of the «Glasi» complex since 1994. You are dining in a place of great creative spirit, which is apparent most of all in our lovingly prepared dishes served on «Glasi»-made glassware. The gentle organic curves and shapes present a special challenge to our chefs, as they reveal the colours of the food and the handicraft of the master glass-blower at a glance.
Here at the «Adler», we stage surprisingly different interpretations of well-known classics and add a dash of fire to your plate.
1864
Brewery «Gasthaus zum Adler»
The «Taverne» sign above the front door of the «Adler» always creaked loudly, especially when the wind came rushing over the lake. The year was 1864. For the first time, approvals for 51 dining establishments and hotels were published in the official gazette for the canton of Nidwalden. The «Gasthaus zum Adler», with its own in-house brewery, was one of the establishments to receive approval. Its peers in Hergiswil – Brunni, Klimsenhorn, Löwen, Rössli-Bellevue, Schlüssel and Sternen – also served patrons with hearty fare. Locals enjoyed going to the «Adler». And it’s still true today; along with Sternen (now called Nabucco), it is the only dining establishment of that era to stay open for business through all these years.
Symbolically speaking, the name «Adler» («eagle» in German) was an apt choice: the tavern remains to this day a source of inspiration when it comes to friendly interaction between locals, «Glasi people» and visitors from all around the world.
1992
Restaurant fire on Swiss National Day
Ironically, it was a firework during Swiss National Day celebrations that caused the fire at «Gasthaus zum Adler» on 1 August 1992. The blaze destroyed part of the building, which had in recent years become a hotel as well. In 1994, Hergiswiler Glas AG purchased the «Adler». Those in charge had been making plans for the hotel for a long time, yet abandoned these plans in the face of the sale. Lucerne-based architecture firm Boog, Rudolf und Leuenberger started drawing up new plans from scratch with a view to creating beautiful architecture that made reference to the past while incorporating the future. «Glasi» converted the hotel rooms into accommodations for its Italian and Portuguese glass-workers and prioritised the existing restaurant.
Where «Glasi» is involved, glass must follow: For many years now, we’ve been perfecting what is today considered «elegant» – and that goes for service and glassware alike.
