Oesling
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Mountaineous and sparsely populated Oesling (or ”Éisleck” in Luxembourgish) is the region, which covers the northern part of Luxemburg and about 30 % of its territory. It is part of the Ardennes mountain range, and the region is well-known for its forests and hiking possibilities.
Significant towns in area
– Vianden
Appr. 1,800 residents. One of Luxembourg’s main tourist centres.
– Wiltz
Appr. 5,000 residents. Here is a magnificent castle, popular music festival in July, The International Scouting One Penny Monument dedicated to Robert Baden-Powell, and the National Brewery Museum.
– Clervaux
Appr. 4,700 residents. Deep valley of the river Clerve, The Benedictine Abbey of St. Maurice and St. Maur, and a castle.
Something to explore
Vianden Castle
Constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries, this pictoresque castle still defies the winds of Oesling uplands. The main parts of the castle which are preserved today, in particular the chapel and the small and large palaces, originate from the end of the 12th and the first half of the 13th century. Castle houses also a museum dedicated to French novelist Victor Hugo, who stayed in the town several times. Its restoration to its former glory begun in 1977 and now it is the part of the remains of Central European history.
Clervaux Castle
This lovely piece of history is dated back to the 12th century and it stands at a panoramic height of 365 metres on a rocky spur above the town of Clervaux. It houses the administrative offices of commune of Clervaux as well as a museum containing an exhibition of Edward Steichen’s photographs, ”The Family of Man”, and the Museum of the Battle of the Bulge exhibiting weapons and artifacts from the 1944-1945 Ardennes offensive. Guided tours are available.
Tourist Center Robbesscheier
This theme site in Munshausen depicts the old lifestyle of local mountaineers with 14 interactive workshops. Here a visitor gets introduced to e.g. the smithery of a blacksmith, beekeeping, and hay harvesting.
How to get in Oesling
There are train stations at Wiltz and Clervaux on the Liège-Luxembourg line. See the train timetables here.
To get in Vianden from Luxembourg City, one should take a train to Ettelbruck, and then jump on the 570 bus ( the bus station is next to the train station ). Vianden is the second to last stop on the route. See the bus timetables here.
Public transport is free of charge with the Luxembourg Card.
Top 5 in Oesling
- Hiking in the hillsides and forests of the Ardennes
- Enjoying the atmosphere of Vianden
- National Brewery Museum in Wiltz
- Clervaux Castle with the exhibitions
- Learning about old times in Tourist Center Robbesscheier
Text: Timo Hellman
Photos: With the CC licence / Johnny Chicago, Christophe.Finot, Gorup de Besanez, Bjalek Michal, Meffo[/fusion_text]
