Luxembourg City
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The eponymous capital of Luxembourg is the charming mixture old and modern. It straddles the Alzette River, and has appr. 100,000 residents. In 2011, Luxembourg City was placed first for personal safety while it was ranked 19th for quality of living. It is known as the banking centre, and is a seat of several institutions of the European Union, including the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank. City has a large Wi-Fi network called HotCity.
During the Roman era, a fortified tower guarded the crossing of two roads that met at the site of Luxembourg city. Count Siegfried I of Ardennes acquired the feudal lands of Luxembourg in 963 and build a castle named Lucilinburhuc (“little castle”) on the site, where stand today the ruins of the Bock.
Significant areas
Ville Haute – the medieval Old Town.
Ville Basse – situated in the gorge of the Alzette River, is most picturesque area of the city.
Gare – the area of the train station. Here is many pubs and restaurants.
Kirchberg – Modern business area full of banks and European Union buildings
Recreation
Sofitel Hotel Bar and Restaurant (40 boulevard d´Avranches). One of the very finest panoramic views available of the city is to be found from the top floor bar of this building.
Shopping
Place Guillaume (also known in Luxembourgish as Knuedler) is the venue for a market every Wednesday and Saturday. Auchan hypermarket in Kirchberg area sells relatively cheap-priced products.
Something to explore
Chemin de la Corniche
Called “the most beautiful balcony of Europe”, this corniche is a remarkable outlook running on the Alzette valley on the ramparts, which have been built by the Spaniards and the French in the 17th century. It covers area from the Bock Promontory up to the lower part of the Holy Ghost Citadel. Offers a panoramic sight over the river valley, the city district of Grund and the Rham Plateau.
Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (Mudam)
This gorgeous museum of modern and contemporary art, at the address 3 Park Dräi Eechelen, is entirely created by artists within the site of old Fort Thüngen. Exhibition area is set on three floors and it inludes a café, shop and the documentation centre. Exhibitions depicts works by e.g. Alvar Aalto, Doug Aitken and Maria Anwander. Park Dräi Eechelen surrounding the museum offers magnificent views over the Old Town.
Neumünster Abbey
This former Benedictine abbey was built in 1606 in the Grund district, after the original abbey on the Altmünster Plateau had been destroyed in 1542. This was destroyed by fire in 1684 but was rebuilt on the same site in 1688 and extended in 1720. After the French Revolution, it served as a police station and prison before it became the garrison of the Prussian army after Napoleon’s defeat in Waterloo in 1815. From 1867, it once again became a state prison. Since 1997, the abbey has been the home of the European Institute of Cultural Routes. Today the buiding is a cultural centre and it hosts concerts, exhibitions, and other events. The abbey is also now home to the Lucien Wercollier Cloister, where many works from the sculptor’s private collection are permanently displayed.
Villa Vauban
This beautiful villa houses today the Luxembourg City Art Museum at the address 18 avenue Emile Reuter. The exhibition depicts painting works of the Dutch Golden age and French art from the 19th century, as well as paintings, sculptures and engravings by European artists from the 17th to the 19th century. The entire exhibition is made up of three private collections from the 19th century. A part of the old city’s defensive wall can be seen in the museum’s basement.
Pro tip: The Luxembourg Card offers free access to over 70 museums and attractions.
The Bock
This fortified promontory nearby the Alzette river, in the north-eastern corner of the city, is the place, where Count Siegfried I built his castle in 963 and gave birth to city of Luxembourg as well.
The Bock and the surrounding defences were reinforced, attacked and reconstructed multiple times during the centuries, standing on the strategically important place.
The construction were known as “The Gibraltar of the North”, having three fortified rings with 24 forts, 16 other strong defensive works and a 23 kilometres long network of casemates.
Today 17 kilometres of casemate tunnels remain, with stairways penetrating up to 40 metres inside the rock face. Bock is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and definite must-see offering a lot to see and explore.
Grund
This district lies on the bank of the Alzette river and it is known as a part of nightlife area full of couzy cafés and restaurants. There is an elevator line between the Grund and Vielle Ville working between 06.30 AM and 8.30 PM. One of the idyllic sights is the bar Café Des Artistes (22 Montée du Grund). Very suitable district for brunches and long walks.
How to get around in Luxembourg City
Public transportation in the city area is part of the national traffic network. The map of city’s bus network is visible here. With the Luxembourg Card, all public transportation is free throughout the whole country.
How to get in Luxembourg City
The Luxembourg-Findel International Airport serves the whole country, situating 6 kilometres outside the capital city. List of its airlines is here, list of destinations here.
Alternative airport, especially for a low-cost carrier Ryanair, is Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. List of its airlines is here. Flibco bus offers direct bus route to Luxembourg City from the airport.
The national railway company CFL operates trains in Luxembourg and from e.g. Paris, Metz, Brussels, and Trier. See timetables and ticket prices of the CFL here.
Motorways from Metz (A3), Brussels (A6) and Trier (A1) leads to the city.
Top 5 in Luxembourg City
- Strolling at Chemin de la Corniche
- Pubbing and the ride with an elevator in Grund
- Mudam art museum
- Villa Vauban
- The Bock
Text: Timo Hellman
Photos: With the CC licence / Dguendel, François Besch, MMFE, Bjung, Francisco Palop[/fusion_text]
