Luxembourg-Ville Travel Guide

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Luxembourg-Ville

Luxembourg Fortress © Luxembourg City Tourist Office

In the early morning haze Luxembourg City is reminiscent of an ancient fairytale city, with its towers and turrets. The old centre of town, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can trace its history back to the 10th century, when Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes, built a castle on a rock above the Alzette River. He named the castle Lucilinburhuc. Over the centuries the castle and surrounding town was strengthened with numerous additional fortifications, walls and gates until it became known as the 'Gibraltar of the North'. Today the various components of the fortress are the city’s chief tourist attraction. There are some other interesting sights in the old centre of town too, including several museums.

Modern Luxembourg on the plateau du Krichberg is more concerned with business than pleasure, as the work of a major international financial centre goes on inside the many modern office complexes in the area. Luxembourg has the highest number of banks of any city in Europe, and it is also home to numerous European Union institutions. The European Council of Ministers holds their sessions in the city for three months every year, and the European Court of Justice presides here too.

Attractions

Grand Ducal Palace

Grand Ducal Palace

The city residence of the Grand Ducal family is right in the heart of the old town, and is surprisingly unpretentious, recognisable more by the fact that there are sentry boxes outside. The building features ochre yellow stone decorated with spires and railings, overlooking... see full details

Luxembourg Fortress © Luxembourg City Tourist Office

The Fortress

The mighty fortress started by Count Siegfried atop the Rock of Bock in 963 eventually became a citadel with three girdles of battlements, the inner one fortified with bastions, and the other two containing a total of 24 forts along their length. As... see full details

Moyen relic © www.mnha.public.lu

The National Museum for History and Art

This museum was recently substantially refurbished and contains some major archaeological finds from the Gallo-Roman period, which are displayed in underground galleries. Collections of fine arts, medieval artefacts, coins, medals and arms are also on display. ... see full details

Excursions

Clervaux

In the heart of the Ardennes Mountain region about 30 miles (50km) north of Luxembourg City, the village of Clervaux is overlooked by a 15th-century castle, a Romanesque church with twin spires, and a large Benedictine monastery. The castle houses three small museums, including... see full details

Echternach

The beautiful town of Echternach lies on the border between Germany and Luxembourg on the banks of the Sûre River. It boasts a famed abbey, founded in the 7th century by St Willibrord, whose remains are contained in a magnificent white marble sarcophagus in... see full details

Hamm Cemetery

In a silent forest clearing near the village of Hamm, a few miles east of Luxembourg city, lie the graves of more than 5,000 American soldiers killed during World War II, when the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg became a battleground in the Allies’ last bid... see full details

Vianden

The picturesque village of Vianden, situated on the banks of the Our River and guarded by a magnificent restored medieval castle, makes a pleasant day trip about 25 miles (40km) north of the city of Luxembourg. The castle dates back to the 9th... see full details

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