Ancient remains
The country is home to many ancient remains, starting with the astonishing Goeblange-Nospelt burial mounds housing the remains of four knights and a Trevires princess, one of the great Celtic peoples. An aristocratic necropolis that already testifies to the importance of the site. But it was the Romans who left the finest evidence of their civilization here, as Luxembourg lies at the crossroads of two important Roman roads (Trier-Reims and Metz-Aix-la-Chapelle). Power and pragmatism characterize this monumental architecture. Not to be missed: the Dalheim site with its temples and the remains of its theater, the vicus or small Roman town at the foot of the Tossebierg with its thermal baths, the Raschpëtzer site with its astonishing underground aqueduct, and above all the superb Echternach site where the remains of one of the largest Roman villas north of the Alps were discovered.
A fortified country
A strategic location on the European chessboard, Luxembourg was coveted by the greatest powers. This position had a lasting impact on its territory, which was dotted with strongholds and castles, built on the many rocky spurs that carved out the landscape. Standing on their natural fortresses, these strongholds were intended to be impregnable. Starting with the Luxembourg fortress, built atop a sandstone rock known as the Bock spur. Over the centuries, the fortress was fortified with three belts, earning it the nickname of the "Gibraltar of the North". In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Spanish and Austrians built new bastions and artillery platforms, and equipped the fortress with an incredible underground defense network: the casemates. These casemates, stretching for almost 20 km, were designed to protect the flanks of the Plateau. The city of Luxembourg was built around this fortress, and was linked to it by a drawbridge that was replaced in the 18th century by a powerful two-storey red sandstone bridge with a semicircular arch. This is today's old town. The new town and its suburbs were built in the valley beyond the deep Pétrusse ravine, leading to the construction of superb new engineering structures to link the two parts of the town. These included the Pont Adolphe, with its unique 46 m-high central arch. But foreign powers weren't content to leave their mark on the city's fortress, scattering castles all over the country. Among the most beautiful are Vianden Castle, built on the foundations of a Roman site and a Carolingian refuge, with its Romanesque and Gothic decor; Beaufort Castle, with the ruins of a medieval fortress on one side and a sumptuously decorated Renaissance castle on the other; and above all, Bourscheid Castle, the country's largest fortified castle, with its impressive round towers and Gothic manor house. The evolution of all these castles reflects the transition from purely defensive architecture to a more decorative and ceremonial style. This is particularly evident in the Grand Ducal Palace, the Dukes' town residence, whose facade is typical of the Flemish Renaissance, with its turrets featuring richly decorated bas-reliefs, friezes, pediments and cornices.
Religious heritage
The many small chapels bear witness to a faith rooted in the country's history since its earliest days. Indeed, many of them were built on cult sites already in use in Gallo-Roman times, such as the Willibrord chapel on Helperknapp hill. These chapels are often associated with pilgrimages, such as the Girsterklaus chapel, the oldest pilgrimage site dedicated to Mary, whose powerful square tower of brown sandstone dates from the 12th century. The Basilica of St. Willibrord in Echternach also preserves traces of ancient cult structures, with Carolingian crypts and frescoes, testifying to the importance given to decoration at that time. The churches themselves bear witness to the evolution of styles in Europe. The church of Saeul is a perfect illustration of the simplicity and sobriety of Romanesque architecture. The church of the Trinitarians in Vianden, and the decanal church in Wiltz, are jewels of Gothic art with their slender silhouettes, while the church in Koerich proudly bears the exuberance of the Baroque with its bulbous steeple. The cathedral of Notre-Dame de Luxembourg, meanwhile, is an astonishing blend of influences, with its finely crafted tribune blending Renaissance and Baroque decorations, while its three-nave structure of equal height is typical of the hall churches of the Gothic period. In Esch-sur-Alzette, theChurch of St. Joseph is a fine representative of the Neo-Gothic style, with its superbly light rosettes, while the Church of the Sacred Heart, with its concrete structure, bears witness to a revival of sacred art. An astonishing heritage!
Unsung Treasures
Simple and functional, the block houses of rural Luxembourg combine the main house, stable and barn under the same roof. Originally single-storey, from the 18th century onwards the barn was added to the roof, which changed from thatch to slate. In Esch-sur-Sûre, you'll find some fine examples of stepped houses with slate roofs. The general structure of these houses is based on local materials: sandstone and limestone in the Gutland and slate in the Oesling. The masonry units are often covered with a sand-based rendering to reinforce their watertightness. Varying in grain and hue, this sand gives a unique color to each house. In wine-growing areas, houses also feature superb vaulted cellars. Bech-Kleinmacher is a fine example. Far from this rural simplicity, town houses are more concerned with decoration and pomp, as early as the Middle Ages, as shown by the four patrician houses in the Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art in Luxembourg. This emphasis on decor is particularly evident in Esch-sur-Alzette, where you'll find fine neo-Gothic bourgeois houses with arches and coats-of-arms, neo-classical houses with colonnades and balustraded balconies, and, above all, magnificent examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The former left its mark in finely crafted wrought-iron decorations with shapes borrowed from nature, while the latter stamped its style on white marble facades with stylized columns. Styles that often mingled with Gothic and Flemish influences, creating an astonishing dialogue between heritage and modernity.
To fully understand Luxembourg, don't overlook its rich industrial heritage. The Belval blast furnaces in Esch-sur-Alzette are undoubtedly the finest examples. At a height of 40 m, you'll have a breathtaking view of this gigantic urban and industrial complex. A visit at night will reveal the unsuspected beauty of the site! Minett Park Fond-de-Gras is also a must-see. And don't miss the mining village of Lasauvage, which dates back to the 17th century and has preserved its original structure with the mine pit, the castle where the mining company representatives lived, the workers' houses and the church dedicated to Saint Barbara, patron saint of miners. Discoveries rich in emotion!
Contemporary wealth
The Kirchberg plateau is a meeting place for all lovers of contemporary design. Formerly agricultural land, the Kirchberg was the subject of highly innovative urban planning, the first milestone of which was the Grande-Duchesse Charlotte bridge, built in 1963 to link the city and the plateau. Nicknamed the "red bridge" because of its vermilion-colored metal structure, it continues the tradition of the country's great engineering structures in a grandiose fashion. Initially functional and designed to accommodate the various European structures, the Kirchberg's urban planning soon became the focus of much attention, starting with that of the famous Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, who imagined the triangular plan of the Place de l'Europe and its two tower blocks. Then, in the 1990s, a new approach to the plateau emerged, featuring a mix of functions, a new communications network, more ecological structures and, above all, a strong presence of art within the urban fabric. Works by Richard Serra and Jean Dubuffet have taken their place in Kirchberg. When it comes to architecture, some of the biggest names have made their mark: Richard Meier, whose HypoVereinsbank Luxembourg headquarters is a direct reference to the city's fortress; Roger Taillibert, with his beautiful Olympic swimming pool, whose concrete sail roof is reminiscent of a shell; Ieoh Ming Pei, who designed the superb MUDAM, whose skylights echo the three towers of Fort Thüngen; Sir Denys Lasdun, a great exponent of Brutalist Modernism, who designed the European Investment Bank, an astonishing cubist concrete structure; or Christian de Portzamparc, who endowed the Kirchberg with the Philharmonie, a superb white building in which the concert hall seems to be embedded. The Kirchberg is not the only place where contemporary creativity is expressed. Across the country, architects are striving to create a harmonious dialogue between the heritage of the past and innovation, with a profound respect for the genius of the site. Such is the case with the new Museum of History and Art designed by Christian Bauer, which blends perfectly into the fabric of the old town and its patrician houses. The same successful juxtaposition can be found at the former Dudelange steelworks and the Olingen mill, all superbly restored. Contemporary architecture also acts as an intermediary between the visitor and his environment, as with thePfaffenthal panoramic elevator, whose glass cabin and large metal footbridge, far from being out of place, offer a breathtaking view of this protected valley. To make sure you don't miss out on any of these astonishing, innovative and sustainable contemporary creations, visit www.architectour.lu , which offers 14 comprehensive tours off the beaten track!
