Echternach is a city in the east of the country right on the German border which is full of activities to do and monuments to discover. For me, if you are a tourist passing through, this is the ideal place to take a break as well as a little sightseeing!
THE LAKE OF ECHTERNACH
I can't start this post without telling you about Lake Echternach which is a very pleasant place to relax and find calm. At the edge of the lake, the possibilities of leisure, sports and culture are numerous. In addition, to access this leisure center, there is a large free car park or otherwise, the bus station which is very close to the lake and very well served by buses.
Map of the lake
The lake of Echternach located a little outside the city center (about 15-20 minutes on foot), is artificial and work began in 1975. Today it is the ideal place to spend an afternoon (or a whole day). !) with family or friends. There are activities for young children and adults. So, it's impossible to get bored in this leisure center with its 30 ha lake! In addition, dogs also have an area for them since there is a dog park at the entrance to the lake!
The lake of Echternach
Around the lake leads a pedestrian path for walks, roller skating, cycling tours, and so on. On the lake itself you can go pedalos or fishing (with permit). Furthermore, the lake is surrounded by a 375 ha forest where many hiking trails lead (Echternach is located in the heart of the nature of the Mullerthal-Little Switzerland Luxembourg Region).
In my memory, the first thing I noticed when going to this lake was the large number of different birds that live there (swans, ducks, geese, moorhens), the beautiful fountain gushing in the middle from the lake but also the restaurant next door, just in front of the lake and very close to the entrance! So, if you are a little hungry after a long walk around the lake, you can go there and enjoy a spectacular view of the lake while enjoying a good meal.
A place of stillness
For those who wish to swim in the lake, there is a dedicated island (called "Adventure Island") which acts as a beach in summer and where you can swim (bathing area accessible free of charge from May to September and all the 7 a.m. day). morning to 10 p.m.) within the authorized perimeter. The perimeter is a small area compared to the size of the lake but you can enjoy a beautiful landscape and take beautiful photos with the small pontoon that leads to this swimming area. And there are also diving boards.
The swimming area and its pontoon
What differs from this lake and the Haute Sûre lake (which I talked about in the post "Relax at the Haute Sûre lake") is the clarity of the water (a little more cloudy in Echternach) and also the presence of algae in Echternach can sometimes be felt when bathing. In any case, this place is amazing when it's hot and you want to cool off with a bath! There are even a few wooden cabins to change easily on site. And after a while in the water, you can grab a snack or drink at the island's bustling cafe. Otherwise, if you are not a swimmer, the island also offers you the possibility of renting a pedal boat to have fun on the water without getting wet!
In all cases, for children, it is a real playground because many parks with different attractions (slides, swings, etc.) line the path to go around the lake. Moreover, there is also a hostel next to "Adventure Island" where children can find trampolines, a volleyball court and other wonders. A paradise for them and for parents who can relax while their children play.
I won't list all the activities you can do at Lake Echternach (because there are too many) but you can find more information with this link: https://www.mullerthal.lu/fr/fiche/lakesrivers/le-lac-d-echternach
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ROMANS
Romans in Echternach? Really? Yes! Echternach is (of course) very famous for its lake, but the town is also famous for its Roman villa, which is the largest in the country! This means that Echternach has a Gallo-Roman past! Still as stunning? Not quite because at the time, Trier (German city known for its Roman buildings such as the amphitheater or the baths of Barbara) was then the Roman provincial capital. Thus, the surroundings, meadows, fields and remains of Echternach once belonged to this capital.
The Roman Villa (left side)
Now a bit of history on this Roman villa... Very quickly! Promised! The Roman villa of Echternach was discovered thanks to the development work of the artificial lake of Echternach that we know today. This discovery and the archaeological excavations relating to the villa of Echternach date back to the years 1975 to 1976. Thanks to these archaeological works, it is possible to date the villa to the 70s AD. And surprisingly, it was only at the end of the 90s that the villa became a monument to visit, around 20 years after its discovery!
This villa was one of the largest (118 x 62 m) and richest provincial estates in the northwest of the Roman Empire. A real palace with its 70 rooms for only the ground floor! Imagine for a few minutes the life of that time in this luxury residence: luxurious baths to relax, reception rooms to receive guests, dining rooms to share a meal with family or friends, interior courtyards, water basin, bedrooms of private dwellings... With the architectural style and techniques that characterize the Roman period: porticoes (peristyle courtyards), marble veneers, mosaic floors, underfloor heating... In other words, a beautiful and comfortable house! Moreover, in the past, the estate was not only made up of this villa. Indeed, there were at least 10 buildings aligned symmetrically on the left and right sides of it which served as barns, stables or dwellings for the slaves!
The Roman Villa (right side)
The Roman villa is located on the left bank of the lake so if you decide to go around the lake, you will (without a doubt) pass the villa and its museum (or rather a modern information center). This information center is certainly small but it has free entry and provides access to the Roman villa and its remains. In addition, you have information, photos and reconstructions to learn more about the villa. And, if you visit the villa on a Sunday, I advise you to take the free guided tour at 3 p.m. available every Sunday! It lasts between half an hour and three quarters of an hour depending on the interest and questions of visitors. A nice visit to conclude a walk around the lake!
AND IN THE CITY: WHAT CAN I SEE?
The town of Echternach also has some interesting monuments to visit. To go around, I advise you to first go to the tourist office in the center which is near the Saint-Willibrord basilica. Here you will get information and a city map to visit the most essential monuments to visit in Echternach.
First, turn left out of the tourist office and let's start with the Basilica of St. Willibrord. Take the time to admire its beautiful façade before entering. The main feature of this Romanesque basilica is the alternation of pillars and columns, a style later copied in the Rhineland. Surprising fact: at the end of the 18th century, the basilica was transformed into a porcelain factory!
Basilica of St. Willibrord
On leaving the Basilica, on the right, you will find the Benedictine abbey and the wing of its prelates. It is a square building 75 meters wide with a cloister designed by a French architect: Léopold Durand and built by the family of Austrian architects Mungenast. Dissolved in 1797, the abbey now houses a high school.
Benedictine Abbey
Direction now the garden of the abbey and the Orangery. Go under an arch (at the back of the abbey) with a cast iron gate to discover the abbey gardens. What you see is a beautiful house (the Orangery) and its gardens. Note that on the facade of the Orangery, there are statues that illustrate the four seasons.
Garden of the abbey and the Orangerie
Continue the path to reach the municipal park which was the former pleasure garden of the abbey. Here you see the pentagonal pavilion, by the river Sure, built in 1761 in the Rococo style by Paul Mungenast. Admire its architecture and the many statues of gods and goddesses around its facade.
The Rococo pavilion
You can leave the municipal park to continue towards the city wall or more precisely the medieval tower of this wall. This fortified enclosure dates from the 10th century and was later enlarged in the 13th century. It contained 20 towers and 4 gates and its wall was 2000 meters long. Unfortunately, a large part of the wall was destroyed during the 19th century and the rest, saved from demolition, was sold and transformed into a dwelling in 1813.
A medieval tower of the town wall
Let's come back next to the tourist office but, this time, on the market square. In this square you can see the cross of justice in the middle of the market square. This column of judgment served to demonstrate the supremacy of the abbot. Destroyed twice (once by the troops of the French Revolution and a second time during the Second World War), the column was ultimately always rebuilt in its original location in the market square.
To conclude this visit, take a look at the old courthouse in the market square built at the end of the 14th century. Destroyed by a great fire in 1444, it was rebuilt to regain its current form. Formerly, it was the seat of deliberation (courthouse) but it also contained a torture chamber and a prison. Wooh, what a dark story for this building!
The Palace of Justice
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