Although Luxembourg is a small country, I haven't visited its main city before at least 3 months (since my arrival in Luxembourg at the beginning of May)... But now, it's done! Thus, I would like to share with you some incredible places that I discovered in this beautiful city...
To indicate you the best places to go in Luxembourg city, I chose to do a TOP 10 starting from a cool place to the best place to visit! I hope you will enjoy them as much as me!
10. CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION AND BANK OF LUXEMBOURG
If you are going to Luxembourg city, I really advise you to take the train because, first of all, public transport is free and, moreover, the station is not too far from the city center on foot ( about 20 minutes and 15 minutes to reach the sculpture of Gëlle Fra). Finally, it is a very good way to get a first glimpse of the city and its buildings. Otherwise, you can directly take the bus or the tram which are next to the station. Once off the train, you will arrive in the entrance hall of the station which is incredible! First, look up to admire the paintings on its ceiling by Luxembourg artist Armand Strainchamps in 1994. Then, look behind you to see the mosaic window that reveals the outlines of the city. Finally, leave Central Railway Station and take the time to notice its impressive architecture. It's an easy building to memorize if you get lost!
Central railway station
Continue to the right and take the main street on the left which will bring you to the Banque du Luxembourg just before the Adolphe bridge. On either side, you will notice two buildings that belong to the Banque du Luxembourg and the architecture of both buildings is breathtaking! Amusing anecdote: if you are observant, you will be able to see on the grid which surrounds the building on the left (when you go towards the city center), various sculptures of animals (a dog, a crow, a hare, an owl. .. ) I don't know why there are different animal sculptures on this grid for an extra bank, but, it's a very funny detail!
Bank of Luxembourg
9. CITY CENTER
Once you have crossed the Adolphe bridge, you enter narrow streets towards the city center. On each side, you can see food, clothing, decoration shops... until you reach the Place d'armes which is the central square of the city. This place is surrounded by restaurants and terraces where locals and foreigners alike can have a meal. From there, you can admire the town hall and its decorated facade. And, in front of this building, you will see a covered bandstand where some orchestras usually play on weekends. With a good music, the city center becomes very bustling!
Town hall of Luxembourg
Behind the kiosk, if you walk a little further, you will discover another famous monument which is a sculpture: the Monument of Dicks and Lentz. It was erected as a tribute to the two national poets Dicks (1823-1891) and Michel Lentz (1820-1893), who wrote the lyrics to the national anthem. The monument is surmounted by a lion (heraldic animal of the Grand Duchy), while the blacksmith embodies the steel industry. The pillar contains a chiseled inscription whose wording is the motto of the Luxembourgers: "Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin" (we want to remain what we are).
Monument of Dicks and Lentz
Then come back next to the town hall and go to Place Guillaume II where you will find the tourist office and also, on Saturdays, a market! At the tourist office, get a map and continue exploring the city!
8. SCHUEBERFOUER 2023
Bless you! What? Wasn't that a sneeze? No way! The Schueberfouer is actually a famous fair in the City of Luxembourg founded in 1340 by Jean l'Aveugle. So, if you are visiting Luxembourg for the holidays, take a walk around the Glacis car park to enter this gigantic funfair for family fun! Today, the Schueberfouer is one of the most important exhibition centers in the Greater Region and in Europe, offering a mixture of tradition, gastronomy and unique sensation attractions in this form. This year, the Schueberfouer stays from August 23 to September 11 and visitors will find some key attractions: height attractions, ghost train, refreshment bar, games rooms... and so on! The attractions are open every day from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. and I really recommend going there in the evening and waiting for nightfall... Indeed, that's when the funfair becomes magical with its rainbow of lights. The best vantage point? The big wheel of course!
Poster for the Schueberfouer
In any case, it doesn't matter the time of day because the dream begins when you cross the entrance to the fairground: music, sweet flavors, happy cries, colors... Too difficult to choose an attraction among the 211 fairground establishments present (including a large number of Luxembourgers, French and Germans)! But, I am convinced, you will (without a doubt) find YOUR appeal. In any case, it's a good place to enjoy such a dazzling event with friends or family!
Entrance of the Schueberfouer
More information on this famous funfair with this link: https://www.vdl.lu/fr/actualites/schueberfouer-2023
7. THE PANORAMIC ELEVATOR
Did you know that the City of Luxembourg is made up of two parts: the Upper City and the Lower City. And, for example, if you are in the Upper City and want to reach the Lower City, you have two options. The first option is to follow the path that descends after the Casemates du Bock (defences built by the Austrians who surrounded the city of Luxembourg) along the Tourelle Espagnole (monuments built in the middle of the 17th century and integrated into the great fortifications initiated by the Spaniards. and continued by Vauban) to the gate of the 3 towers. The second option is to use the panoramic lift (71 meters high, free for pedestrians and bicycles) which is faster and offers a beautiful view of the lower town during the descent (it is of course possible to go back up with also).
The panoramic elevator
This glass elevator connects the "Pescatore" park located in the center of the city to the Pfaffenthal district at the bottom of the Alzette valley. And, once in the Lower Town, take advantage of the calm of this place, less frequented than the Upper Town with its narrow streets and bridges to cross the Alzette. It is also in the Lower Town that we find Neimester Abbey where certain events such as concerts are organised. However, you will only see its interior cloister and its exterior architecture... Right next to Neimester Abbey, you will find the Church of St. John which has an impressive and rich baroque interior!
6. MONUMENT OF GELLE FRA
What is Gëlle Fra? This name is very intriguing, isn't it? However, this is only the name of a sculpture in the city of Luxembourg. Oh, a sculpture? Ok, so not really interesting... But what am I saying? This is not just any sculpture! Indeed, it is the monument of Remembrance. A commemorative monument for some 3,000 young Luxembourgers who voluntarily joined the Allied forces after the invasion of Luxembourg by German troops in August 1914. Thus, in December 1918, a committee was created with a view to erecting a national monument dedicated to the heroes of Luxembourg war. fallen on the battlefields in France. It is the birth of Gëlle Fra which consists of a 21 meter obelisk placed on a base. On the latter are two bronze sculptures representing a dead soldier and his comrade. The golden statue of the obelisk, called Gëlle Fra (or "Golden Woman" in Luxembourgish), measures 3.30 meters and is the personification of an angel of peace holding a laurel wreath in her hands. And, in 2023, Luxembourg celebrated the 100th anniversary of the statue since the construction of Gëlle Fra in 1923 by Claus Cito.
Gëlle Fra
If you visit the city of Luxembourg, try to see Gëlle Fra from the Adolphe bridge...
5. ADOLPHE BRIDGE
Do you know where the name of this bridge comes from? In fact, the Pont Adolphe (also called New Bridge) was built between 1900 and 1903 during the reign of Grand Duke Adolphe, which is why the bridge was named in his honor!
First, when you see the bridge, you get a good impression of it and its architecture. Indeed, this bridge is unique because it has the largest stone arch in the world (its large double arch spans over 85 meters and the total length of the bridge is 153 meters). And so, its construction was widely followed abroad!
Adolphe Bridge
In addition, it allows you to connect the upper town (the part of the city where the station and the famous Luxembourg bank are located and the other part of the city where the city center and its monuments are located) without going down to the Lower town. However, what is remarkable with this bridge is the possibility of reaching either part of the upper town without using the sidewalk at the top of the bridge next to the road. Indeed, there is another more fun and interesting way to use this bridge... In fact, there is a path only for pedestrians and bicycles just below the path for cars! Thus, you will have another view of the park of the Pétrusse valley (42 meters high) by taking this secret path! It's really amazing and I really advise you to try both and tell me which one you prefer! Otherwise, if you want to have a magnificent view of the bridge, you can go down to the Pétrusse valley park under the bridge and appreciate its architecture from another angle.
4. LETZEBUERG CITY MUSEUM
Do you like museums? Yes? And do you like the story? If this is the case, I advise you to discover the Lëtzebuerg City Museum in the Upper Town not far from the Grand-Duke Palace. This museum dedicated to the history of Luxembourg from its beginnings until today is very good to learn more about the history of the country. Inside, you'll have the opportunity to experience 1,000 years of urban history on the lower three levels. In addition, there is a new exhibition which focuses on the most important and characteristic aspects of each era and which is accessible to both local and foreign audiences with a concise introduction to the history of the city, with a corresponding selection of objects, films and sound documents, photographs and multimedia applications.
Life-size trompe l'oeil painting
And since it's free for students, I really recommend you check it out. The particularity of this museum is its architecture. Indeed, it is taller than large because it has five levels: three levels for the history of Luxembourg and the last 2 are used as modern art galleries. To change levels, you have the stairs or a central glazed elevator in the center of the museum.
3. VAUBAN CIRCULAR WALK
Vauban is not an unknown name in France... And, in Luxembourg too, Vauban left some traces of his passage. For those who don't know this man at all, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban was a famous French engineer, military architect, town planner, hydraulic engineer and essayist during the reign of Louis XIV. But what did Vauban do and build in Luxembourg? In fact, he built impressive fortifications and made Luxembourg one of the most powerful fortresses in Europe, earning the city the nickname "Gibraltar of the North". Only that!
Fort Thüngen
Today, you can discover the remains of these fortifications by following the Vauban circular walk which will take you through the lower town before going up to reach Fort Thüngen next to the Kirchberg plateau. The city of Kirchberg is famous in the city because it is the business district of the banking and financial center of Luxembourg. A veritable open-air gallery of contemporary architecture, designed and built by a series of renowned architects. But, around Fort Thüngen, built in 1732 and named after the Austrian commander-in-chief of the fortress, you will find a museum devoted to the past of the fortress and in particular to its links with the history of Luxembourg. A nice museum to go if you want to learn more about the fortifications of the "Gibraltar of the North"!
2. PETRUSSE CASEMATES
Perhaps the first thing you think of is: what is a casemates??? And you're right because I didn't know that before. However, it is a visit that is worth the detour! It is actually the underground passages that connected the strongholds and surrounded the young city of Luxembourg. It was the Spaniards who modernized the first medieval fortifications and built large bastions like that of the Beck in the 17th century. Today, the current form of the Pétrusse fortifications is a remnant of the fortress builder Vauban! These fortifications were also modified by the Austrians in 1728-29, who built the “Ecluse Bourbon” and the “grand staircase”. Finally, it was in 1746 that the casemates, also known as the “Pétrusse battery” were built! With a total length of 22 km before their dismantling in 1867 following the Treaty of London (to ensure Luxembourg's neutrality), only 17 km remain today.
An uderground of the Pétrusse Casemates
Over the centuries, the casemates have been used for a variety of purposes: from the shooting society in 1871, to mushroom cultivation by gardeners Backes and Schneider in the 1890s, to beer concerts and bazaars in beginning of the 20th century. century and the wine cellar of the "Compagnie des Grands Vins de Champagne E. Mercier", the Casemates Pétrusse have never been completely forgotten and have always been useful! Even during the Second World War, when they were used as shelters. N Don't hesitate to dive deeper (always following your guide of course!) into these basements to learn more about their history and their uses. But be careful because there are two different Casemates in Luxembourg-city and the other has no no guide to give you interesting explanations.In addition, the visit of these Casemates will give you the opportunity to pass under the place where the sculpture of Gëlle Fra is!
To go up at the surface when you are in the deepness of the undergrounds...
Fun fact: the younger parts of the Casemates are deeper because construction started on the surface and therefore the oldest parts are closest to the surface.
1. THE GRAND DUCAL PALACE
In my opinion, this monument is the first to visit! But why, you ask me? Indeed, when I saw this monument, I was very impressed by its architecture and by the fact that it is the official residence of the Grand Ducal family! So that convinced me to visit it. Be careful, however, because this palace can only be visited in summer (this year it was from July 17 to September 3) and tickets must be reserved either online or at the tourist office in Place Guillaume II. The visits are made with a guide (duration approximately 75 minutes) and you can book tickets in the language in which you wish to take the visit (French, English, German or Luxembourgish). Thus, you can take a look behind the scenes and discover the Grand Duke's office, the dining room and the "Salon des Rois", to name but a few. After that, I was very motivated to go. Unfortunately, I learned too late that it was possible to visit it (only German tickets were still available) but, in my opinion, it is really a must in Luxembourg-city to discover the workshop of the Grand Duke and also learn more about this palace. and its functions.
Facade of the Grand Ducal Palace
It should also be noted that ticket sales are supported by the "Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Foundation". And, this foundation supports humanitarian and solidarity initiatives in favor of vulnerable people in distress, both in the Grand Duchy and in developing countries.
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