10 Famous Landmarks in Luxembourg that Tells You Its History
As a small country that covers no more than 1,650 kilometers as a living place for less than 600,000 population, Luxembourg is easier to travel. It doesn’t take much time to travel around the capital city or the countryside.
You can even walk around to see every detail of the country without getting too much things to visit in your mind. Most famous landmarks in Luxembourg are historic buildings and sites that you will fall in love with since they are rich in diversity.
Due to the strategic location of Luxembourg which is surrounded by Belgium, Germany and French, no wonder that this small country has a unique mixed culture represented in its tourist attractions. The rich-in-diversity history of this country influences how the buildings was made in the past.
Exploring the country will give you a glimpse of how the ancient traditions and culture in Europe was applied in the past. Here is a list of some famous historic attractions in Luxembourg you can visit with your loved ones.
1. Old Quarter
The Old Quarter is considered as the highlight landmark of Luxembourg. This city was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1994, the same award given for Taj Mahal.
This award was given for the ancient fortifications named as the “Gibraltar of the North”, which had been dismantled long time ago in 1883.
Although there is no fortress anymore in this site, that ancient story lays there from time to time. instead of fortress, you will be served with the view of gardens and parks in a beautiful landscape.
There is also a cobbled street lined with numerous old buildings and homes you can walk on. Spending your time exploring this city while checking out its many bridges will be much fun.
Walking is the best thing to do here in the city because you have many things to look at. Traversing to the many alleyways without a map is another fun activity to do. It is nice to not having an idea of where you will end up.
2. Bock Cliff
While you can no longer find the iconic fortifications in Old Quarter, Bock Cliff is the best spot to visit to see other legendary fortifications in Luxembourg.
Not only its fortifications, you can also find the legendary Casemates a network with some underground passages made from solid rock. The Casemates is a shelter for thousands of defenders and their horses, kitchens, equipment and workshops.
If you want to lean about the history of the tunnels, you can also join some available guided tours available. This place is easy to explore on foot, allowing you to check every detail of the remaining pieces from its history. There is also an old castle built in 1963 standing on the plateau of the Bock to see.
3. Grand Ducal Palace
Tourist who really want to see a landmark from Luxembourg city should never skip the Grand-Ducal Palace. This is a Renaissance building that has been around since 1572, which was firstly used as the original city hall until 1795 and now becomes the official residence of Grand Duke Henri.
Although this is an official, full-time residence for the Duke, tourists are given an opportunity to have a short tour, which is available from July to the beginning of September.
The special tours are conducted in several different languages including English to accommodate the need of people from different countries.
During the tour you have a chance to have a peek of the house’s interior such as the furniture, plush and the ceremonial rooms. Make sure that you come to Luxembourg city at the right time to be able joining the organized tours.
4. The Luxembourg Ardennes
The Luxembourg Ardennes offers a beautiful landscape featured with hidden valleys, forests and sheer cliffs. There are some villages around it one of them is Clervaux.
This is a kind of mysterious village located in the middle of a narrow valley near the river Clerve. You can walk around this place to see the beautiful views surrounding.
5. The Luxembourg City History Museum
While all the attractions listed above are old and ancient, the Luxembourg City History Museum is a new attraction opened since 1996. This museum was built as a house for the city’s history.
it can be seen from the design of the building itself that uses a combination of both new and old homes coming from the 19th and 17th centuries.
Some parts of the building is even featured with an old design such as the vaulted cellars. Visitors tend to be attracted with the exhibits in the museum and the huge elevator where they can see the district’s amazing views.
6. Bourscheid Castle
Considered as the biggest castle in Luxembourg, Bourscheid Castle is surely one of the famous landmarks in Luxembourg you must visit when coming there.
Featured with round towers as the highlight, this castle is very old since it is said to be built in the 10th century and got extension in the 15th century.
The amazing views around the castle are another things to enjoy while exploring the building itself. There are audio guides that are available in seven different languages to help visitors walking through the castles and explore.
If you come there in the evening, you can enjoy the view of illuminated building, making you feel like you are coming to a fairy-tale world.
The castle’s location is very isolated and you can only reach there from the north-west. It is also built above the River Sure for about 150 meters and that’s why you can see the beautiful landscape around the castle from there.
7. Mondorf-les-bains Spa Town
Mondorf-les-bains Spa Town is the best place if you need to recharge your energy during your holiday. This place offers a combination of health, wellness and culture at the same time. The famous more-than-40-hectares thermal area is what most tourists look for when they come here.
The Mondorf Le Domain Thermal is a place for recharging your energy by visiting its health center, playing some sport activities and resting at the hotel. This is a complete package that you need for fulfilling your leisure time.
The famous 24-degrees thermal springs are said to have some medicinal qualities and that is why this is one of the best attractions here. While enjoying your leisure, you are served with the beautiful surroundings of this place with some flowerbeds, trees and shrubs.
8. Upper Sure Natural Park
More than just one of the famous landmarks in Luxemburg, the Upper Sure Natural Park has a much more significant role for more than half of the population because it has the largest drinking water reservoir, which is why this place is called as the “Luxembourg’s water area”.
The numerous hiking trails available allow you to easily do more exploration to not just the history of this place, but also the culture and nature. The slopes are wooded, steep and leading you to the shore.
Exploring this place will make you feel like you are coming to an untouched city and it serves a whole relaxation.
Start discovering this region by walking or riding a solar boat would be fun. Floating on the lake while taking a glimpse of the cultural heritage the natural landscape is the best thing you could ever have during your holiday.
9. The Walferdangle Castle
Walferdangle Castle has changed from time to time since the first time it was built. Not only in the design and decoration, it also got some changes in its function and maybe that is why the castle is rich in history.
Functioned as a stud farm built by Willim I in 1817, this castle had been transformed as one of the campuses of the University of Luxembourg in 2003. It is now used by the Ministry of National Education, Childhood and Youth as houses for some of their departments.
The location of the castle is what attracts the most since it is in the Alzette Valley, which is known for its beautiful wooded heights, just right in its junction. Moreover, this place is also known for its famous archeological sites including the underground aqueduct and Roman villa.
The Walfer Shopping Centre is another attraction to visit to allow you do some shopping after walking and exploring around the village.
10. Larochette
This small, old town is filled with some unique features starting from its location that lies on a wooded, rocky valley and castles standing on a crag above the valley.
You can also find a museum that exhibits a textile base in the past according to the history and it is opened year-around with free admission.
Walking through the town is also interesting to see the historical monuments and medieval square. Hikers would be happy to come here since some walks are available and they will lead you to some surprising spots like the countryside, the woods and some amazing viewpoints of the town.
The list of famous landmarks in Luxembourg above shows you that you can not only enjoy some historic destinations, but there are many other places with impressive natural surroundings you can explore in Luxembourg.
