Luxembourg City: Culture and Architecture

Everywhere in Luxembourg City there are museums, theaters and cultural spaces. Luxembourg has a Unesco World Heritage Site, modern architecture and even traces of more than a thousand years of history. People from 170 nations live in Luxembourg City. All this together makes Luxembourg multicultural and diverse and makes it the cultural and economic center of the whole country of Luxembourg.

Blick von der Stadtmauer auf das tiefer gelegene Stadtviertel Grund an der Alzette. Im Hintergrund die moderne Skyline auf dem Kirchberg Plateau
View from the city walls to the lower Grund district on the Alzette River. In the background the modern skyline on the Kirchberg Plateau / © Photo: Georg Berg

Bockfelsen and old town. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Old City of Luxembourg, whose foundation dates back to 963, was developed in the 16th century from the so-called Bockfelsen into one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. In the 17th century, the casemates were built, an underground vault that served as protection against military attacks. Parts of the fortress have been preserved until today and can be visited. Both the fortress and the old town have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1994.

Der Bockfelsen ist die Wiege der Stadt Luxemburg. Der Felsvorsprung, der dreiseitig von den tiefen Tälern der Alzette umflossen wird, wurde ab dem Jahr 963 zur Festungsanlage ausgebaut
The Bock rock is the cradle of the city of Luxembourg. The rocky outcrop, which is surrounded on three sides by the deep valleys of the Alzette, was developed into a fortress from the year 963 / © Photo: Georg Berg

Europe is at home in Luxembourg

Since the founding of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, various European institutions have settled in the capital. Luxembourg City is the seat of the European Court of Justice, as well as the Secretariat of the European Parliament and the European Court of Auditors. It is the birthplace of Robert Schuman, who, as French Foreign Minister after the Second World War, launched in 1950 the plan of a Coal and Steel Union named after him. Just two years later, the ECSC was founded, the oldest of the three European Communities that are considered precursors to the EU.

Lampions über der Straße. Auch wenn es aufgrund von Corona 2021 relativ ruhig in der Stadt ist - Luxemburg ist Sitz mehrerer EU Institutionen. Hier leben Menschen aus 170 Nationen
Lanterns over the road. Even if it is relatively quiet in the city due to Corona 2021 – Luxembourg is home to several EU institutions. People from 170 nations live here / © Photo: Georg Berg

It is not only its geographical location in the heart of Europe, but also the historical role Luxembourg has played in the EU from the very beginning that makes it a true European capital. People from over 170 nations feel at home here, and their multilingualism gives the city a true cosmopolitan flair.

Malerisch die Altstadt entlang der Alzette. Hier finden sich auch exzellente Restaurants
Picturesque the old town along the Alzette. Here you will also find excellent restaurants / © Photo: Georg Berg

The architecture in Luxembourg

During a walk, you will always notice exciting contrasts between old buildings from Luxembourg’s thousand-year history and contemporary architecture. Highly modern buildings in futuristic style harmonize with the old buildings of the city. Sometimes it’s just small things, like the modern seating islands made of bright yellow plastic that stand scattered as if by chance in the courtyard of Neumünster Abbey.

Abtei Neumünster am Ufer der Alzette im Ortsteil Grund. Auf dem Hof moderne Sitzskulpturen. Auf den Terrassen entlang der alten Befestigungsmauer wird auch Wein angebaut
Neumünster Abbey on the banks of the Alzette in the Grund district. In the courtyard modern seating sculptures. Wine is also grown on the terraces along the old fortification wall / © Photo: Georg Berg

The ultra-modern and spacy Peitruss skate park is nestled in the green spaces of the Petrus Valley. The site is part of the Unseco World Heritage Site. Therefore, the requirement for the design of the super-modern facility was to blend in with the surroundings as much as possible. The result is a fantastic skate park. Surrounded by the old Vauban fortress, it has become a meeting place for skaters as well as kickboarders and BMX riders.

Der Skaterpark Peitruss liegt eingebettet in den Grünanlagen des Petrusstals
The Peitruss skate park is nestled in the green spaces of the Petrus Valley / © Photo: Georg Berg.
Ende 2019 wurde in Luxemburg die Galerie Lafayette nach den Plänen von Stararchitekt Norman Foster eröffnet
At the end of 2019, the Galerie Lafayette opened in Luxembourg according to the plans of star architect Norman Foster / © Photo: Georg Berg

By bike through Luxembourg – green mobility

One third of the city of Luxembourg is green. Parklands and gardens crisscross the capital and provide open space. Many people travel here by bicycle. The Petrussthal and also the Pfaffenthal are popular jogging routes, and for smoothly overcoming the differences in altitude in the city, there has been the Pfaffenthal panoramic elevator since 2016. It connects the Pescatore Park, located in the upper city center, with the Pfaffenthal neighborhood, located in the Alzette Valley. The ride in the glass cabin offers a perfect panoramic view. In no time at all, pedestrians and cyclists can thus cover 71 meters in altitude The ride is free of charge, and since it was put into operation, the number of cyclists in the city has noticeably increased.

Etagenwechsel. Mit dem gläsernen Aufzug Pfaffenthal-Oberstadt wurde der Park Pescatore in der Oberstadt mit dem Stadtteil Pfaffenthal im Alzettetal verbunden
Floor change. The Pfaffenthal-Oberstadt glass elevator has connected the Pescatore Park in the Oberstadt district with the Pfaffenthal district in the Alzette Valley / © Photo: Georg Berg
Die Adolphe Brücke, erbaut 1903, ist bis heute eine der größten Steinbogenbrücken der Welt. 2017 wurde sie um eine vier Meter breite, zweite Ebene für Radfahrer und Fußgänger erweitert
The Adolphe Bridge, built in 1903, remains one of the largest stone arch bridges in the world. In 2017, it was extended to include a four-meter-wide second level for cyclists and pedestrians / © Photo: Georg Berg
Wie in ganz Luxemburg sind auch in der Hauptstadt seit Ende 2019 die Nutzung von Straßenbahn und Zügen kostenlos
As in all of Luxembourg, streetcars and trains in the capital have been free to use since the end of 2019 / © Photo: Georg Berg

Boarding please! Free travel through Luxembourg

Luxembourg offers its residents and visitors alike free public transport throughout the country. So ticket counters have had their day in the Grand Duchy. And with the nationwide Move We Carry offer, we wandered around during the day without a care in the world, while our suitcases traveled from accommodation to accommodation with the luggage service. Up to six consecutive days can be booked online. Until the end of September 2021, this luggage service is free in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
The capital of Luxembourg is one of five regions we explored on foot. We covered the distances between the daily stages by bus and train. Move We Carry allows travelers to arrange luggage transportation in advance.

Tips for a stage trip through Luxembourg

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The research trip was partly supported on site by Luxembourg Tourism

Travel Topics on Tellerrand-Stories

Our mode of operation is characterized by self-experienced, well-researched text work and professional, vivid photography. For all stories, travel impressions and photos are created in the same place. Thus, the photos complement and support what is read and carry it further.

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