Luxembourg Airport Guide
Luxembourg-Ville
The capital, Luxembourg-Ville, is split into two districts:
the delightful old centre, complete with fortress towers, turrets
and winding, cobblestone streets; and the modern downtown area
on the pl?teau du Krichberg - the Luxembourg version of Wall
Street. The city's history goes back to the year 963, when Siegfried,
Count of the Ardennes, had a castle named Lucilinburhuc built
on a rock overlooking the River Alzette. It was the famous French
fortress builder Vauban who, at the service of Louis XIV, later
turned Luxembourg into one of his masterpieces, suitably known
as the 'Gibraltar of the North'. At its height, the fortress
was girdled by three ring-walls studded with 24 forts and linked
underground by a 23km (15 mile) network of underground tunnels.
It survived until 1867, when it was dismantled according to
the provisions of the Treaty of London. But many of the old
fortifications remain well preserved to this day and, in 1994,
the entire old part of Luxembourg-Ville was declared a World
Heritage site by UNESCO. The Luxembourg City Tourist Office
(whose main office is on the Place d'Armes) can provide details
and maps for numerous walks taking visitors past the city's
medieval remains and historic sites. The underground tunnels,
known as casemates, can also be visited. A special open-air
tourist train called the 'Petrusse Express' offers frequent
guided tours through the Petrusse Valley (from which many of
the remaining fortifications can easily be viewed), giving visitors
an insight into life in the former fortress, with commentaries
in several languages. The train departs from underneath one
of the arches of the Pont Adolphe viaduct. Tickets can be bought
from the city tourist office. Most of the city's historical
sites are easily visited on foot and a walk through the Petrusse
and Alzette valleys (which are spanned by several bridges) offers
excellent views of the ancient fortifications. The city's main
square, the Place d'Armes, has a number of outdoor caf?s and
restaurants although, after redevelopment, the square has lost
some of its 'French' charm. In the city centre, the area known
as the Grund, near the River Alzette, has many lively caf?s
and restaurants; it can be reached via a lift going down through
the ancient rock (with the entrance located on the square F?schmaart
above). Other attractions in the city centre include the recently
renovated Palais Grand Ducal, the official residence of the
Grand Duke, where visitors can observe the changing of the guard;
the Place Guillaume (also called Knuedler) and its twice-weekly
market (Wednesday and Saturday); and, near the Place Guillaume,
the 17th century Notre Dame Cathedral. Art lovers will find
numerous galleries in the capital. Interesting museums include
the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum
of History and Art and the Museum of the City of Luxembourg
(whose architecture interestingly combines the 'old' and the
'new' and which displays a very detailed and informative account
of Luxembourg's colourful history). The modern district on the
pl?teau du Kirchberg (reached via the Pont Grand Duchesse Charlotte
- the most impressive of the many bridges in the capital) is
expanding rapidly. Luxembourg's main cinema complex, Utopolis,
is located here, next to the country's biggest shopping complex.
The myriad of new modern office complexes being built on the
pl?teau Kirchberg testify to Luxembourg's reputation as a major
international financial centre. The country's geographical position
at the 'heart of Europe', its strict banking secrecy laws and
fiscal legislation are amongst the reasons why there are some
12,000 holding companies, 1300 investment funds and over 220
banks based in the capital, making Luxembourg the country with
the highest banking concentration in Europe. The Kirchberg is
also home to numerous European institutions. Proud of its role
as a founding member of the EU, Luxembourg sees itself as playing
a prominent position in European affairs and there are a number
of European Union institutions based in Luxembourg-Ville, including:
the Commission of the European Community (including the Statistical
Office - EUROSTAT - and the Publications Office); the European
Court of Justice; the General S?cr?tariat of the European Parliament;
the European Investment Bank; the European Court of Auditors;
and the Official Publications Office. The sessions of the European
Council of Ministers take place in Luxembourg three months a
year.
Beyond the Capital
Luxembourg is an attractive country with a green and picturesque
landscape and many historical sites within easy reach of one
another. The country is divided into five tourist regions. The
central and southern part of the country that surrounds the
capital, known as 'the Good Land', consists mainly of rolling
farmland and woods. To the northeast is the M?llerthal, characterised
by sandstone rock formations and forests, while the northern
third of the country is the Ardennes, set in beautiful forested
hills and valleys. South of the capital is the Land of the Red
Rocks, so named from its 'red earth', rich in iron. The southeast
frontier is marked by the Moselle Valley, famous for its wines.
|
|
|
|
