Old+Town

= Old Town =

Luxembourg City
Old Town is a historical district of Luxembourg City which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994 for its “old world charm” of history and culture. It’s an amazing example of a fortified European city since it retains military elements from the past like bastions and casemates. It is a wonderful part of the city to take a stroll and learn historical background and see fortifications up close. The fortifications seen in Old Town of Luxembourg City date back to the 10th century. The location of the city made it strategically significant for military purposes. At the center of the fortification was a castle built by Siegfried of the Ardennes during the 1st century. The city developed and expanded into a settlement during the 12th century. In the 18th century, the city became known as “Gibraltar of the North” because its fortifications were impregnable. Today there are many authentic representations of these past fortifications such as gates, forts, bastions, redoubts, and case mates. Old Town also retains the same layout of streets, many public buildings, ramparts where people lived, traded and crafted, places of worship, the ancient Abbey of Neumunster, and Upper Town where rich families and religious communities built their mansions. Former inhabitants have left the imprint of their past activities throughout their old quarters. The cobbled streets, parks and gardens, charming homes and buildings exhibits the character of the historic city. The Grund, another name for lower Old Town has a combination of many historic and modern aspects. It is an arts and cultural hotspot with many funky pubs and half-timbered houses that overlook the Alzette River. Neumunster Abbey, an ultramodern cultural center built in 1606 by Benedictine monks as a police station and prison after the French Revolution and then during WWII, is a highlight here. Many other historical and modern buildings are located in the Grund, include: St. John’s Church, the National Museum of Natural HIstory, the Streichen footbridge, the Neogothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, Place d’Armes which has many pavement restaurants and cafes, and much more. While in Old Town it is must to take a walking tour. Whether you take your own course or find a guided tour, you can learn much from the historical essence of the city. The Wenzel Circular Walk tour covers 1,00 years of history as it takes you through the Bock casemates, Bock promontory, Upper and Lower Old Town, Wenceslas ring wall, the Alzette valley, and other city fortifications. Everything in Old Town is a great illustration of Western European military history making it a must visit.