Echternach

=Echternach=

Echternach is very small town in Eastern Luxembourg with a population of about 4,610 people. The city itself lies on the border of Germany and is one of, if not the oldest city in Luxembourg. The city was formed and founded in 698 by St. Willibrord. St. Willibrord was an English monk and is now known as the patron saint of Luxembourg. In the middle of Echternach lies a museum of prehistory and a permanent exhibition of the largest Roman villa north of the Alps is near the lake. In the long summer months Echternach does provide concerts and festivals, such as the Jazz Festival in the months of May and June and that is probably the town’s biggest attraction. The most well known thing that you could possibly find in Echternach is the town wall. The origins go back all the way to the tenth century. In the thirteenth century, the wall had as many as twenty towers and gates. Five of the towers from this wall have been restored and can now be rented out as vacation rooms. Another historical landmark in Echternach is the Gothic house. Although it fell to pieces in 1996, it has since been restored and is able to be viewed. Echternach does have quite the history and I find it very interesting. The marketplace in Echternach is home to a cross of justice. The cross represents the sovereignty of the abbots over the city of Bourgeoisie. In 1774, the citizens of Echternach wanted the cross torn down and replaced with a fountain. The plans never went through and only twenty years later the cross was destroyed by French revolutionary troops, then rebuilt. It was destroyed again in 1944 during World War II and was then built for a third time. Another interesting fact about Echternach’s history is about the Roman villa. The Roman villa was built between the first and fifth centuries and is the largest villa north of the Alps. During excavation works in 1975, the villa was rediscovered by workers. Most of the villa is excavated and can be seen by the lake. Today, the city is home to only a few thousand people, but the town is very well loved. From the historic buildings and landmarks, to the beloved music festivals held by the city every year, Echternach is small town with many roots. I think that Echternach would be a very interesting place to visit on tour. I would love to see the town wall and the Gothic house. This is a city that could teach all of us a lot more about Europe and of course the beautiful Luxembourg specifically.