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Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg
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- Location and
Climate
Luxembourg is a
small Western European country of 998
square miles [2586 square
kilometers]. This is about one
twelfth the size of neighboring
Belgium. Its capital is
Luxembourg City which has a
population of almost 80,000.
The population of the whole country
is in the neighborhood or 450,000, of
which only about 10% are
rural.
Luxembourg is bordered by Belgium to the
west and north, Germany to the east and
France to the south. The Ardennes
region, in the north, has verdant forests
and the highest elevation in
Luxembourg. Mullerthal, with
it's sculpted features, is the fertile
meadows of the Centre. To the
southwest are the rolling vineyards that
border the River Moselle and the Land of
the Red Earth with it's rugged
scenery. Many crops are raised in the
Lorraine region in the south. The
country is 51 miles by 35 miles at its
widest points.
Luxembourg's average temperature is around
50 degrees F [10 degrees C]. The
country enjoys about 32 inches [815 mm] of
annual rainfall.
- Food
and Drink
The Luxembourgois have a diet of heavy
foods that are well prepared and are served
with beers and wines. Popular dishes
include Bouneschlupp [bean soup], Fritten,
Ham an Zalot [fried potatoes, ham and
salad], Judd mat Gaardebounen [smoked pork
collar with broad beans], cheese such as
cancoillotte and Quetschentaart [plum
tart]. These are often times served
with such side dishes as sausages and
sauerkraut. Should you be invited
home for dinner, your host will expect you
to ask for seconds. Visit
our
-
Specialty Foods, Beers and
Winesfrom Luxembourg page, with
recipes and more interesting
information.
- People, Religion and
Language
French and German are official languages,
but the people generally use
Lëtzebuergesch, a Germanic dialect, as
their everyday language. Luxembourg
is a linguistic puzzle, due to the fact
that several languages are spoken and
written on the names of streets, shops,
restaurants, etc.
The country is almost entirely Roman
Catholic [approximately 91%] and many of
the main festivities are centered around
the religious holidays such as Shrove
Tuesday [Mardi Gras] in February, Easter,
Ascension, Whit-Monday, Assumption [August
15], All Saints' Day [November 1], All
Souls' Day [November 2] and
Christmas. Civil holidays include New
Year's Day, Labor Day [May 1], National Day
[the Grand Duke's birthday on June 23] and
Fair Day which occurs in early
September.
- History
-
The area remained under
Roman rule after the Romans conquered
the area in the 1st century
B.C. It was taken over by the
Franks in the 5th century, becoming
part of
Charlemagne’s
empire. Passing through many
hands, and ruled by many rulers, it passed
to the Habsburgs in 1477 and then to
Spanish rule in 1555.
The city of Luxembourg fell to
revolutionary French troops in 1795 when
the duchy was annexed to France.
Given to the Netherlands in 1815 by the
Congress of Vienna, it became part of
Belgium
by the Treaty of London in
1839. German troops invaded and
overran the Grande Duchy in both
World Wars.
The origins of the name of
Luxembourg are intimately linked with
one person, and with one place,
according to Luxembourg City
history.
In the year 963, a Count by the name of
Siegfried, a
Carolingian by blood -
and on his mother's side he was descended
from
Charlemagne, acquired
from the St. Maximin Abbey in Trier a rocky
promontory overhanging the valley of the
River Alzette. According to the deed
recording the transaction, a small
stronghold called "Lucilinburhuc" was
situated there at that time. It was
probably of Roman origin. It was
there that the name of Luxembourg first
appeared in history. The name would
pass to the city which took shape all
about, and then be handed on to the country
which developed around that city.
Nowadays, the city and the country carry
the same name. Click here
for more
historical information regarding
Luxembourg the medieval city, the
fortress city, the Gibraltar of the
North, dismantling of the fortress and
then a European City.
For information on famous landmarks in
Luxembourg:
Luxembourg Tourist
Office [English]
Office National du Tourisme du
Luxembourg [Eng., Fr.,
Gr.]
- Economics
There are vineyards along the Moselle
River, while beets for animal fodder,
wheat, oats, rye and potatoes are grown
elsewhere. Farming is a major
industry in Luxembourg. An
hereditary duchy with steel, iron and
banking industries having economic ties
with the neighboring countries.
The Luxembourg franc, consisting of 100
centimes [LuxF], was the currency up to
2002 when it was superceded by the
Euro.
- Government
The government is a parliamentary democracy
and voting is obligatory for everyone over
18 years old.
Luxembourg City, the Capital of Luxembourg,
is the largest city in Luxembourg.
Located in the south central region of the
country, it is built on a high rock plateau
overlooking the Alzette and Petrusse
valleys. It is also the home of the
several European Union agencies and is an
industrial and financial center. It
was originally a fourth-century Roman
fortification and is surrounded by
wonderful historical fortifications that
have been classified as a world heritage by
UNESCO.
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The Regions and Cities
of Luxembourg
Regions of
Luxembourg with
information on Regions
and
Cities
- Ardennes
-
- Good Land
[Includes Luxembourg
City]
-
-
Good
Land
with
it's
center
Luxembourg City,
and a listing of
towns, and map with
their locations,
and
Luxembourg City
- Moselle
-
- Mullerthal
[The Small
Switzerland]
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-
Mullerthal the
Petite Suisse
Luxembourgeoise
has
wonderfully
different
sandstone
rock
formations,
verdant
forests,
cascading
waterfalls.
It is
situated
along the
river Sûre,
along with
the 7th
century
Benedictine
Abbey, one of
many
areas to be
explored.
More on
Mullerthal.
- Red Rocks
[The Red Earth
Region]
-
-
Red
Rocks
history
was rich in
mining iron,
but now a
thing of the
past with
abandoned
quarries.
But hope
springs
eternal, and
the city of
Esch-sur-Alzette,
and the
second
largest city
in
Luxembourg,
has become a
major
business
center for
expositions.
Major Cities
and Towns of
Luxembourg
-
Luxembourg
City
-
Luxembourg
City, the
capital of the Grand
Duchy, is a thousand
year old plus city that
is rich in history and
culture. It is
also called the
'Gibraltar of the
North'. Today it
is a popular,
cosmopolitan city that
boasts a vast cultural
history with an
assortment of
activities, monuments of
the past, sporting
events and all of the
other attractions of a
major European city.
-
Mondorf-les-Bains
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Mondorf-les-Bains,
the Spa City, is known
for just
that.
Health is your most
important asset, and
Mondorf is the watering
place for health thermals
all kinds including
the
Thermarium which
has ancient Roman and
Turkish Ottoman
baths.
There are
healing and
therapeutic sources
for rheumatism,
respiratory,
digestive
tract,
pathological obesity,
lympho-venous damning
up and
more.
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Esch-sur-Alzette
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Esch-sur-Alzette, is rich in
architecture [some
famous architects
that have worked in
Esch are: Violet le
Duc, Joseph Stubben,
Gottfried Boh and
Peter Rice], cultural
events. It is
also a major business
center.
Miscelaneous
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Quote of the Day
Blessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders.
Friedrich Nietzsche
(1844-1900) |
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