By Bernd F Meier
The journey in the elevator only takes a few seconds, yet it is like going back in time. Down below are the historic buildings and up above the glass pavilions and bold concrete architecture of the Palace of Justice along with all the institutions of the European Union.
The city of Luxembourg lies in one of the world’s richest per capita-income areas and it offers visitors a fascinating juxtaposition of old and new.
The mighty sandstone outcrop of the Bock, with its ingenious casemate defence tunnels, towers over the old part of the city and the sluggish waters of the River Alzette which surrounds it on three sides. The Bock is the cradle of Luxembourg civilization. No tour of the city is complete without a visit. “It was in 963 that Count Siegfried obtained the Bock and its surroundings from St Maximin’s Abbey in Trier and built a fortress there,” says city guide Cathy Giorgetti. The Bock is the starting point for a trip around the oldest quarters of Luxembourg, the capital city of the grand duchy, and currently home to 95,000 people. The panoramic view from the Corniche wall added in the 17th century extends across the broad valley of the Alzette. A bronze plaque reminds visitors that this ensemble and the old quarter were awarded the status of World Cultural Heritage site by Unesco in 1994.
The delightful Wenzel Walk captures many elements of this city and its culture. The path leads past ramparts, fortresses, tunnels, towers, bridges and walls, intermingled with bustling streets. It wends its way down to the Alzette and the abbey gardens of the former Benedictine monastery of Neumuenster, now a cultural centre. Grapes grow in the old walled garden.
This site has witnessed much down the centuries: It was home to monks until they were driven out in 1769. It was then used as a prison, a military hospital and once again as a penitentiary until 1984. The mixed usage has taken a heavy toll and restoration lasted six years. The Kirchberg plateau to the north-east of the city centre is reached either by lift or via the Grand Duchess Charlotte steel bridge.
“More than 20,000 people work here, among them 8,000 employed by European authorities and organisations,” explains Annie van Driessche. She works as a guide in Kirchberg and takes the architecturally interested on walks through the complex, which has flourished since it was established in the 1960s.
The 365 hectares are dotted with the works of leading contemporary architects: the Commerzbank building is the brainchild of Hermann and Valentiny, while Richard Meier created the administrative powerhouse of the HypoVereinsbank Luxemburg and Gottfried Boehm the local office of Deutsche Bank.
The residences of the European agencies are striking works of modern construction. The European Investment Bank is bathed in light and the towers of the European Court of Human Justice soar aloft. Public spaces are adorned with distinguished pieces of art such the king-sized Chair fashioned by Czech artist Magdalena Jetelova.
Spanning the centuries is the spectacular MUDAM museum, designed by Chinese-American architect Leoh Ming Pei. The exhibition hall opened in 2006 and has been incorporated into the walls of Fort Thuengen, part of the former medieval city fortifications. — DPA
