Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

The city of Luxembourg (also spelled Luxemburg) is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, one of the last remaining monarchies in the European Union (EU). Luxembourg is the cultural, political, and economic capital of the country, which enjoys one of the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, partly due to its role as a major financial center of the European Union. Because of its location between France, Germany, and Belgium, Luxembourg's history is a turbulent one, highlighted by a host of takeovers, diplomatic deals, and struggles to gain its independence from its larger neighbors. Much of Luxembourg's history is the history of central Europe, particularly the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

Landscape

Luxembourg City is located on the southern half of the Luxembourg Plateau, a lowlands area of grassy plains that is cut by the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers. Its traditional center, Luxembourg Castle, sits on a rocky outcropping called the Bock that overlooks the junction between the two rivers, and is the highest point of the city at 443 meters (1,319 feet.) The total area of the city is 51.46 square kilometers (19.87 square miles). Luxembourg lies at the direct center of Western Europe, thus making it an important area for commerce.

Luxembourg City is divided into twenty-four quarters, each having a function or distinct character: For example, the Gare District holds Luxembourg City's international rail station. Some historical districts, like Bonnevoie, are divided between quarters.

People

Luxembourg City had a population of 134,714 residents (2023 estimate), up from 115,200 in 2016. According to 2023 estimates, the population of the grand duchy was about 660,924. Of these, 52.9 percent were native Luxembourgers, while the remaining 47.1 percent had foreign nationalities.

According to a 2023 report, about 70.44 percent of Luxembourg City's residents were foreign nationals, mostly from Western Europe. Many work in the city's thriving banking and finance industry, are employees of the EU administration, or are employed in the electronics sector. Of the 39,826 native Luxembourger residents at the time, most were of mixed Western European (French, Belgian, Dutch, and German) or Slavic ancestry. There were significant Italian and Portuguese minorities as well. This high percentage of foreigners living in Luxembourg City is due to waves of emigration of Luxembourgers to Romania, France, and the Americas, followed by immigration from the surrounding countries throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Although the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a secular constitutional grand duchy, the majority of the grand duchy's residents are Christian. Most of those who practice Christianity are Roman Catholic, with about 370,000 of the grand duchy's total population adhering to the faith (2011).

Luxembourg City is known for having a complex of languages: Most of the population is at least trilingual, speaking French, German, and Lëtzebuergesch (Luxembourgish), a dialect of Frankish. Although Lëtzebuergesch is the national language and has been taught in schools since 1984, only a few hundred native speakers of the language remain. German and French are spoken with equal fluency in the city, and most residents also speak some English, as it is compulsory in the city's middle and high school grades.

Economy

Luxembourg City has one of the most robust economies in the world because of its extensive financial services industry. It is a world-renowned banking center, with a steady secondary economy based in technology and communications development. In addition, it is a center for developments in biotechnology, eco-technology, and research and innovation. The country enjoys one of the highest gross domestic products (GDP) per capita in the world. The nation's 2021 per capita GDP was $115,700, placing it third in the world.

Luxembourg has also greatly benefited from its status as an EU administrative center. Several major offices of the EU are headquartered there, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Court of Justice (ECJ), the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), and the European Parliament's Secretariat.

Luxembourg is also a popular tourist destination due to its picturesque castles, thriving arts scene, and bustling nightlife. Only a short high-speed ride from Paris, Brussels, Trier, and Antwerp, it has become a favorite weekend getaway destination for many Western European tourists.

Landmarks

The most distinctive landmark of Luxembourg City is the Lucilinburhuc (Luxembourg Castle). The Casemates (underground tunnels of the former fortress) are also available to visit and are a fascinating glimpse into European military history. Fort Thüngen, a reconstructed fortification, is available for viewing. There are several medieval churches to visit as well. All of these attractions are in Luxembourg's Old Town, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated World Heritage Site.

Luxembourg has a number of museums, the most famous of which is the Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM). Designed by the famous architect I. M. Pei, the museum houses the collections of many famous modern artists. The former Neumünster Abbey is not only a historical site, but an exhibition space for contemporary artists. There are also museums of natural history, military history, regional culture, as well as three museums focused on the history of transportation.

Luxembourg City has a number of theaters, music venues, and libraries. The University of Luxembourg opened in 2003, and is the grand duchy's only university. The city does, however, house several affiliate universities for US-based schools.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that what is now Luxembourg was settled as early as Europe's Bronze Age, when Celtic warriors passed through the region as they spread across Western Europe between 900 and 400 BCE. The first mention of the city, however, occurred during the late Roman Republic, when a fortified tower was built at the crossing of two Roman roads. Luxembourg City fell into obscurity during Europe's Middle Ages, though the territory was dotted with a few minor monasteries as part of the diocese of Trier. In 963 CE, Siegfried (or Sigfroid), Count of the Ardennes, acquired the site as part of an exchange treaty with the Abbey of Saint Maximin. Siegfried was a direct descendant of Charlemagne and a close relative of King Louis II of France and Otto the Great of the Holy Roman Empire. Siegfried built a castle on the site, which still stands today. The castle, called Lucilinburhuc ("small castle") was likely a replacement for a small fort that rested on the Bock, a rock outcropping that served as a strategic vantage point during Europe's feudal area. The fort also overlooked the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers, making it an ideal place for a castle and surrounding town.

The town evolved around the castle and the Church of the Redemption (now Saint Michael's Church), resulting in the full establishment of the city of Luxembourg. The city expanded westward throughout the eleventh century as part of a feudal state under the counts of Luxembourg. Siegfried's line ended in 1136, and the city and its environs were passed to Henri, Count of Namur. The city received its first official charter in 1244 by the Countess Ermesinde de Namur, despite her longstanding dispute with the Counts of Hainault over who possessed the Namur territories, which included Luxembourg City.

The Namur line would gain and lose the city, yet the city still grew: By the end of the twelfth century, Luxembourg also included the area encircling Saint Nicholas Church (now the Cathedral of Notre Dame) and was surrounded by an impressive set of walls. Four of Luxembourg's counts became kings of Bohemia, and two became emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1340, a new series of walls were constructed: These stood until 1867.

Luxembourg City fell into the hands of the Burgundians when Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, conquered the city in 1443. Its strategic position became its primary asset, and the Burgundians and their heirs, the Hapsburgs, invested heavily into its fortifications. This did not stop the city from being invaded several times by the French, Spanish, Austrians, and Prussians until the middle of the nineteenth century. The fortress was so strong, however, that in one invasion of the French Republic in 1792 through 1793, it took seven months for the army to break Luxembourg Castle's defense and defeat the Austrian garrison stationed there. The French held Luxembourg until the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte.

At the Treaty of Paris, in 1815, Luxembourg was passed to the Prussians and made a grand duchy. The Prussians passed it to the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830 after much of the territory was ceded to Belgium, and, in 1838, what remained of Luxembourg achieved political autonomy under King William I of the Netherlands, also the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. In 1867, Luxembourg, although reduced, achieved its full independence, and the city became the new capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Luxembourg declared its neutrality at that time, though Germany occupied the city and environs in both world wars. Luxembourg broke its neutrality permanently when it joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.

In 1957, Luxembourg City became an industrial and banking center when the Grand Duchy joined the first group of nations of the European Economic Community (EEC), which eventually became the European Union. Due to its fortunes as a founder member of the European Union, Luxembourg City plays a prominent role in the political and economic life of the union, and has come to enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world in the twenty-first century.

Luxembourg City is the host of several annual sports tournaments, including the Luxembourg Open, a tennis tournament held in the capital since 1991, and the ING Night Marathon, which has been competed at night since 2006.

Bibliography

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