Getting to Centre by public transport

The Villa Vauban is located in the heart of the city, surrounded by historic parkland that is the perfect place for relaxation. The stately urban villa was built in 1873 on foundations that date back to the time when Luxembourg was a fortified town. A modern extension has been added and the building was completely refurbished in the early 2000s. The museum presents changing exhibitions based on its own collections (European art from the 17th to the 19th century and Luxembourgish art from the 20th and 21st centuries).

Natural history and the natural sciences are presented here in a simple yet fascinating way: in addition to its permanent exhibition, the “natur musée” regularly hosts special and focused exhibitions all about plants, animals and the universe. It’s educational, lively and unusual. The museum’s two gardens, shop and cafeteria are also pleasant places to spend time. The museum is located in the charming Grund district and can be easily reached via the lift from the Plateau St. Esprit or on foot along the picturesque cobbled streets surrounding the Corniche.

Luxembourg is full of life. With its international flair and the many languages that echo through its streets, it is a modern, vibrant city. Yet at the same time Luxembourg is a place in which history is very much a sensory experience. The remains of the old fortress, the “Gibraltar of the North”, from which the city and country were defended in times gone by, are to be found everywhere. A view of the mighty walls from the leafy Grund district, while strolling along the Alzette past the Neumünster Abbey, is especially beautiful. From this vantage point one can look up at the impressive Bock cliffs, one of the most important UNESCO sights. The subterranean casemates are the longest in the world, with windows carved out of the stone at regular intervals. Nowadays, the structural witnesses of this defensive past blend harmoniously with the cityscape. Many of them have undergone a metamorphosis. For example, you need to take a closer look and explore the interior to discover the fortress walls beneath the Villa Vauban built in the classical style in 1873. Today’s art museum is surrounded by a lavishly laid out magnificent park, which invites you to stroll and breathe deeply. A visit to the Dräi Eechelen Museum in the vicinity of the Mudam Contemporary Art Museum is a trip into both past and present at once. In turn, the latter building is a symbiosis of past and present. Surrounded by fortress walls, the museum itself is a modern and impressive edifice by star architect Pei, with exhibition rooms bathed in light, showcasing contemporary art. One thing is evident in Luxembourg: the UNESCO World Heritage remains are not redolent of a museum but rub shoulders with modernity. A city characterised by tolerance and conviviality, it is a city that is “Naturally Europe”. Experience UNESCO in the Visitor Center At the heart of the world heritage site is the “UNESCO Visitor Center” in the Lëtzebuerg City Museum, a place for immersing oneself in UNESCO world cultural heritage history, its significance and distinctive features. Displays, some of them interactive, show the protected Old Town and Fortifications. Anyone looking out of the window can compare models and drawings directly with reality. And anyone completing the 2.5 km long UNESCO Old Town and fortress walking tour can experience the world heritage site in less than 90 minutes. UNESCO programme and up-to-date information

As the town residence of the Grand Duke, the grand-ducal palace has unquestionably one of the most beautiful façades in the city (Flemish Renaissance, 16th century). Majestical interior and splendid above stairs (with light design by Ingo Maurer) can be visited exclusively during summer. Starting point of the Tour: Place Guillaume II

Situated near the Cathedral and the Government district, Place de Clairefontaine was redesigned at the end of the eighties in the framework of extensive restoration and reconstruction involving the entire district. The name of the square comes from a place of shelter, a refuge belonging to the abbey of Clairefontaine which is near the Belgian border. The same refuge was demolished in 1933. A monument in honour of Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896-1985), designed by the Parisian sculptor Jean Cardot, was erected on this square in April,1990. Grand Duchess Charlotte Among the famous statues in Luxembourg, the statue of Grand Duchess Charlotte on Place de Clairefontaine was designed by the french sculptor Jean Cardot. On 29th April 1990, the 2.75-metre-high bronze statue was officially inaugurated in the presence of the Grand Ducal family. Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896-1985), who was very popular with the Luxembourgers, ruled from 1919 to 1964.

Since its creation in 1977 by the City of Luxembourg, the Cinémathèque de la Ville de Luxembourg lives by the motto “to preserve and to show” international film heritage. The Cinémathèque’s extensive archives were started by its first curator, Fred Junck, and now constitute a true Cave of Wonders of some 20,000 prints, with titles ranging from classics to much rarer features. The collection also includes other historical artefacts: posters, photos, books, magazines, and optical objects such as magic lanterns. However, a film does not exist if it is not screened. Almost 50 years after the first public screening took place in the same historic cinema located in a former monastery, the Cinémathèque organized its first film presentation in February 1977: “La Bête Humaine” by Jean Renoir. The Cinémathèque’s big screen continues to enchant audiences right up until this day and it is the last cinema in Luxembourg to still screen films on celluloid (mainly from its own collection). It thus offers spectators the opportunity to appreciate the physical materiality of film in all its facets and unite them with all those who have seen movies in the same way for the past 120 years. Besides its daily screenings, the Cinémathèque is also a place for conviviality, debates and encounters with renowned cinema personalities. The list of guests that have visited over the decades is long and includes the likes of Jonas Mekas, Juliette Binoche, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Bertrand Tavernier, Costa-Gavras, Margarethe von Trotta, Abbas Kiarostami, Mike Leigh, and, more recently, Abel Ferrara, Pedro Costa and Radu Jude.