Getting to Luxembourg 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

In 1859 the first railway station of the city started to operate; for military reasons timber was the basic construction material. Between 1907 and 1913 the German architects Rüdell, Jüsgen and Scheuffel planned and organized the gradual replacing of the half-timbering by modern building techniques. The monumental main building and the high clock tower are in “Moselle Baroque”. In the entrance hall a mosaic window discloses the outline of the city; the ceiling was repainted by the Luxembourg artist Armand Strainchamps.

Their origin goes back to 1644, when the Spaniards reinforced the medieval fortifications. Under the supervision of the Swiss fortress builder Isaac von Treybach, they built - among other defence works-the powerful Beck Bastion, named after Governor Baron Johann von Beck, a native of the city who had played a key role in the Wallenstein affair on the side of the Emperor. Initially this bastion was as high as the adjacent terraces on the right; it was raised to the present level of Constitution Square (the wall is 27 meters high) by Vauban in 1685. In 1673 the Spaniards erected the so-called "Ravelin du Pate" to strengthen the defence of the Beck Bastion; this triangular construction is one of the few well-kept fortifications. Marshall de Vauban conferred the present shape to all the Petrusse fortifications and built the "Small Staircase". From 1728-29 the Austrians added the "Bourbon Lock" and the "Large Staircase" and in 1746 the casemates of the "Petrusse Battery" (54 gun emplacements). One century passed and the fortress was enlarged and reinforced: the second ring was extended and the third started, so that Luxembourg became the "Gibraltar of the North". By and by, the Petrusse fortifications fell into oblivion and neglect, as their strategic momentum limited itself to the valley. After the dismantling, stipulated by the 1867 London Treaty, they confined themselves to walling up the loopholes and most entrances. Only in 1933 were the Petrusse casemates valorized again: on 26th July, the first visitors were able to visit them.

There is a new way to explore Luxembourg since Europe’s most modern tram service and a new funicular railway started service in December 2017. The tram runs along the prestigious avenue J.F. Kennedy in the Kirchberg area, and is served by the Pfaffenthal-Kirchberg funicular which provides a link to the national train network. A few minutes’ walk through the valley from this train station brings you to a stunning panoramic lift to the upper town centre. Once at the top, you’re only a short walk from the old town, a Unesco world heritage site. Thus you move from the ultra-modern to the historic in just a few minutes. The glass elevator connects the "Pescatore" park located in the city centre to the Pfaffenthal area at the bottom of the Alzette valley. The ride in the glass elevator features sweeping views (71m high) for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Using the elevator is free of charge.