Luxemburg

The main building of this former Jesuit church was originally constructed in the 17th century in a pure... late Gothic style. Renaissance-style ornamentation and other elements were added later. The typical Gothic stained glass windows remain, reaching up towards the skies and dominated by the colours of red and blue. The north portal shows a figure of the Virgin Mary. The church was extended as recently as the 1930s. Since the 18th century, an image of the Patron Saint of Luxembourg, Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, has attracted countless believers. Members of the grand ducal family have been buried in the crypt for generations. The cathedral's three slender spires and the three naves of about the same height can be seen from practically virtually everywhere in the city. more

Street cafés and restaurants surround this spacious square in the heart of the old town. A column is... dedicated to Michael Lentz, who wrote the lyrics to Luxembourg's national anthem and to the poet, writer and composer Edmond de la Fontaine. In summer, people like to sit outside and enjoy the balmy evenings under the lime trees on the pedestrianised square. The first trees were planted here by Louis XIV's troops, who used the square as a drill and parade ground. With its arcades and the frieze above the windows, the Cercle Municipal (City Palace) is the main attraction on Place d'Armes. The relief depicts Countess Ermesinde giving the people of Luxembourg their charter of freedom in 1244. From 1953 to 1969, the building served as the meeting place for the European Coal and Steel Community, a forerunner of the European Union. more

For many the palace, which was built in 1572 in the Renaissance style as the town hall, complete with... bay windows and Moorish Arabesques, is the most beautiful building in the city. The flag on the roof and the number of guards tell you if the Grand Duke and Duchess are at home. If there are two guards, then their highnesses are normally in residence. In summer, when the Grand Duke's family is staying in the countryside, parts of the city residence are opened to visitors. You can see a collection of old weapons and the Noblemen's Hall, in which the Grand Duke now receives guests for audiences. The town hall that originally stood on this site fell victim to a gunpowder explosion in 1554. Twenty years later it was rebuilt. The right wing of the building was added in 1741 as a "Stadtwaage" (or municipal weights and measures office) and the adjacent Parliament building was added in 1859. more