Luxembourg-VilleIn the early morning haze
Luxembourg City is reminiscent of an ancient fairytale city, with its towers and turrets. The old center of town, which has been declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, can trace its history back to the 10th century, when Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes, built a castle on a rock above the Alzette River. He named the castle Lucilinburhuc. Over the centuries the castle and surrounding town was strengthened with numerous additional fortifications, walls and gates until it became known as the '
Gibraltar of the North'. Today the various components
of the fortress are the city's chief tourist attraction. There are some other interesting sights in the old center of town too, including several museums.
Modern Luxembourg on the plateau du Krichberg is more concerned with business than pleasure, as the work of a major international financial center goes on inside the many modern office complexes in the area. Luxembourg has the highest number of banks of any city in
Europe, and it is also home to numerous
European Union institutions. The European Council of Ministers holds their sessions in the city for three months every year, and the
European Court of Justice presides here too.
MoselleThe
Moselle Valley is a region in eastern Luxembourg that has been promoted as a wine-growing region since the 19th century and has developed an important tourist industry around its renown as a rural idyll.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg shares its important asset with neighboring
Germany - the wide, navigable
Moselle River, tributary of the Rhine. Along the Luxembourg riverbanks are vineyards that produce a wine which connoisseurs rate as among the best in the Moselle Valley. A wine tour through the quiet villages and wine cellars of the region is a scenic and relaxing experience.
