Luxembourg
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Luxembourg, or officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a country in Western Europe, landlocked between Belgium, France and Germany. It has about 450.000 inhabitants and the official languages are French, German and Luxembourgish; English is widely spoken. The capital of Luxembourg is Luxembourg City (pop 90,000).
The Luxembourg CS community has been officially established 30 September 2007 in Scott's Pub in Luxembourg!
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Fun facts about Luxembourg
Measuring just 32 miles by 51 miles, it is the sixth smallest country in the world. It’s less than 1,000 square miles making it smaller than the state of Rhode Island.
Despite being one of the smallest countries in the world, or possibly because of, it has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French and German. English is also frequently spoken.
With its thriving economy, Luxembourg’s a GDP per capita of around $66,950 (USD) is the highest in the world.
George S. Patton, the famed American general is buried with other members of the Third Army at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm, Luxembourg.
More than 21 kilometers of underground passages are hidden in the rock beneath the fortress of Luxembourg.
Every Tuesday after Whitsun, which is the 50th Sunday after Easter and also known as Pentacost in the U.S., the famous “Dancing Procession” takes place to the shrine of Luxembourg’s only saint. Saint Willibrord, who was born in Northumbria in 658, built an abbey in Echternach in 698. The body of Saint Willibroard is entombed in a white marble sarcophagus in the Basilica in Echternach.
Berdorf, which boasts a church with a Roman altar that contains sculptures of Minerva, Hercules, Juno and Apollo, is one of the most popular tourist draws in Luxembourg.
“American Werewolf in Paris” and “Shadow of the Vampire” were both filmed in Luxembourg. Much of the movie “The Girl with the Pearl Earrings” was filmed in Luxembourg’s Deluxe Studios in Esch-sur-Alzette and Contern.
The medieval town of Clervaux has a 12th century castle that houses an exhibition made up of models of other castles found throughout Luxembourg.
In 1871, the famous French writer Victor Hugo lived in Vianden, Luxembourg. The home he lived in is now a museum and the town also has an impressive medieval castle.
Having been named a “Capital of Culture” in 1995 and 2007, Luxembourg is the first European city to earn the designation twice.
June 23, the birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte, is Luxembourg’s National Day. Because of its fortification’s historical significance, the entire city of Luxembourg is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Read more: funfacts
What to see in beautiful Luxembourg?
Luxembourg, the capital of the Grand Duchy, is delighted to greet you. You will get to know a more than millennial city, which is proud of its rich, turbulent past and looks to the future optimistically. Luxembourg boasts a large array of historical and cultural sights that are worth seeing, lots of interesting and picturesque spots you can discover, countless legends and anecdotes worth relating.
In the city centre:
• Discover the delightful old centre of the capital, Luxembourg-Ville. See the fortress towers, turrets and winding, cobblestone streets. Visit the underground tunnels, known as casemates, and hop on the special open-air tourist train through the Petrusse Valley.
• See the changing of the guard at the Palais Grand Ducal, the Grand Duke's official residence. Other attractions in Luxembourg-Ville include the Place Guillaume (also called Knuedler) and its twice-weekly market (Wednesday and Saturday); and the 17th-century Notre Dame Cathedral. Do not miss highlight of the summer season: the classic rock event Rock um Knuedler.
• Get cultural in the capital's numerous galleries and museums. Highlights include the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of History and Art and the Museum of the City of Luxembourg.
• Alternatively, head for the modern district on the Plâteau du Kirchberg (reached via the Pont Grand Duchesse Charlotte - the capital's most impressive bridge); it's home to a thriving international finance centre, many European institutions and Luxembourg's biggest cinema complex and shopping mall.
Outside Luxembourg City
• See Luxembourg's striking sandstone rock formations, particularly in the northeast's Müllerthal.
• Further east, in the town of Echternach, see a colourful religious dancing procession, which takes place annually on Whit Tuesday, attracting pilgrims from the world over. The town's seventh century Benedectine Abbey (now housing a museum) and the St Willibrord Basilica are well worth visiting, as is the distinctive 15th-century Town Hall.
• In Vianden, be impressed by a magnificent castle, built between the 11th and 14th centuries. The castle overlooks the town from a 450m (1,476ft) elevation that can be reached by a chairlift. Vianden also has a wild boar sanctuary, and another castle can be visited at Bourscheid nearby.
• In the medieval market town of Clervaux, visit the 12th-century castle - now home to government offices, the tourist office, a small war museum on the 1944-1945 Ardennes offensive (the famous ‘Battle of the Bulge'), and a renowned collection of documentary art photography, the Family of Man, by Edward Steichen.
Railway schedule for the Grand Duchy
Check Scene.lu, a very comprehensive web-site about what's going on in Luxembourg! Loads of restaurant reviews too!
A bit of History
If you're interested in the rich history of Luxembourg, you should click here
Transportation
Luxembourg is a small country but the public transportation network is very efficient!. Local buses and local trains are frequent.
For more informations regarding national fares click here
For more informations regarding international fares click here
There are frequent train connections to France, Germany and Belgium and a direct cheap coach to the Frankfurt Hahn Airport, the closest Ryanair base (1h45 by bus).
Germany:
If you have chosen to live outside the country and wondered how to come easily to Luxembourg without using your car, there are several possiblities.
From Trier, you can take the bus number 118 from the City Center to Kirchberg / City center Sales-Lentz
or the train with regular connections Deutsche Bahn.
Belgium:
Arlon has excellent connections with Luxembourg. There are up to 2 trains per hour and 3 at peak hours.
Always ask if there is a discount for your age.
Belgian train network:
SNCB-NMBS
Other buses in Belgium (Wallonia):
TEC
France: SNCF
Luxembourg has excellent trains connections with France. Loads of trains from Nancy, Metz and Thionville, some from Strasbourg, and a very efficient TGV train connection with Paris, now only 2h05 from Luxembourg. It is though advisable to book your TGV train in advance, price unfortunately tend to increase quickly...
Trivia: the train station of Volmerange-les-Mines (a French village at the South border with Luxembourg) in operated by the Luxembourg trains company, this is a unique case in Europe!
Accomodation
You are coming to Luxembourg for an internship or for a job? Looking for a flat, a house, or a room? The following websites might help you!:
Appartager
Station.lu
At home
Immolux
Immostar
Les Frontaliers
Real estate prices in Luxembourg is very high, especially if you're thinking of moving to the capital city!
This interactive map of the city of Luxembourg will help you!.
Close to the city-center (5-10 minutes walking distance): Limpertsberg, Belair, Merl and Hollerich (left-side of the route d'Esch) are the most popular areas, but rents tend to be quite high, Kirchberg is also close (and close to the European Institutions and loads of offices.), but not as nice (more of a working area really)..
More noisy but cheaper in the city: : Bonnevoie (lots of smaller convenience shops), Hollerich (right-side of the route d'Esch; close to loads of bars and clubs), but also Gasperich, Cessange, Beggen, Rollingergrund, Dommeldange, Eich, Pfaffenthal, Pulvermühle, Weimerskirch, Weimershof, Clausen, Neudorf, Grund, Cents, Hamm, ...
Some villages around could be considered as Luxembourg suburb: Holwald, Strassen, Bertrange, Walferdange, Niederanven, Hesperange...
Good transportation system to and from Luxembourg.
Outside of the city: lots of small cities and villages around the city that you can reach in around 10-25 minutes by bus, by train, or by car. If you intend to use a car, you've got to be aware of the huge traffic in the mornings/evenings....
Outside the outside: nice villages around Luxembourg, obviously cheaper than in the city centre, still, you better check the connections with Luxembourg City as some villages have dreadful bus schemes and you might end up spending your life waiting for buses!
There are, alternatively, ways to live abroad (France->Lorraine, Germany->Trier Area, Belgium->Arlon Area) and work in Luxembourg
For short-term stays (1 month or more), you may try visiting these websites:
(in french) Centre Information Jeunes
and this other page only for internship Wunnraum fir Stagiairen
What to do here?
Restaurants
Bars
Here's a non exhaustive list of the coolest bars!
The Tube/
Urban
Jah Bar
The Pyg
El Campanero
Maybe Not Bob's
Clubs
Museum
(more details about Culture in Luxembourg can be find here)
Also in Luxembourg, in the historical quarter of the city: Clausen, Rives de Clausen is a great nightlife spot! Loads of pubs and restaurants! Its facebook group seems to be the most comprehensive place to get more information!
CouchSurfers in Luxembourg
There are currently around 430 CouchSurfers in Luxembourg, most of them are living in or around the capital (last update - August 2008)
The Country Ambassador is Michèle
Luxembourg City ambassador is Sébastien
Echternacht ambassador are: Jonny and Joelle
Facebook group
You are welcome to join our group!!!
Meetings Meetings are organized every now and then. Stay tuned to our forum!. Usually people from Trier and Metz join us, which makes us a supra-national community, sweet ;)
So far 6 big meetings have been organized! Keep checking our forum for the next one!
Various websites
National airline
National rail
Luxembourg Airport
National tourist office
Luxembourg City Tourist Office
Luxembourg 2007 Capital of Culture
Agenda of events
Luxembourg city shopping
Culture
Loads of developments since 1995, when Luxembourg was first granted "European capital of culture". After the success of the cultural projects that occured that year, the governmnet decided to invest into even more cultural venues. Today, the cultural landscape has become quite impressive for such a small country/city. In 2007, it was for the second time that we have been given the official title "European Capital of Culture" together with some cities of the greater Region (France - Lorraine, Belgium - Wallonie, Germany - Rheinland-Pfalz & Saarland).
Here is a list of some of our major cultural infrastructures:
MUDAM
The MUDAM - Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (French: Musée d'art moderne Grand-Duc Jean) is a museum of contemporary art in Luxembourg City. The museum stands on the site of the old Fort Thüngen, in the Kirchberg quarter.
The building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I. M. Pei.
The Museum's collections are set out on three floors and include works by many artists and designers such as Alvar Aalto, Marina Abramovic, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Pierre Bismuth, Sophie Calle, Hussein Chalayan, Claude Closky, James Coleman, Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon, Mark Dean, Stan Douglas, Jan Fabre, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Roland Fischer, Günther Förg, Gilbert & George, Nan Goldin, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Hirschhorn, Fabrice Hybert, William Kentridge, Mark Lewis,[disambiguation needed] Richard Long, Michel Majerus, Christian Marclay, Martin Margiela, Steve McQueen, Bruce Nauman, Shirin Neshat, Albert Oehlen, Blinky Palermo, Philippe Parreno, Grayson Perry, Fiona Rae, Pipilotti Rist, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Scheibitz, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, Wolfgang Tillmans, Cy Twombly and Kara Walker.
CASINO - Forum for contemporary Arts
The Casino Luxembourg - Forum for contemporary Arts organises, all over the year, exhibitions about contemporary art, inisisting on the diversity and the complexity of the current procedures and forms of expressions. The 12 exhbition rooms (cubes)of the renovated historic building are used in a dynamic way, thus numerous exhibitions can be held at the same time, accompanied by a rich program of guided tours and thematics, conferences, discssions, but also get togethers with contemporary music.
Neumünster Abbey
The Neumünster Abbey is a public meeting place and cultural centre, located in the Grund district of Luxembourg City. Following extensive renovation works, the Neumünster Abbey was opened to the public in May 2004 as a meeting place and a cultural centre. It hosts concerts, theater plays, exhibitions, and seminars.
The National Museum of History and Art
The National Museum of History and Art / Musée national d'histoire et d'art - MNHA, is a museum located in the center of Luxembourg City. It is dedicated to displaying luxemourgish artworks and historic artefacts. The museum is situaed at the Fishmarket, in the historic heart of the city.
The National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History - Musée national d'histoire naturelle is a natural museum that is dedicated to natural history in Luxembourg City. The museum is located in the Grund quarter on the eastern bank of the Alzette river, next to the Neumünster Abbey cultural centre.
The museum is composed of eight separate scientific sections, spanning the natural sciences: botany, ecology, geology and mineralogy, geophysics and astrophysics, palaeontology, vertebrate zoology, and invertebrate zoology.
The new museum has opened in June 1996, the exhibitions are spread across three buildings, each dedicated to a different aspect of the museum's functions: collection displays, teaching classrooms, and research laboratories.
Philharmonie Luxembourg
The Luxembourg philharmonic concert hall is also known as the Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall. The hall is located in the Kirchberg quarter just behind the MUDAM (see above), in the north-east of the city. Its principal tenant is Luxembourg's national orchestra, the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.
The building was designed by French Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc. The grand auditorium has a maximum capacity of 1,506 seats, but the standard capacity is set at 1,226. Even at that reduced size, the auditorium is large for a city with a population of under 80,000. Two further halls, with capacities of 302 and 120 people, increase the capacity of the site furthermore.
The Philharmonie constitutes an exceptional setting for musical and artistic events, conferences and other such activities: philharmonic and classical concerts, orchestras, chamber music, early and baroque music, modern music, string quartets, vocal recitals, piano recitals, organ recitals, jazz, world & easy listening, studios & workshops, concerts for young people, interactive musical workshops for children and adolescents, etc.
The building was inaugurated on 26 June 2005, as a culmination of Luxembourg's six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Concert hall "Grand-Duchesse Josephine Charlotte"
1 Place de l’Europe
L-1499 Luxembourg-Kirchberg
Tel. +352 26 32 26 32
Fax +352 26 32 26 33
E-mail: tickets@philharmonie.lu
Internet: www.philharmonie.lu
Rockhal
Boasting two concert halls – the Main Hall that can accommodate an audience of up to 6500 and the Club that can hold 1200 – the Rockhal, a complex managed by the public institution Centre de Musiques Amplifiées and co-financed by the Luxembourgish State, is the biggest venue for contemporary or amplified music in Luxembourg.
The Rockhal is also a Music & Resources Centre, comprising no fewer than six rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, a dance studio and a Documentation Centre. In short, a place where players of the Luxembourg music scene, professional and amateur alike, can interact and share their views on the local industry.
Inaugurated in September 2005 with concerts featuring The Prodigy and KoRn, the Rockhal has set itself the objective of strengthening Luxembourg’s position on the international music map. Since then, more concerts have followed… with no two alike! Diversity, eclecticism and a variety of genres… these are the key elements of the Rockhal’s artistic vision.
Putting Luxembourg on the map of rock music is the ambition of the Rockhal, which is located in the south of the country on the industrial wastelands of Belval-Ouest in the south of the country next to the 2nd biggest city of Luxembourg : Esch-sur-Alzette.. The Rockhal aspires to become a meeting place for the Luxembourg and international music scene (rock&pop, blues&jazz, contemporary dance shows).
Concert hall Rockhal
Friches industrielles Belval/Ouest
P.O. Box 291
L-4003 Esch-sur-Alzette
Tel. +352 24 55 51
Fax +352 24 55 52 22
E-mail: info@rockhal.lu
[Internet: www.rockhal.lu]
TICKETS
Den Atelier
The Atelier is a smaller music venue with a club atmospherein the city of Luxembourg - Rue de Hollerich, 54 in Luxembourg-City, 200m from main railway station - that also regularly organises concerts in the building of the Rockhal (see above); live gigs with singers and groups of international standing, Luxembourg groups, dance-hall, disco-clubs, special events, theatre, parties, exhibitions, etc.
The idea to start up a live music club in Luxembourg goes back to the beginning of the 90's. Venues such as the Ancienne Belgique (Brussels), the Botanique (Brussels), the Vooruit (Gent), the Bataclan (Paris), the E-Werk (Cologne) or the Paradiso in Amsterdam provided the inspiration and stand as the godfathers of the idea of building up den Atelier in Luxembourg as it stands today in a former truck garage in the lively Luxembourg-City suburb of Hollerich.
The Music Conservatoire of the City of Luxembourg
The Music Conservatoire of the City of Luxembourg, a spacious and functional building, also has an auditorium with magnificent acoustics which have enchanted many artists (Bernhard Haitink, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Martha Argerich, Felicity Lott, Lazar Berman among others). The conservatoire concerts involve classical and jazz music. The Music Conservatoire also houses a museum of early instruments, a specialist library, a music library and a vast archive of musical works.
33 rue Charles Martel
L-2134 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 4796-5432
Fax +352 44 96 86
E-mail: cml@vdl.lu
[Internet: http://conservatoire.vdl.lu]
Theaters in Luxembourg
Théâtre Municipal de la Ville de Luxembourg - Luxembourg Ville
The Grand Theatre of the City of Luxembourg hosts and co-produces operas, musical theatre, dance shows (classical or contemporary) and theatre performances. It collaborates with some of the great international companies and festivals such as ‘La Monnaie de Bruxelles’, the ‘Nederlandse Opera d’Amsterdam’, the ‘Wiener Festwochen’ and the Festival of Aix-en-Provence and regularly hosts prestigious productions from the ‘Thalia Theater Hamburg’, ‘Schauspielhaus Wien’ and ‘Théâtre de Gent’. The theatre has two show rooms (950 and 300 seats).
1 Rond-Point Schuman
L-2525 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 4796-3900
Fax +352 46 57 77
E-mail: grandtheatre@vdl.lu
[http://www.culture.luxweb.com/theatre/t-national.php
Théâtre National du Luxembourg - Luxembourg Ville
The National Theatre of Luxembourg (TNL) has two roles: to be a theatre of language and literature (in the three languages used in Luxembourg – Luxembourgish, French and German) as well as a theatre for opera and contemporary musical creations. Furthermore, the TNL operates as a theatre for creation in general – authors and composers of Luxembourg can use the theatre as their point of reference. From 2005/2006, has also opened itself up to the field of dance.
194 route de Longwy
L-1940 Luxembourg
Tel. 26 44 12 70
Fax 26 44 70 13.
Email: info@tnl.lu
[Internet: http://www.tnl.lu]
Théâtre Ouvert de Luxembourg - Luxembourg Ville
Contemporary theatre
143 route de Thionville
L-2611 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 49 31 66
E-mail: tol@tol.lu
[Internet: http://www.tol.lu]
Théâtre des Capucins - Luxembourg Ville
9 Place du Théâtre
L-2613 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 4796-4054 or +352 47 08 95-1
Fax +352 46 50 65
E-mail: capucins@vdl.lu
[Internet: http://www.theater-vdl.lu]
Théâtre des Casemattes/ Kasemattentheater - Luxembourg Ville
14 rue du Puits
P.O. Box 452
L-2014 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 29 12 81
E-mail: info@kasemattentheater.lu
[Internet: http://www.kasemattentheater.lu]
Théâtre du Centaure - Luxembourg Ville
Théâtre du Centaure "Am Dierfgen"
Contemporary theatre
4 Grand-Rue
P.O. Box 641
L-2016 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 22 28 28
Fax +352 26 27 06 33
E-mail: centaure@pt.lu
[Internet: http://www.theatrecentaure.lu]
Kulturfabrik (Centre Culturel)- Esch/Alzette
116 rue de Luxembourg
L-4221 Esch-sur-Alzette
Tel. +352 55 44 93-1
Fax +352 55 04 03
E-mail: mail@kulturfabrik.lu
[Internet: www.kulturfabrik.lu]
Théâtre Municipal d'Esch/Alzette - Esch/Alzette
Municipal Theatre of Esch-sur-Alzette
Contemporary and classic theatre, contemporary dance, operas, operettas, musicals, concerts (classical music, brass, recitals, jazz, percussion, singing), art gallery (photos and painting), conferences, etc.
122 rue de l’Alzette
L-4010 Esch-sur-Alzette
Tel. +352 54 03 87 or +352 54 09 16
Fax +352 54 73 83-650
E-mail: reservation@theatre.villeesch.lu
[Internet: http://www.theatre.esch.lu]
National Sports and Cultural Centre - Coque
The ‘D’Coque’ National Sports and Cultural Centre with its arena can hold up to 8300 spectators and numerous other spaces are available as a venue for exceptional cultural events to various musical groups, theatre groups, singers and artists. Conference centre.
2 rue Léon Hengen
L-1745 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 43 60 60-1
Fax +352 42 33 15
E-mail: info@coque.lu
[Internet: http://www.coque.lu]
Places of interest in other cities:
ECHTERNACH
The Echternach Center for culture, torusime and congresses has one concert hall concerthall (605 seats), as well as a smaller hall for concerts and theater (312 seats).
2 place du Marché
Postfach 22
L-6401 Echternach
Tel. +352 72 92 22-52
Fax +352 26 72 18 35
E-mail: ralf.britten@echternach.lu
ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE
[Internet: http://www.kulturfabrik.lu Kulturfabrik]
This former slaughterhouse has been transformed into an alternative cultural center that attracts its public even accross the borders. This trans-and intercultural Institution offers more than 200 events per year: contemporary, modern, classic and world music, arts, exhibitions, literature cafés, dance, conferences, theater, cineam, circus, workshops, etc.
116 rue de Luxembourg
L-4221 Esch-sur-Alzette
Tel. +352 55 44 93-1
Fax +352 55 04 03
E-mail: mail@kulturfabrik.lu
[Internet: www.kulturfabrik.lu]
ETTELBRUCK
The Ed. Juncker CAPE Centre for Plural Artsin Ettelbruck puts on more than 80 shows per year, drawing on all disciplines of artistic expression: music (classical or contemporary, jazz, world music), opera, operetta, French, German and Luxembourg theatre, cabaret, dance, pantomime, exhibitions and much more.
1 Place Marie-Adélaïde
L-9063 Ettelbruck
Tel. +352 26 81 21-1
Fax +352 26 81 21-301
E-mail: mail@cape.lu
[Internet: http://www.cape.lu]
MARNACH
The cultural center "Cube 521" is a forum for people that are active in the field of culture in Luxembourg as well as abroad. It is a multidimensional meeting site with a lot of high quality events. This projetct reflects a courageous vision, born out of the necesity to reinforce the cultural sphere in the northern part of the country.
CUBE 521
1, Driicht
L-9764 Marnach
Tel.: +352 521 52-1
Fax.: +352 521 52-9
E-mail: info@cube521.lu
[Internet: http://www.cube521.lu]
MERSCH
The ‘Mierscher Kulturhaus’ cultural centre – concerts (classical, contemporary, modern jazz, gospel&soul), Luxembourg theatre and theatre for children, cabaret, dance, exhibitions, seminars, workshops and training programmes.
53 rue Grande-Duchesse Charlotte
L-7520 Mersch
Tel. +352 26 32 43-1
E-mail: info@kulturhaus.lu
[Internet: http://www.kulturhaus.lu]
Press
The media in Luxembourg are starting to discover CS. So far there have been 2 bigger reports in the magazine Revue (german language - August 2008) and in the daily newspaper "Voix du Luxembourg" (french language - September 2008).
If you are interested in reading the whole reports please contact one of the moderators of the Luxembourg group with an email adress where you can receive attachments, to get a PDF file of the scans.
Voix du Luxembourg
Revue
