Page 257 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

GR AND DUCH Y OF L UXEMBOURG  255

8 Echternach 0 Vianden
35 km (22 miles) NE of Luxembourg 22 km (14 miles) NW of Echternach.
City. Road Map F4. * 5,350. @ Road Map F4. * 1,900. @
n Parvis de la Basilique 9–10; 720230. n Rue du Vieux Marché 1A; 834257.
_ International Classical Music ∑ tourist-info-vianden.lu
Festival (May–Jun and Sep).
∑ echternach-tourist.lu This little town of Vianden, on
the River Our, is famous for the
Capital of Luxembourg’s Little large medieval Château de
Switzerland, Echternach is also Echternach’s Place du Marché, with cobbled Vianden that is perched over
the country’s oldest town. An streets and old buildings the town on a rocky outcrop.
abbey was founded here in This château was the seat of
AD 698 by St Willibrord, a National Museum of Military the counts of Vianden and the
Yorkshire missionary monk who History, through photographs Orange-Nassau family, until
was said to cure chorea (or St and film, various artifacts and it was given to the state by
Vitus’s Dance), a disease of the lifesize dioramas. The museum Grand Duke Jean in 1977. The
nervous system. This is believed also covers the history of building dates mainly from
to be the reason for the curious Luxembourg’s army. The the 12th and 13th centuries
motion of the participants in Conservatoire National de and has Romanesque and
Echternach’s dance parade, the Véhicules Historiques, a veteran Gothic structures.
Sprangprëssessioun (see p39). car museum, displays changing Vianden also has a charming
The town is domin ated by the exhibits mounted by collectors Musée d’Histoire de la Ville de
massive abbey, which dates and includes bikes, fire engines Vianden, with rustic furniture,
mainly from its makeover in aus- – even children’s cars. It shares domestic artifacts, clothing and
tere Classical style in 1727–31. premises with the Museum of dolls. The Gothic abbey church,
Until its closure in 1794 by the the Diekirch Brewery; Diekirch Église des Trinitaires, dating
French Revolutionary Army, it is a famous brand of beer. Also mainly from 1250, has a double
was a Benedictine monastery of note is Église St-Laurent, a nave with Baroque flourishes and
of great influence, noted for its Gothic and Romanesque church a tranquil cloister. Also of interest
illumin ated manuscripts pro- built over the site of a Roman is Maison de Victor Hugo, which
duced during the Middle Ages. villa and containing Roman and recalls the author’s stay here in
These can be seen at the Musée early medieval sarcophagi. 1871. Luxembourg’s only télésiège
de l’Abbaye, laid out in the cel- (chairlift) rises 220 m (720 ft) from
lars of the old Abbot’s Palace. E National Museum of Military Rue du Sanitorium and offers
The crypt of the accompanying History views over the town and castle.
Basilique St-Willibrord contains Bamertal 10. Tel 808908. Open Tue–
the sarcophagus of the saint, as Sun. Closed Carnival Sun. & + Château de Vianden
well as 11th-century frescoes. ∑ mnhm.lu Open daily. & ∑ castle-vianden.lu
The town’s centrepiece, the E Conservatoire National de E Musée d’Histoire de
Place du Marché, is an ensem- Véhicules Historiques la Ville de Vianden
ble of traditional buildings, Rue de Stavelot 20-22. Tel 26800468. 96-98 Grande-rue. Tel 834591.
some old, some reconstructed, Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & Open Easter–Oct: 11am–5pm
including the Gothic 15th-cen- ∑ visitluxembourg.com Tue–Sun. &
tury law courts, the Dënzelt.
E Musée de l’Abbaye
Parvis de la Basilique 11. Tel 727472.
Open daily. Closed Nov–Feb. &
∑ willibrord.lu

9 Diekirch
21 km (13 miles) NW of Echternach.
Road Map F4. * 6,730. £ @
n Place de la Libération 3; 803023.
∑ tourisme.diekirch.lu
Located on the River Sûre,
Diekirch is an attractive base
from which to explore the
surrounding area. The town
was badly damaged during the
Ardennes Offensive (see p235),
a subject that is covered by the The Château de Vianden towering over the eponymous riverside town
For hotels and restaurants see p271 and pp292–3

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