Steve Mueller's Digital Scrapbook

Europe 2002

Monday May 20
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

This entire day was spent in Luxembourg City. We crossed the city in several directions, walking over the two main bridges, the Pont Viaduc and the Pont Adolphe, at least a half-dozen times. We descended into the gorges, walked along the rivers, climbed back up and spent a few more hours walking the cobbled streets of the old city. We also spent several hours exploring the town fortifications. The fortifications along the Petrusse Valley are known as the Petrusse casemates, and those along the Alzette Valley are known as the Bock casemates. I suppose that "the Alzette casemates" didn't sound formidable enough. The casemates extend considerable distances into the rock that lies beneath the oldest parts of Luxembourg City. In centuries past, this dark and musty labyrinth sheltered thousands of troops, along with their horses and equipment. These tunnels and their associated fortifications are relics of the external powers that subjugated and ruled this land. Each time that this city forcefully changed hands between the Burgundians, the French, the Austrians, etc., the fortifications were strengthened. During both World Wars, the casemates were used as bomb shelters. The Treaty of London, ratified in the late 19^th century, dictated that the fortifications of Luxembourg City be dismantled. Although the forts and defensive walls were destroyed, the casemates could not be collapsed without damaging the overlying city. Many of the tunnel entrances and junctions were plugged, but 17 km of tunnels remain accessible. In addition to their historic significance, the casemates offer fine views of the Petrusse and Alzette Valleys. The modern aspects of Luxembourg City became more apparent during our second day. The country of Luxembourg exerts an influence within Europe that greatly exceeds its physical size. Although it is the smallest member of the European Union, it was also a founding member, and is the wealthiest nation in Europe on the basis of GDP per capita. This wealth is due, in part, to the fact that the combination of a relatively low tax burden and tolerable levels of economic regulation attract a large number of high-income business executives from other parts of Europe. Like Frankfurt, Luxembourg City is a major EU financial center. But if this city feels like any other in Europe, that city could only be Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the seat of the European Union. Like Brussels, nearly half the population of Luxembourg City is from another part of the European continent. Many of these "foreigners" represent various elements of the European Union, which has a number of prominent institutions headquartered in Luxembourg City. The number of government clerks and diplomats stationed in Luxembourg City make it a rather expensive place to visit. After dark, we spent several hours touring the old city and the Grund, both of which were well illuminated. On our last walk along the Alzette River, I was impressed that the gorge appeared to be sculpted by man as much as nature. The fortifications appear to merge seamlessly with the terrain contours. This blending of the natural and the artificial reminded me of the countless Anasazi ruins that I have seen throughout the American southwest. The fact that some of the Luxembourg structures are at least as old as those Anasazi dwellings is a sobering thought. Before leaving the gorge, I took some pictures of the floodlit fortifications. On this final visit to the lower town, we discovered an elevator that deposited visitors in the old town a short distance from the Pont Viaduc. Crossing that great bridge one last time, we found an Indian restaurant on the opposite side and splurged for one of the best dinners of the trip.
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