Luxembourg: Lëtzebuerg City Museum, the history (2024)

The museum

The Lëtzebuerg City Museum is located in the heart of the old town, grouping together several houses whose ancient foundations were built on the rock and which served as a basis for more recent constructions.

The museum tour extends over six levels, the highest of which are devoted to temporary exhibitions. Back at street level, the decor of the ceremonial rooms has been preserved but the space is used outside of this context.

The museum occupies several houses on the ridge of the cornice which plunges into the Grund, crossed by the Alzette valley. From the terrace, there is a beautiful view of the roofs of houses once occupied by tanners.

The early days of Luxembourg

The existence of Luxembourg is attested in 963, when Count Siegfried took possession of it. He strengthened the existing fortified tower, wishing to make it the stronghold of his various lands scattered between the Meuse and Moselle rivers.

Gradually, a town gathered around the castle, traces of which can be found in archaeological excavations.

In 1244, the inhabitants of the town were freed from the constraints of serfdom, which subjected them to their feudal lord. From then on, craftsmanship developed with the production of cloth, leather and wool weaving.

In 1340 an annual fair was created, the Schueberfouer, which still exists in August. This increased the city’s influence and its financial resources, which were used to strengthen the fortifications.

Several religious orders established themselves in Luxembourg. They promoted education and care for the population. They also encouraged artistic production with their commissions to adorn churches and monasteries.

During the periods of religious unrest with the development of the Reformation in the region, Luxembourg remained faithful to Catholicism. The numerous religious establishments were a factor of stability.

The tribulations of Luxembourg

Through marriages and inheritances, Luxembourg joined the numerous possessions of the dukes of Burgundy and then the Habsburgs. Thus Charles V (1500-1558) held Burgundy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands including Belgium, Spain, part of Italy and received the title of Emperor of Germany. Not to mention the colonial empire in America, which financed this great ensemble.

Luxembourg was then administered by a governor, and Pierre de Mansfeld was in place from 1545 to 1604.

The time of the Grand Dukes

In 1815, at the time of the Congress of Vienna, which restored order to Europe after the Napoleonic epic, Luxembourg and Belgium were placed under the control of the Netherlands, whose king was also Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

In 1830, when Belgium rebelled against the Netherlands and gained its independence, Luxembourg joined the rebellion. When the borders were established in 1839, the French-speaking part of Luxembourg became a Belgian province, while the German-speaking part became independent and retained the Dutch king as its sovereign. In 1848 the constitution established a parliamentary regime.

The time of the wars

In 1914, Germany militarily occupied Luxembourg, a neutral country deprived of the means to defend itself. However, the authorities remained in place, continuing to administer the country. There was little damage from the war, mainly a sharp economic slowdown and social difficulties due to rationing. The Germans evacuated after the armistice signed in November 1918.

The consequence of these conflicts was to push the European countries to achieve a better harmony. Luxembourg was the first to take an interest in this, participating in the Benelux countries as early as 1944, in NATO in 1948, in the ECSC in 1952 and of course in the European Economic Community in 1957, with the city hoping to become its capital.

These international agreements would encourage the expansion of the economy.