[Throwback] Luxembourg

During my short assignment in Brussels many years ago, I decided to take a day trip to Luxembourg, which was only about a 2-hour drive away. This was the first - and so far only - time I drove from one country to another. My friend Brian was also on a business trip to Brussels at that time so he joined me.

As we had only one day, we spent our time at Ville Haute, which is the historic center of Luxembourg City. I had a Lonely Planet book of Europe and we used that to help us figure out what sights to see and how to get around.

We visited the Monument of Remembrance (Monument du souvenir) which is located in Place de la Constitution. At the top of the obelisk is the statue called Gëlle Fra or the Golden Lady.

Monument of Remembrance, more popularly known as Gëlle Fra

From there, we headed down into the Pétrusse Valley, a beautiful park through which the Petrusse River flows. We spent a lot of time just leisurely walking around and taking photos. It was winter when we were there so it was pretty cold but I can imagine spending the day here during warmer weather, sitting on the grass or one of the many benches and reading a book while enjoying some coffee.

Pétrusse Valley

The park is bound on one side by the Passerelle, which is the Luxembourg City viaduct. It was built in the mid 1800s and is also known as the Old Bridge.

The Passerrelle as seen from the Bock Casemates

A short distance away is Pont Adolphe or the Adolphe Bridge. It was named after Grand Duke Adolphe who ruled the country in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Since it was build half a century after the Passerelle, it is also known as the New Bridge.

Pont Adolphe

From there, we walked to Casemates du Bock or the Bock Casemates. It is known for its multitude of tunnels and passageways (I don't know if visitors can explore them but we didn't). It also served as a fortress, holding guns and cannons. Apparently, Luxembourg was known for its impressive defense against invaders, and the Casemates du Bock were instrumental in repelling enemy forces.

Casemates du Bock

We then made our way to Place Guillaume II, which is the town square in Ville Haute. It is named after Grand Duke William II and an equestrian statue of the Grand Duke stands prominently in the square.

Place Guillaume II

Almost right next to the square is Cathédrale Notre-Dame. I realized I didn't take  a photo of the church from the outside but I did have my photo taken right next to this bell that is on display on the cathedral grounds.

We did go inside the church and the interior is pretty outstanding. Aside from what I think are tapestries adorning the walls and beautiful paintings on the ceiling, I really loved the stunning stained glass windows.

Interior of Cathédrale Notre-Dame

It was late afternoon when we left Luxembourg. As I look back at this trip, I realize I don't remember where we had lunch but I do know that we had dinner at a pit stop along the road back to Brussels. I'm not particularly sure why we chose to eat on the road rather than in Luxembourg where it would be more comfortable but maybe I wanted to get home early because it was winter and it got dark quite early.

That might not make a lot of sense but this trip happened a really long time ago and my car didn't have any GPS system so I relied mainly on road signs to find my way. I didn't even have a map with me! Unfortunately for us, I made the mistake of taking the wrong exit heading back into Brussels and we ended up getting massively lost. If I recall correctly, it took maybe an hour or more of driving and asking around for me to finally get back home. Still, I'm glad we got lost on the way home rather than on our way to Luxembourg.

Despite that bad end, it was still a really good experience. Luxembourg - or at least the Ville Haute or historic centre - is quite compact, making it easy to get around. It is very charming, which historic buildings set amidst the beautiful Petrusse valley.

I don't know if I will have a chance to visit this beautiful country again, but I hope I will.