Luxembourg is a fantastic country! Located in the heart of Western Europe. The place convinces you with its beauty, history, and outstanding landscapes. You will be surprised 😮 while visiting its amazing Luxembourg City, charming castles, and especially eye-catching natural sites.
Exciting to know more? 🤗 Read this article freely and get outstanding facts about Luxembourg that will surely surprise you.
Interesting Luxembourg Facts that Will Trigger Your Curiosity
The Origins of Luxembourg
The Country’s name, Luxembourg, comes from a castle called Lucilinburhuc, which means “little fortress.” The Count of Ardennes, Siegfried, repurchased this castle in 963 C.E. This event is considered Luxembourg’s starting point or foundation as a country🚩.
You might wonder how big Luxembourg is. The size of Luxembourg is 998 sq mi (2,586 sq km) which is one of the smallest countries in Europe by area.
The Country is Full of Restaurants Having World’s Largest Wine Collection
There is a restaurant called Chiggeri in Luxembourg with the most extensive collection of wines in the world 🍷. One can choose from over 2200 types of wine, all made by winemakers from countries like France, Luxembourg, and others.
The owners of the restaurant, Joao and Sandra, are passionate about good food and provide a stylish atmosphere for their customers.
Chiggeri also offers a unique dining experience called “dinner in the dark.” During this experience, you eat from jaw-dropping menus and drink carefully selected wines, all while in complete darkness.
Luxembourg has the Headquarters of Skype and Amazon.
You might be surprised that Luxembourg City has two giant organization headquarters, including Skype and Amazon.
Skype primarily works on creating and promoting computer software for video chats and messaging. Their main office is located in the city.
Amazon, a big tech company from the United States, specializes in e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.
They have chosen Luxembourg as the location for their European headquarters, joining other prominent businesses in the area.
Language Diversity in Luxembourg
To know more than one language is really outstanding! Especially three! In Luxembourg, people speak three official languages: German, French, and Luxembourgish (or Letzebuergesch).
German and French are mainly used in official matters, and Luxembourgish is commonly spoken in everyday conversations.
French is often used in business settings, hotels, restaurants, and cafés, but German is more prevalent in written publications. If you plan to visit Luxembourg, having some knowledge of French is recommended to make your trip easier.
Free Public Transport for the Entire Country
If you are searching for a country that provides free transportation, I mean FREE! Then Luxembourg is one on the list.
Luxembourg, a country surrounded by land and no coastlines, made history by becoming the first city and nation worldwide to offer free public transportation throughout the Country. This includes trains, trams, and buses 🚊.
So if you plan to explore new things in Luxembourg, take a deep breath because your journey will be inexpensive and more convenient.
You don’t have to think about buying tickets or dealing with the cost of transportation because it’s all free for everyone.
Luxembourg holds the Double European Capital of Culture.
The one and only city of Luxembourg has been selected twice as the European Capital of Culture. The first time was in 1995, and the second was in 2007.
Being a European Capital of Culture means that the European Union chooses the city to organize various cultural events and celebrations throughout the whole year.
This unique program started in 1985 and has continued to occur annually.
Luxembourg City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Luxembourg City, the capital of Luxembourg, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means that the historic part of the city is recognized and protected by UNESCO.
The city’s defenses were first built in 963, and over the centuries, various foreign powers, like the Burgundians, Spanish, French, Austrians, and Prussians, continually expanded and fortified the city walls.
In 1994, the Old Town of Luxembourg City was officially added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, highlighting its historical and cultural significance.
The Luxembourg Open a Fantastic Tennis Tournament
The Luxembourg Open is a tennis competition for women held in the city since 1991 🎾. It started as a casual event but later gained recognition as an official tournament by the Women’s Competition Association in 2009.
If you are in Luxembourg, don’t miss the chance to watch some exciting tennis matches at the Luxembourg Open.
The Country holds Europe’s Largest Entertainment Network.
Luxembourg City is known for hosting Europe’s most extensive entertainment network 🎬. This network, owned and managed by the RTL Group, is a company that operates a whopping 68 T.V. channels and 31 radio stations in various European countries like Germany, France, and others.
This means that the RTL Group brings a wide range of television programs and radio broadcasts to audiences across Europe, offering diverse entertainment options for people to enjoy.
The most powerful person in the European Union
Jean-Claude Junker is the former President of the European Union from Luxembourg. During his remarkable journey as a president of the E.U., Jean-Claude Junker had a lot of influence and made critical decisions affecting the E.U. countries.
E.U. Institutions in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is also known to be one of the main capitals of the European Union (E.U.), even though the E.U.’s seven institutions are spread across different cities.
These cities include Brussels, Frankfurt am Main, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg. Among these institutions, Luxembourg houses the highest number of them.
Most of these institutions are situated in the Kirchberg district, which is located in the northeastern part of the city. So, even though the E.U.’s institutions are scattered, Luxembourg is where you’ll find the largest concentration of them.
The Country Holds Remarkable Tunnels
Below the Country of Luxembourg lies an extensive network of tunnels that spans 23 kilometers in length 🚇. These tunnels were constructed in 1644, reaching depths of up to 40 meters into the rocky terrain.
Additionally, Luxembourg is known as the “Gibraltar of the North” due to its impressive defense structures. This nickname highlights the Country’s remarkable fortifications and defensive capabilities.
The Expansion and Diversity of International Population
During your visit, there might be a high chance for you to feel the world in the village! In which you will meet people from various countries worldwide. Isn’t that exciting to see people from everywhere at once in the same place?
The city has a diverse population of 170 nationalities, and the number of people born outside Luxembourg is increasing yearly. As of January 1, 2022, Luxembourg had 645,397 residents living in an area of 2,586 square kilometers.
This means there are about 249 people per square kilometer. Thus making it one of the most largely populated regions in Europe. The largest foreign communities in Luxembourg are from Portugal, France, Italy, Belgium, and Germany, making up 31.1 percent of the city’s population.
Historic Castles of Luxembourg City
When we talk about a fantastic country, we miss its historical architecture! That’s not gonna happen.
The City of Luxembourg has three castles that are worth visiting 🏰. Among the many castles in the Country, these three are located in Luxembourg City itself. They are called the Petrusse Casemates, the Luxembourg old quarters and fortifications, and the Grand Ducal Palace.
Each of these castles offers excellent tourist experiences, so if you plan to explore the place, do not forget to include a visit to all three castles to enjoy the rich history and captivating sights they offer.
The only Cathedral in the Country
The city has the only Cathedral in the whole Country. It’s called the Notre Dame Cathedral, around 400 years old.
The Cathedral is an excellent example of a specific style of architecture called late Gothic, and it has an underground area called the crypt where some members of the royal family are buried.
The Cathedral is peaceful and has beautiful windows made of colored glass, which many people love to see when they visit Luxembourg. Besides the Cathedral, three castles in the city are fantastic places for tourists to visit.
The official Public Holiday in Luxembourg
June 23 is the official birthday of the Grand Duke, but interestingly, neither Henri nor any other Grand Duke was born that day! The reason for this choice of date goes back to the early 20th century.
Back then, the nation celebrated the actual birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte (1919-1964) on January 23. However, in 1962, they decided to move the celebration to June 23 because the weather is usually more excellent during that time of the year. As a result, June 23 has become a public holiday in Luxembourg.
Wines of the Moselle Valley
Luxembourg is the perfect place for enjoying, especially the beautiful scenery if you are a diehard fan of wine with supreme quality 🥂.
In the Country called the Moselle Valley, which is famous for making really good wines. They use nine different kinds of grapes to make these wines.
Some of the grapes they use are Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Auxerrois, Rivaner, Elbling, and Chardonnay. These grapes give the wines different flavors and characteristics.
People who enjoy wine often appreciate the wines from the Moselle Valley because they are of superb quality and have a wide variety of tastes.
Art of Gifting in Luxembourg
Giving gifts is key to building relationships, especially if you have someone in your heart! 🎁 The Country has real value in this vital part of life.
In Luxembourg, bringing a gift like a box of chocolates or flowers is common when invited to someone’s house. This is considered a customary practice, which means it’s a normal thing to do.
When you visit someone’s home in Luxembourg, it’s polite and thoughtful to bring a small present to show appreciation for the invitation. This could be a sweet treat like chocolates or a beautiful bouquet to bring joy to the host.
The Highest E.U. Law Authority in Luxembourg
One of the amazing facts about Luxembourg is that it has the European Union’s top court for issues concerning E.U. law.
Known to be the Court of Justice of the European Union, it consists of 28 judges, with each judge representing a member state of the E.U.
The Car Capital of the World
If you are a car lover and always ready for fascinating driving, then the Country is the perfect place.
Luxembourg holds the record for having the most cars per person worldwide 🚗. This refers to the fact that for every 1,000 people in Luxembourg, there are 647 cars. In 2014, the most popular car brand among Luxembourgers was Volkswagen, which had the highest sales.
We hope! Knowing about the above Luxembourg facts will satisfy your curious soul 🤗.
As you already feel amazed to know about this fantastic country 😇! Among the above facts! Which do you like the most?
As we are already engaged, We would love to know your feedback 😉
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