Luxembourg
The District of Luxembourg, is one of three districts of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.It borders the district of Grevenmacher to the east, the district of Diekirch to the north, the Belgian province of Luxembourg to the west and the French Département of Moselle to the south. It also has the highest per capita income of the districts of the duchy.Luxembourg shaped its destiny as one of the "Capitals of Europe" not only through its central geographical location in the heart of Europe but also through its multi-lingualism. Apart from "Luxembourgish", now the official language, French and German are also widely employed in the same function. Moreover, in the last 20 years, Luxembourg has developed into an powerful financial centre with its 168 financial institutions. This international momentum confers the city a cosmopolitan flair that is stunning in view of its size. Despite this intense political and economic progress, the city has maintained an atmosphere of contemplative tranquility. The vast green spaces in the Pétrusse Valley and the City Gardens as well as the historical city centre, transformed almost completely into a pedestrian zone, provide the visitor with leisure, cultural experience and comfortable shopping.
The historical importance of Luxembourg dates back to the Roman era. Near what is now named the Fishmarket where two important Roman roads crossed, a watch and observation tower was erected in the 4th century. Count Siegfried also recognized the strategic value of the site in the middle of the 10th century and set up the "Lucilinburhuc", which gave the city its name, on the Bock promontory. In the course of the centuries the fortress was widely extended with several ring walls, a host of tower-gates and peel towers, underground galleries and lots of bastions and forts. In the 17th century, after the French fortress builder Vauban enlarged the defence works so as to create one of the most powerful fortresses of Europe, Luxembourg came to be called "Gibraltar of the North" as well. Between 1867 and 1883, a great part of the fortress was dismantled following the decision of the Congress of London. The open spaces thus gained enabled the authorities to extend the city and increase its population swiftly. The excavations of the "Lucilinburhuc" on the Bock promontory, the old town, the casemates and the ruins of the fortifications were listed as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1994. They are very conspicuous to the visitor during an extensive walk or a guided bus tour.
