Luxembourg: Les Amis du Château de Vianden becomes member of Europa Nostra

The not-for-profit heritage association Les Amis du Château de Vianden from Luxembourg joined Europa Nostra’s network of Member Organisations in June 2015. Protecting, managing, enhancing and promoting the Castle are the core activities of this association which was established in 1978. This most-visited heritage site in the Grand Duchy, which counted more than 160,000 visitors in 2014, is central to the cultural identity of Luxembourg and is an integral part of its tourism heritage.

 

Vianden Castle has been recognised by experts, who evaluated it in 2013 within the framework of its application to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, “as an outstanding cultural element, which deserves protection and conservation”.

Astounding evidence of the history of a powerful lineage, close to the Staufer dynasty (House of Swabia), and a unique example of entirely remaining fortifications from the late Middle Ages, Vianden Castle was one of the most impressive feudal residences of the Romanesque and Gothic periods in Europe.

During his exile in 1871, Victor Hugo viewed the ruins of the fortified Castle as symbols of the domination and repression of the feudal and monarchic regime. As a writer and artist, he then assessed the exceptional universal value of “Vianden, which the whole Europe will come to visit one day”.

The Castle reveals, through its elaborate and balanced multi-storey structure, the succession of different architectural periods, from the Romanesque to the Gothic, with a Byzantine influence. The inside is radiant with the harmonious diversity of its defensive and representative elements. The Small Palace, the Knights’ Hall, the Archaeological Crypt, the Early Kitchen, the Lower Chapel, the Knights’ Study, and the Courtyard are emblematic examples. The crowning glory, the Upper Chapel, dominating the large structure with its audacious profile, constitutes an architectural gem, richly decorated with large and small columns, from which the primitive polychromy could be retrieved.

A Wi-Fi network, which has recently been installed, will be an asset for the many visitors. With the help of ‘connected’ tourists, Vianden Castle will significantly increase its visibility on social networks. The Castle will thus position itself as an innovation-oriented cultural actor. For the same purpose, the opening of a scenographic museum is planned for 2016.

Europa Nostra wants to strongly engage and further enlarge its network of members, associates, benefactors, partners and supporters in Luxembourg and all over Europe. Together we can save and promote our shared cultural heritage. JOIN US