An unexplored Europe. Luxembourg

01 March 2018 Travel time: with 19 October 2017 on 19 October 2017
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We went for a day from Saarbrü cken. We went by bus of the Luxembourg company. The cost of the trip is 8 euros per person OW. Tickets are on sale at the Deutsche Bahn box office at Saarbrü cken train station. I saw that some passengers bought from the driver. The bus is very comfortable, comfortable seats, the distance to neighboring neighbors is great. All passengers fasten their seat belts without collusion. The bus is 30% full (weekdays, 08:25 am), one hour 15 minutes. Departure and arrival to the nearest minute. There are no intermediate stops. The views outside the window are first purely industrial (Folklingen Metallurgical Plant, warehouses, power plants), then some forests, and after entering the territory of the Grand Duchy - agricultural. As we approached the capital - he drew attention to the common car dealerships, all as one - the sale of electric vehicles.


In Luxembourg, the bus is at the Central Bus Station, located as in many European cities (but not in Saarbrü cken) - next to the Central Railway Station. Cool and foggy. We decide to move to the center on foot, although our bus ticket is valid in intercity transport. The streets are wide and very clean. . The architecture is very similar to the French, especially the rich areas of Paris (such as Boulevard Haussmann). French influence is also felt in the presence of stores of French retail chains (Carrrfour and Monoprix, in particular). We visit the first of them on Avenue de la Gare. The goods are mainly made in France, chocolate - in Belgium. Suddenly we notice Risini (exotic, made inPortugal). We buy because they are not available as a class in Saarbrü cken stores. Nearby we see the Dutch HEM (non-food products, household goods, etc. ).

Prices are about twice as high as the German Finally, we reach the street, at the intersection of which our Avenue de la Gare, crosses the bridge Viaduc Viaduc.

It offers panoramic views of the Petrus River Valley and the city center. And here is the area of ​ ​ the Constitution. To the right is the Cathedral, to the left the famous stela with the Golden Woman (Gelle Fra), a little further a flagpole with a huge flag of Luxembourg, of course, a gathering place for tourist groups, to the right - a turn to the Cathedral. There is a large souvenir kiosk-shop, and under. them - free WC. We continue along F. Roosevelt Boulevard from the square with an observation deck, here the high-tech of the early 2nd century is gradually displacing the antiquity of the late 19th, and on the Royal Boulevard it is no longer visible at all, as due to already built high-rises glass and concrete, and still under construction. Tourists in this area are not visible at all, mostly crowds of locals, mostly office or student feed.

Which is not surprising in principle - the time is close to lunch.

Between the scaffolding we find a nice building of the local Main Post Office (not very new, but not very old, the middle of the twentieth century. Everywhere), from where we send a letter home (stamp 1.40 euros, postcard - 0.5 euros corner of the old town and buy it in a souvenir-newspaper-cigarette shop, envelopes by the way, nowhere). After that, we decide to have lunch ourselves, delving into the search for a suitable task in the quarters of the Old Town. Finding something at prices was not an easy question, because the city center offered only open-air restaurants, the cost of lunch for two was 40+ euros for two, or even some gourmet cafes. Still, we find an Oberweiss establishment, where lunch costs 27 euros for two. Everything is very decent.


Gradually we get out of the Old Town, go to the Rue de Marche Aux, where an important state and tourist attraction is located - the Palace of the Duke of Luxembourg. In the past 10 years since my previous visit to Luxembourg, nothing has changed - a booth with a guard in the same place against which tourists are photographed. To photograph the Palace is quite problematic due to the narrowness of the street, it just does not fit into the frame completely… Then on a narrow, sloping street, constantly winding, R. De l'Eau R. D. Rost (with many souvenir shops and small, seemingly inexpensive cafes) we go to a small observation deck with magnificent panoramic views of the Grund area (where the ancient fortress with underground catacombs was located, as well as the area of ​ ​ one two-story mansion wrapped in ivy) - right, and the Alzette river valley - left.

On the opposite bank is the newly built hi-tec European Quarter (European Commission Buildings). Of course, everything is immersed in greenery. It seems that the whole lower city is built among deciduous forests. Another viaduct bridge was built parallel to the river, this time a railway one. Train traffic on the bridge is decent, judging by the characteristic color of DB - the main connection between Luxembourg and Germany. After taking panoramic photos, once again admiring the opportunity for Europeans to build masterpieces even despite the difficult terrain, and marveling at air traffic - planes from the local airport took off / took off every 10 minutes, back to the center. Following the route Bd. Victor Thorn - Rue de Juctice - Rue de Nord return to the center. On the way from afar we see the Port d'Eich - a fragment of the fortress wall with a bridge over the river. Alzette. On the street.

Justice in French-speaking cities should be located in a judicial institution - Luxembourg is no exception, but the local Palace of Justice is not impressive in size or decor. Finally, we get to the Theater Square - here in the middle of the old quarter built a very modern building of the City Theater (1970-80). A sculptural composition and theatrical themes have been installed. The entourage is conveyed very realistically, there are even fragments of the backstage (the composition is made of cast iron - Luxembourg has long housed industrial enterprises for its production. Now they have been replaced by offices of large metallurgical corporations, whose facilities are scattered around the world). The place is very nice, there are benches for relaxation, as well as underground parking and WC. On rue Beamont we go to rue les Bains. There is already a lot of modern office architecture, although there are unexpectedly private 1-2-storey mansions.

Judging by the names - there were (and may still exist), balneological objects, or as they say in Europe - "baths". But we did not look specifically, not much is not in our interest. Parallel to rue les Bains is the Royal Boulevard - a fairly wide highway, which already runs public transport. In Luxembourg, it is represented only by buses, but not simple, but with electric motors, or, at least, hybrid. Near the Central Railway Station, I saw the station charging them - they were charging not through an electric cable, but through a roof-mounted pull-out device similar to a tram pantograph. Not far from the Royal Boulevard is a large forest park area (in my opinion without a name) with small lakes and fountains. Of course, a favorite vacation spot of locals. Let me remind you, this is not a neighborhood, just a piece of forest almost in the middle of the city.


A distinctive feature of the Luxembourg aborigines is the classic style of clothing - they even ride bicycles and walk dogs in costumes with bow ties! . Unexpectedly, in the middle of a residential area we find a rosary - a small park with bushes of roses of different varieties. The bus stop nearby is called - Rouse Gartchen (Garden of Roses, literally). As we approach the Station Square (and the length of Freedom Avenue is about 1.3 km), the quiet European idyll is not disturbed at all: eateries and dubious appearance of the institution are still absent as a class, quite fashionable shops, beggars and other disadvantaged contingent. from Africa and Asia) is completely invisible. Ethnic cafes - only Turkish. I don't know, maybe on the outskirts of the city, in the sleeping areas the situation is different, but in the city center and near the station everything is very decent.

The return trip was uneventful, the bus was again almost 30% full, departures and arrivals again to the nearest minute, despite the fact that twice we got into traffic jams caused by road repairs. Luxembourg left the most pleasant impressions, a kind of little European idyll, with not idyllic prices!

Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original
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Люксембург. Середина осени
Мост Герцога Адольфа
Просто очень красивое здание
Улочки Старого Города
Вид на нижний город
Фрагменты крепостной стены. Одно из знаковых мест Люксембурга
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