Luxembourg City has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Luxembourg is home to a single UNESCO World Heritage Site, officially listed as “City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications.” This designation covers the historic core of Luxembourg City, including its Old Town and the remains of its extensive defensive structures. The origins of the city date back to 963, when the first fortifications were established around the early stronghold known as Lucilinburhuc.

Over the centuries, Luxembourg’s strategic location in Europe made it a highly contested fortress. Successive rulers—including Burgundian, Spanish, French, Austrian, and Prussian powers—expanded and reinforced the city’s defences, transforming it into one of the most formidable fortified sites on the continent. Its military importance later earned it the nickname “Gibraltar of the North.”

In 1994, the Old Quarters and Fortifications of Luxembourg City were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of their outstanding universal value. Today, the site stands as a remarkable example of military architecture integrated into a living city, where historic fortifications, urban development, and natural landscapes coexist in a unique and well-preserved setting.

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