t's a wonder that the citizens of the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg don't have an inferiority complex. After
all, the entire country takes up only 998 square miles -- less room
to roam than on some Texas ranches -- and the greatest distance
from north to south is 51 miles, shorter than my daily commute to
work. At its widest point, only 35 miles separate its east coast
from its west.
Moreover, consider that the ego-diminishing "Lux" and, worse
yet, the letter "L" stands for Luxembourg on some maps that
illustrate Martin Gilbert's definitive work "The Second World War,"
and that Baedecker's, Fodor's, Frommer's and the rest all but
dismiss the country as an afterthought in their Benelux guides as
"Holland, Belgium and ... oh yeah ... Luxembourg, too."
Surrounded by France to the south, Belgium to the west and
Germany to the north, and sometimes confused with Lichtenstein by
the geographically challenged, little Luxembourg the country-as
grand a grand duchy as exists anywhere -- often is overshadowed
even by its own capital city.
I, for one, am prepared to make the case that there is more to
the nation than its eponymous capital, and that a recent excursion
to some charming towns and villages revealed that the country mouse
shouldn't take a back seat to the city mouse when it comes to
tourist attractions.
A sampling of easily accessible destinations outside the big
city (well, not that big) follows:
Diekirch. At the entranceway of the vast Ardennes wilderness,
this former Roman settlement features a popular brewery, a 15th
century church constructed on fifth century foundations and a
municipal museum.The primary attraction here is the National Military Museum, a
warehouse-like repository of armaments, military vehicles, personal
effects and documents from the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler's last
desperate Ardennes offensive launched in the waning days of
1944.
Vianden. A holiday getaway, Vianden is known as "the pearl of
the Ardennes." Nestled in the valley of the Our River and included
in the German-Luxembourg Nature Reserve, the town is noted for its
Museum of Dolls and Toys, a 15th century apothecary shop and the
Victor Hugo House, where the author resided after being expelled
from Belgium in 1871.The highlight here is the glorious Vianden Castle, a renovated
ninth century feudal manor. Constructed as an invulnerable
fortress, a huge fire in 1667 and an earthquake in 1692
accomplished what invaders couldn't -- its partial destruction.
A rebuilding plan was undertaken in 1978, and it was restored to
mint condition.
Echternach. In the heart of Luxembourg's so-called "Little
Switzerland" region, only the Sur River separates the town from
Germany. The center of activity is the market square, which is
dominated by the Danzelt, a Gothic courthouse with a checkered
history as a prison and torture chamber.On Whit Tuesday (the Tuesday after Easter), dancers linked by
white handkerchiefs prance across the square in a centuries-old
procession honoring St. Willibrord.
When my guide recalled visiting Echternach as a schoolgirl, she
broke into song and loped into the graceful hop, skip and jump that
characterizes the traditional spring ceremony.
Hamm. Just outside Luxembourg City is the American Military
Cemetery, where 5,076 soldiers killed in the Battle of the Bulge
are buried, their graves marked by stark white crosses and Jewish
stars.Also buried here is Gen. George S. Patton.