Bourgmeisterin

Once upon a time, in the magnificent land of Luxembourg City, there stood a museum known as the Villa Vauban✨ It was a classy art museum that showcased fancy paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries. You know, the kind of paintings that make you raise your pinky finger at the high tea💁‍♀️ The villa itself was quite a character. Built back in 1873 as a posh private residence, it got its name fr...

Édouard François André, a man with a green thumb🌱 and an eye for beauty😍, was the superstar of landscape design back in the late 19th century who stands behind the designs of Villa Vauban's garden and Municipal Park here in Lux🌲🌴🌳 He was like the Michelangelo of gardens, except instead of chiseling marble, he sculpted nature itself. Talk about having a green aesthetic!💁🏻‍♂️ Born into a...

A group of folks once walked into a bar and said, "You know what this place needs? A casino!". But hold your horses, this wasn't your run-of-the-mill gambling joint. No, it was the birth of the "Casino de Luxembourg" in 1880, and their grand vision was to create a haven of relaxation and promote good ol' sociability among their members. No mention of poker faces and slo...

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Luxembourg, there stood the National Museum of Natural History. It was a grand establishment located in the charming city of Luxembourg City, down by the Alzette river, giving it that picturesque touch. You know, the perfect spot for some high-class intellectual shenanigans. Find out more at  www.bourgmeisterin.com !

The Pétrusse Casemates were closed to the general public for a while before they reopened at the end of spring '23. Oh the tales they tell! These ancient fortifications have a history that takes us back to the time when the Spanish decided to modernise the medieval fortifications. Because who needs old and boring walls when you can have fancy bastions, right? Find out more at  www.bourgmeister...

All aboard! Luxembourg Station, the crown jewel of the railway world in the pint-sized land of Luxembourg! This little hub of locomotion glory sits a mere stone's throw (well, two kilometers, but who's counting?) from the center of Luxembourg City. It's so important, they decided to name one of the city's districts after it! Not just any district, mind you – it's operated by th...

Turn the sophites on!🔦🔦🔦 The Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, the pinnacle of dramatic arts in the city. Inaugurated in 1964 as the Théâtre Municipal de la Ville de Luxembourg, it's the place to be for all things drama😫, opera🎶, and ballet🩰 But hey, even a grand establishment like this needs a makeover now and then. Find out more at  www.bourgmeisterin.com !

Well well well... divorcée party here, are we🤨 Remember the National Museum of Natural History down in the Grund? They used to be together💁🏻‍♀️ That was literally the same museum: I knew I read the word "Fëschmaart" somehwere before... Like in the best traditions of the genre: this one kept the property at the Fish Market, and the other one had to move out🤷🏻‍♀️ Too realistic. But ke...

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 – 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝘁🧼 Born in Luxembourg City🇱🇺 in 1926, 𝗔𝗿𝗻𝗼 𝗝. 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 fled Nazi occupation as a teenager and later became 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 historians📚 of the 20th century. His work questioned❓ power, challenged accepted narratives, and pushed people to look twice at the stories history tells – and the ones it leaves out. From Luxembourg to 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘁𝗼...

All aboard! Luxembourg Station, the crown jewel of the railway world in the pint-sized land of Luxembourg! This little hub of locomotion glory sits a mere stone's throw (well, two kilometers, but who's counting?) from the center of Luxembourg City. It's so important, they decided to name one of the city's districts after it! Not just any district, mind you – it's operated by th...

Since we talked about Luxembourg train station in the previous story, I suggest we continue with the system of Luxembourg's railways, cause the former's existence would've been kinda obsolete without the latter🤷🏻‍♀️ Picture this: in the middle of the 19th century (when folks were still debating the merits of top hats🎩 and monocles🧐), Luxembourg decided it was high time to hop on th...

So there's something that came up during the industrialistion wave of Luxembourg, which I covered in the previous story: once upon a time in the whimsical world of 1867, when international diplomacy was as unpredictable as a squirrel on caffeine, France decided it wanted to get its hands on Luxembourg. Yes, you heard that right, Luxembourg. It's like the time your eccentric uncle thought h...

Ladies and gentlemen, gather 'round for a tale of grandeur, transformation, and even a little bit of neglect, because we're about to embark on a whimsical journey through the ages with Vianden Castle, or as the locals affectionately call it, "Veiner Schlooss". Picture this: Vianden Castle, a fortress so mighty it's like the Disneyland of fortresses, located in the charming to...

Well, gather 'round, my friends, because we're about to dive into the riveting tale of Yolande de Vianden, the original teenage rebel with a holy cause! (Cue the drumroll!) So, we're whisked back to a time when flip phones weren't a thing, and Henry I, Count of Vianden, and Maguerite, the Marquise of Namur, were the power couple of the 13th century. In their corner, they had a feis...

Whether you fancy calling it Neumünster or Neimënster Abbey, this Benedictine bundle of bricks and history has had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster at a funfair run by caffeinated squirrels. To kick things off, before this Abbey even came about, there was already a district with an abbey that had quite the history. It turns out that the settlement on this property, which also included the B...

Once upon a time, in the quaint setting of Luxembourg City, there emerged a fellow by the name of François Scheffer. He graced the world with his presence on the first day of July in the year 1766, taking up residence at 16, rue des Capucins. Little did he know that he was destined for greatness – not as a royal pastry chef or a daring haberdasher, but as one of the city's most celebrated mayo...

Welcome to the "Zerkel" – the town's fancy way of saying the "Cercle municipal" on the Place d'Armes in Luxembourg City. It's not just any old office building – it's where the magic happens... administrative magic, that is. We're talking banquet halls, folks! Because who doesn't dream of having a board meeting and a wedding reception in the same place? N...

Ah, the tale of Théodore-Charles-Joseph, baron de Gargan, one of the owners of the Villa Vauban back in the day, a gentleman of exquisite vintage hailing from the quaint town of Inglange, Moselle, where life was a potpourri of fine wine and cheese. Born on August 9, 1791, his earthly journey concluded with a final flourish on November 6, 1853. Why is his persona important for Luxembourg? Well, apa...

Once upon a time in Luxembourg City, there stood a majestic fortress of knowledge known as the Lycée de Garçons de Luxembourg, which translates to the Luxembourg Boys' High School for those who prefer their education served with a side of English😁 Nestled in the charming Limpertsberg quarter, this academic haven has been shaping young minds since who knows when (well, me, I actually know sinc...

Once upon a time in the magical land of Luxembourg, there was a linguistic wizard named Radio Luxembourg, who spoke in tongues that echoed far beyond the realm of English. NOT to be mistaken for RTL, that came in the picture much later👆 Picture this: back in 1933, when wireless telegraphs were cutting-edge and pet rocks were still a thing, Radio Luxembourg decided to grace the UK and Ireland with...

On continu avec l'histoire de Radio Luxembourg quoi! After World War II, when the Allied forces left Radio Luxembourg, the English-language service tried to kickstart transmissions as a full-time commercial radio station targeting the UK. They aimed to use the European long-wave band, with Stephen Williams back in the driver's seat. Find out more at  www.bourgmeisterin.com !

Thanks to this newfound competition with pirate radios, Radio Luxembourg had to do a quick wardrobe change. Out with the pre-recorded sponsored programs, in with a more flexible vibe. Picture Radio Luxembourg in a mid-life crisis, swapping its scripted lines for the thrill of the live, featuring spot advertising within record programs presented by disc jockeys who probably had a sea breeze in thei...

The curtain lifted, and on September 12, 2005, Radio Luxembourg made a soft comeback in English at the crack of dawn. The airwaves were alive with the promise of a new era. At one point, Radio Luxembourg grooved at 7295 kHz in the DRM realm, but alas, RTL pulled the plug on that frequency, leaving the fate of the DRM station hanging in the radio air. The plot thickened as local DRM broadcasts cont...

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Luxembourgerica, there lived a wizard named Édouard (Edward) Jean Steichen. But hold on, he wasn't your typical robe-clad, wand-waving wizard – oh no, he was a photographer, painter, and curator extraordinaire! This guy, Steichen, was basically the OG of turning pictures into highbrow masterpieces. He practically sprinkled fairy dust on snapshots and tu...

Steichen wasn't just focused on the American scene; he had an international lens on his artistic microscope. He organised shows and made crucial acquisitions from Europe and Latin America, sometimes even hopping on a plane to do so. Under his reign, the Department published three books, including the famous "The Family of Man." Despite his solid career, Steichen did the ultimate flex...