Wiltz

Wiltz (Wolz in Luxembourgish) is a 5,469 inhabitants town in the banks of the river Wiltz, located in the northern part of Luxembourg. The town's name comes from its Celtic past and it's one of the oldest counts of the coutnry. It was the battleground of the Battle of the Bulge, when the end of WW2 was near, and after the war was nicknamed Martyr Town. Wiltz is also a major center for the international scouting movement.

How do I arrive to Wiltz?

  Wiltz is a town that is quite well communicated by public transportation. 

• Train: there is a train per hour to Wiltz from Luxembourg City (aprox. 1 hour), also stopping at Clervaux (aprox. 1 hour). There are also trains from Clervaux to Liège (aprox. 1.5 hours) in Belgium.
  
• Bus: there are at least 8 buses to buses to Esch-sur-Sûre (aprox. 20 minutes), every hour to Clervaux (aprox. 40 minutes). It's also possible to reach Esch-sur-Sûre from Ettelbruck (aprox. 25 minutes) and Clervaux from Vianden (aprox. 45 minutes). 
• Car: in case you rented a car, Wiltz can be reached from Esch-sur-Sûre and Ettelbruck (aprox. 15 minutes), from Clervaux (aprox. 20 minutes), from Diekrich (aprox. 40 minutes) or Luxembourg City (aprox. 1 hour). It is located in the border with Belgium so it can be reached from many places in Wallonia such as Bastogne (aprox. 2 minutes).

History

The name Wiltz comes from a Celtic word meaning "on the creek" and it was originally inhabited by the Celts, and was first documented in 764 AD. Wiltz received its town rights in 1240. The town has Wiltz Castle, which belonged to the former Counts of Wiltz (among the oldest in Luxembourg). It was completed in 1727, and the final Count died in 1793. The industrialisation of Wiltz was advanced in the late 19th and early 20th century by the leather industry, namely by IDÉAL Tannerie de Wiltz S.A. belonging to the Adler & Oppenheimer trust. During World War II, Luxembourg was occupied 10 May 1940 (the first day of the Battle of France) by Nazi Germany and on 31 August 1942, a general strike was initiated in Wiltz, that spread throughout the country (Wiltz has a monument commemorating the victims of the repression following the strike). When the Wehrmacht surprisingly began the Ardennes Offensive. Norman Cota the last Americans left Wiltz but on January 1945, Wiltz was liberated by American troops after intensive combats during the days before.

What can I visit in Wiltz?

Wiltz is a nice town and is considered Ardennes region capital. It has an interesting Renaissance town hall and it's a good point to explore the north of Luxembourg. Every July takes place the Festival of Wiltz around in Wiltz castle, an appointment of artists as well as theatrical and musical ensembles of international breadth.

These are Wiltz's main attractions:

• Wiltz Castle: Renaissance castle built in the remains of a 12th century one. It was built by the Counts of Wiltz, one of the oldest families in the country (the last count died after the French Invation during the Napoleonic Wars).
• National Brewery Museum and Tannery Museum (9-18 from Jul to Aug; 9-12 and 14-17 Mon-Sat from Sep to Jun; 4€/ free  adults/ students and kids): museums located in the stables of the castles that show the history and evolution of beers in Luxembourg and former tanneries that made Wiltz grow since the 16th century.
• Battle of the Bulge Museum (10-18 from Jul to Aug; 2.50€/ free  adults/ students and kids): museum which shows pictures, objects, documents and testimonies from locals who suffered this battle from the 6th December 1944 to 21st January 1945, the date when Wiltz was finally liberated.
• Wiltz Gardens: 2.5 ha garden of art which has been landscaped and maintained by persons with disabilities, longterm unemployed persons, participants in temporary workshops, craftpersons and artists.
• Notre-Dame Catholic Church: 18th century church placed in the Luxembourgish list of classified monuments.
• Nidderwiltz Church: late Gothic church built in 1510 after a fire in the previous one.
• National Strike Monument: monument to commemorate the victims of the national strike from August 31 to September 1 1942, done to protest against the recruiting process of the Wehrmacht.

Wiltz Castle

Wiltz Town Hall

Esch-sur-Sûre

Just 11 km south from Wiltz can be found Esch-sur-Sûre (Esch-Sauer in Luxembourgish and German), small and beautiful 2,641 people town in a Sauer bend. The main touristic attraction is the Ancient Cloth Factory (10-18 from Jul to Aug; 10-12 and 14-17 Thu-Tue from Sep to Jun; 3€/ free   adults/ people under 21), museum which is a living testament to the craft of cloth production with old looms. It also has a permanent exhibition offering an overview of the landscape and the sites of the region. But there are other interesting things like the Esch-sur-Sûre Castle (daily; free), 10th century castle with a Gothic extension and a 15th century observation tower. Esch-sur Sûre is inside the Nature Park of Upper Sûre, largest water reserve of Luxembourg. There are many ways of enjoying it, like hiking, by bike or with activities around the lake.

Clervaux Castle

Near Wiltz, 17 km from Wiltz is Clervaux (Klierf in Lixembourgish, Clerf in German), town and commune by the river Clerve with 5,228 inhabitants. The main attraction is Clervaux Castle, 12th century castle enlarged in the 15th century (rebuilt after its destruction in WW2). It contains The Family of Man (12-18 Wed-Sun from Mar to Dec; 6€/ 4€/ free  adults/ reduced/ people under 21), a 20th century black-and-white photography collection by E. Steichen; Museum of the Battle of the Ardennes (10-18 Tue-Sun from Jul to Aug; 10-18 Sat-Sun from Sep to Jun; 3.50€/ 2.50€/ free  adults/ students/ people under 21; combined ticket with the exhibition of models 5€/ 3€  adults/ reduced), museum with objects of this WW2 battle; and an Exhibition of Models of Ancient Castles (10-18 Tue-Sun from Jul to Aug; 10-18 Sat-Sun from Sep to Jun; 3.50€/ 2.50€/ free  adults/ students/ people under 21) from all over Luxembourg. It also has St. Cosmas und Damian Catholic Church, a Neo-Romanesque style church with a mixture of styles and the Clervaux Abbey, built in 1890 by Benedictine monks. Clervaux is located in the Natural Park Our, a park created to promote sustainable development of the region, economic development in harmony with the natural wealth of the region and the quality of life of its inhabitants. One of its more interesting trails is Relais Clervaux-Our (15 km) which takes you to the heart of the Luxembourgish Ardennes.

Where can I eat in Wiltz?

There aren't many culinary offers in Wiltz but a very good one for high budget is the hotel-restaurant Beim Schlass (1 Grand-Rue) with tasty French food. In Esch-sur-Sûre a good choice is hotel-restaurant de la Sûre (1 Rue du Pont).

Posted in: Europe,Luxembourg