Historical Churches of Luxembourg City

While there are several churches in Luxembourg, these 3 reserve a very special mention... Read on!

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St.Michel's Church: This is the oldest church of Luxembourg. Remember how in 963 CE Count Sigeffroi built the castle on the small rock beside the big rock? In 987 CE, this little rock with fortification atop, had its first ever church. This was consecrated by Bishop of Trier (the German town very close to Luxembourg which has early Roman settlements). However the church was destroyed and rebuilt and expanded several times during various invasions as well as world wars. The current structure has been made during 1687/88 under the patronization of LouisXIV.

This is located just beside Chemin de la Corniche. There are several elements in the church that are reminiscences of the antiquity of the church including the wooden sculpture of Pietà, and the painting on the candelabra.

Notredame Church: In 1594 CE, Jesuits settled down in Luxembourg and by 1613-21 CE, they set up their college and church. By 1666 CE, the Virgin Mary here was declared the patron saint of the city. In 1844 CE it became a church of Our Lady (Notre Dame) and soon the Cathedral of Notre Dame under the diocese of Luxembourg city.

The current architecture of the church is Gothic. The oldest parts of the church were made in 1622 CE. As soon as you enter, there are 5 round pillars with octagonal bases. Atop them is this stunning ornamental panel that included floral work, cherubs, angels with musical instruments and more. This is made of alabaster.

There are several paintings as well as a few tapestries. Unfortunately many of these do not have signatures and their artists/origins are untraceable. However many are attributed to the School of Rubens in Antwerp. Look up as you head towards the east & west transepts. At the ceiling is the beautiful fresco of the prophets of Old Testament by Friedrich Stummel made in 1897 CE.

Neumunster Abbey: Though I list this site under this topic, today it is not a church/religious institution. In 1083 CE, Count Conrad set up a monastery here called Altmunster Abbey, which closed down in 1560 CE. In 1606 CE, under Abbot Roberti.

During the French revolution it was severely damaged and then in course of time it was used for various uses including serving as a police station, as a prison during WWII, as soldiers barracks during Napoleonic Wars and more... Today, since 2004, the place is being used as a cultural and exhibition centre.

The best way to enjoy this place would be to visit here when the sun is shining and sit on those quirky yellow cement benches, feed the pigeons and feel the wind blowing on your face as you see the monumental ruins of the Fortifications and the serene Alzette flowing in front of you!!!

To Stay:
Hotels and B&Bs are available at all price points, all over the city.
Here's my review of Novotel Luxembourg Centre where I stayed.
Do keep in mind that Luxembourg is costlier than most European cities. So, very cheap accommodation is almost unavailable. For eg., Ibis Budget in Paris is around €45 while here its €60!

Entry Tickets & Timings:
St.Michel's Church: Free
Notre Dame Cathedral: Free
Neumunster Abbey: Free, 8:00AM to 7:00PM in weekdays & 10:00AM to 6:00PM in weekends

To Get There:
All 3 sites are walkable from Luxembourg Central. Ofcourse, an mentioned earlier, there are elevators. The city is also well connected by buses and tram.
On Google Maps: St.Michel's Church, Notre Dame Cathedral, Neumunster Abbey

P.S: I was invited by Luxembourg Tourism to experience the city for review purposes, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

11 comments:

MarthaApril 26, 2019 at 10:40 PM
I love touring cathedrals because of their ornament, architectural details. Guided tours often cover why altars or spires were created in a certain way and their religious meaning. I think that makes the cathedral come to life and is more relatable in my eyes. The Notre Dame in Neimenster, Luxembourg, is no exception to that! Definitely divine and beautiful.
EmilyApril 27, 2019 at 1:25 AM
So incredibly beautiful and so much history behind them. I love visiting Cathedrals and would love to visit here one day!
Jane Dempster-SmithApril 27, 2019 at 11:14 AM
I love visiting Churches when I travel. I will certainly bookmark this for the future when I travel to Luxembourg, as I have not had the pleasure of visiting as yet. Notredame looks impressive, I would spend time there first.
PujariniApril 28, 2019 at 10:21 AM
I love historic churches and through your post, I felt I was right there in these cathedrals. The fresco and the paintings are beautiful.
AnitaApril 28, 2019 at 2:08 PM
I remember one of the chirches in Luxembourg I visited, the Abbey. I guess it's the most important one in Luxembourg and I was lucky to had a glimpse at the wedding ceremony.
Cat LinApril 29, 2019 at 11:19 AM
I am not a Christian but I love visiting churches and cathedrals when I travel. These 3 you highlighted look beautiful. The interior of the Notredame Church in particular has so much details to it!
ClariceApril 29, 2019 at 9:17 PM
A trip to Luxembourg is part of my bucket list. I have been reading about it for quite sometime and I am amazed with its rich history and culture and the wonderful architecture. Can't wait to visit soon.
ItsasweetsweetworldApril 30, 2019 at 10:03 AM
I visited Luxembourg city last year and my hotel was situated pretty close to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The church was so beautiful that I visited it two times during my trip.
Chloe ArnoldMay 1, 2019 at 12:31 AM
Ahhh visiting churches is one of my favorite thing to do when we go to Europe! I love the history. Luxembourg is on my bucketlist and this just made me so much more excited! It looks amazing!
DianaMay 2, 2019 at 2:45 AM
I love visiting Notre Dame cathedrals in different cities around the world, so that would have to be my first stop in Luxembourg. The abbey looks really interesting too, and I'd love to learn more about the history there. Really nice that these spots are all free to visit!
DanielOctober 12, 2019 at 2:00 PM
I am not a really religious person but I have to these churches do make me want to know more about the history of them. St.Michel's Church still looks really well maintained considering the fact that it was destroyed so many times and re-built again. I haven't been to Luxembourg but I do plan to soon enough someday and when I do I would love visit some of these churches which have been on the spot since medieval times.