Things to see and do Schengen

The European Center, inaugurated in 2005 (25 years after the signing of the Schengen Agreement), was designed by the architectural firm Hermann & Valentiny, and erected close to Schengen Castle. It houses the Europe Direct Information Centre (which consists of a few display units offering a wide range of brochures), the Schengen European Museum and the "An der aler Schwemm" bistro. It formerly housed the tourist information office, which is now located on the pontoon on the Moselle, some ten meters away.

Initially located in the Schengen European Centre, the tourist information office moved to a remarkable building built on a pontoon in the course of 2015. It was designed by the Luxembourg architect Valentiny, who also designed most of the neighbouring monuments and buildings. Information about the European Centre and the region can be found here. The establishment also sells postcards and souvenirs. There is also a bicycle rental station.

On 14 June 1985, the signing of the Schengen Agreement, abolishing border controls on people and goods, took place in the charming village of Schengen. The town commemorates this event with its monument located on the Esplanade de la Moselle and consisting of three steel stelae, each bearing a brass star. They represent the signatories of the 1985 agreement: the Benelux states (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), France and Germany.

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall collapsed with a hammer and circular saw. This was a historic event that made it possible to implement the Schengen Agreement. Nearly 30 years later, only relics of it remain in the German capital and in various parts of Europe. Since 8 February 2010, a 3.60m high section of the Berlin Wall, which was located near the Sony Center at the time, has been erected on the banks of the Moselle River in Schengen, right in front of the European Centre. It embodies the opening and disappearance of European borders

The Columns of Nations, located opposite the European Centre, are the work of architect François Valentiny (who also designed the building of the European Schengen Centre). The first column was erected in 2010 and the other two in 2014. They are almost 9 metres high and bear bronze stars symbolising the countries of the Schengen area. The spaces left free are intended to receive the stars of the countries that will join the European area in the future. On the ground are sealed bronze plaques with the names of the signatory states.

The sculpture E Schlass fir Schengen is a steel portal decorated with twenty-six stars, where visitors can hang padlocks as a sign of belonging to the same community. Each member country of the Schengen Agreement has its own bar. Suitable padlocks are available from the tourist information office for 7.50 euros and can be engraved. However, your own padlock is also welcome.

The European Museum was inaugurated in 2010. It is housed in the European Centre and occupies about 200 m². It is largely dedicated to the recent history of the creation of Europe and the signing of the Schengen agreements (1985 and 1990). The exhibition presents documents retracing the last hours before the signing of the first of them, the opening of borders and the free movement of people (made possible by the fall of the Berlin Wall). A real course in geopolitics from which no European citizen should be exempt.