Things to see and do Vianden

It was in Vianden, which he had already visited three times, that the author of Les Misérables came to seek asylum after being expelled from Belgium on May 30, 1871. He stayed in a room on the second floor of this house "at the corner of the bridge" from June 8 to August 22, 1871. What remains of his stay in this three-story house is the original furniture as well as numerous drawings, notebooks, souvenirs and original letters written to Juliette Drouet, his 18-year-old mistress.

In 1925, the first studies for the hydroelectric use of the Our were undertaken. The work began in 1959 and the hydroelectric development was inaugurated in 1964. The hydroelectric facility in Vianden is, to date, the largest of this kind in Europe.

The facility includes an artificial lake connected to two upper basins by a well system that leads water to the underground central, located in the heart of Mount Saint-Nicolas.

Principle of operation. The artificial lake of 8 km and a capacity of over 6 million m ³ of water extends from the Vianden dam to Stolzembourg. The waters of the lower lake are pumped over the night (lower energy cost) towards the two upper basins of 6 million m ³, located at the top of Mount Saint-Nicolas. During peak hours, water accumulated in the top basins falls on nine groups of machines, each comprising a turbine, an engine alternator and a pump, producing high-value energy.

Situated near the bridge over the river Our, the church of St. Nicholas was built in the lower town by the Order of the Knights Templar, towards the end of the 13th century, when Vianden was divided into two parishes. The building was destroyed by fire in 1723 and rebuilt the following year. The interior, a single nave with a ribbed vault, houses a Baroque high altar, made in 1768 by the carpenter Fischbach from Vianden and enriched with Rococo elements. Note that until 1801 the lower town was part of the parish of Roth.

One of the country's most important religious monuments. From Gothic style to two naves, it was built in 1248 by Count Henri I of Vianden to thank Trinitarian for having bought his father, made prisoner by the Saracens during the crusades. The cloister belonged to the former monastery of Trinitarian. The convent is sold for auction and divided into private property in 1783 when order is abolished; it is only later that it will be restored and restored.

The Tourist Office is also the address of the Tourist Guides of the Luxembourg Ardennes. Situated in the heart of Vianden, on the banks of the river Our, the Tourist Office houses many brochures about the town but also about the Oesling region. You will find timetables and prices of activities as well as information about hotels, campsites, restaurants and cafés in the surrounding area. You can also visit the website.

The remains of this former copper mine are located 1.5 km from Stolzembourg. More than 500 years old, it has attracted many prospectors in the past. The visit, with a guide, follows three stages:the museum, which presents among other things the history of the mine and the extraction techniques. The geological trail, which places the site in its history and its environment (2.5 km), and finally, the discovery of part of the underground galleries, 50 m underground.

Housed in a former bourgeois house, the City History Museum reconstructs the interiors of the 18th and 19th centuries and the lives of the inhabitants of Vianden with the help of pictures, objects and musical installations. Completely restructured in 2009, it presents several themes, including: "Bakery of the 1950s", "Meat, from the Celts to the present day", "Vaudeville" and finally "Edmond de la Fontaine, known as Dicks", dedicated to the Luxembourg national poet of the 19th century.

Would you like to discover the region with a local and competent guide who knows his town like the back of his hand? Call on the Luxembourg Ardennes Guides! They offer you the opportunity to visit the region by sharing with you their historical and cultural knowledge about the many points of interest of the Eislek, but also their personal experiences and favourites. A great way to discover Luxembourg.