Are you thinking of traveling to Luxembourg? It is a beautiful country, full of castles and with a lot of interesting places to visit.
Luxembourg is the second country with the highest GDP per capita in the world, after Qatar and is considered one of the best countries in the world to live.
If you like to know the curiosities of each country you visit, do not miss this article, where I explain the most interesting curiosities of Luxembourg. In addition, I add some articles of the country so that you can organize your trip.
CURIOSITIES OF LUXEMBOURG
1. A very small country in Europe
Luxembourg is the smallest country in Europe (not counting the independent states, such as San Marino or the Vatican).
It is 57 km wide and 84 km long. To give you an idea, it is about 4 times smaller than the Community of Madrid or the province of Barcelona.
To visit it you can do it by always staying in the city of Luxembourg, it is not necessary to draw up an itinerary and go staying in other places.
2. Luxembourg is the second richest country in the world
Luxembourg is the second richest country in the world according to GDP per capita (surpassed by Qatar, currently). The economic activity of the country is based practically entirely on the financial sectors and the online world.
As a result, his minimum wage is also very high. Currently the minimum salary is 2075 euros per month. (more than double that in Spain).
3. The last Grand Duchy
Luxembourg is the only Grand Duchy in the world. The Grand Duke is the head of state and his official residence is an impressive building.
The Doge's Palace is a Renaissance palace that was originally built as the town hall for the city, but it ended up becoming the Grand Duke's residence and workplace. During the summer months of July and August, you can visit the interior with a guided tour that you must book in advance.
I am very loved by the population. A few years ago a referendum was held to see if they wanted to retain their status as a Grand Duchy and a majority voted in favor.
4. World Heritage Site
Since 1994 the center of the city of Luxembourg, its network of tunnels and its fortresses, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Do not miss the 30 essential things to see and do in Luxembourg.
Up to 1,400 soldiers and 20 cannons took refuge in the more than 23 km of tunnels and fortresses. It was built by the Spanish army in the 17th century to defend against invasions. They also housed and protected civilians from bombing in times of war.
5. All Luxembourgers speak at least 4 languages
From a very young age at school 3 languages are introduced equally. German, Luxembourgish and French are studied. Once they reach primary school, English is also included. And they speak it perfectly. The language that is heard the most in its streets is French and Luxembourgish.
6. Green, Green and Greener
When I told you at the beginning of the post that Luxembourg stood out for its natural environment, I was not lying.
Did you know that Luxembourg is the second in Europe with the highest density of trees? Only Finland surpasses it.
It is a country with many lush forests, some so dense that they cannot be penetrated, and also, if you like nature and trekking here you have seven national parks.
As an additional curious fact, The Ardennes is a region of Luxembourg covered in very dense forests. The Germans, both in the first and in the second world war, used this area as a step to invade France, since thinking that it was an almost impenetrable area, it would be a poorly protected area.
7. Almost half of the population is not native
45% of the population of Luxembourg is foreign and in Luxembourg City, the percentage increases to 60%. There is a large Portuguese population, since a few years ago the Portuguese and the Luxembourg governments reached a consensus in which jobs were offered to Portuguese who will work in the steel industry.
In addition, Luxembourg provides many tax facilities for entrepreneurs, digital nomads, the financial sector...
8. Forbidden not to vote
In Luxembourg it is compulsory to vote in elections. If for some reason you could not go to vote, you have to justify the reason and it must be approved. In case of absence it can be grounds for jail. Something a bit exaggerated, don't you think?
9. The wren, the representative animal of Luxembourg
The wren is the animal that represents Luxembourg. He is known as the king of birds for having a small row of yellow feathers on his head.
10. The motto of Luxembourg
The country has a motto; “Mir welle bleiwe war mir sin”. It means "we want to continue being what we are".
This motto refers to the fact that they want to continue enjoying their independence as a country.
11. It is the country with the highest alcohol sales in the European Union
Luxembourg is the European country that sells the highest amount of alcoholic beverages per capita in Europe. And this fact is not that they are drinking all day like crazy. This fact is due to the fact that its neighboring countries have a very high tax on alcoholic beverages and they enter Luxembourg to purchase this type of product.
12. Great wine production
Luxembourg has a large wine production. The Moselle Valley is world renowned for producing excellent wines from nine grape varieties: Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Auxerrois, Rivaner, Elbling and Chardonnay.
13. The famous Luxembourg carnival
The Luxembourg carnivals are a very popular event. During Easter an interesting festival called Eimaischen is celebrated. Its main event is a gastronomic fair that takes place in the Fish Market.
Burgsonndeg is held every year in February. The streets are decorated with balls and carnival garlands, for three days in the main squares the pilgrimages take place.
14. The National Day of Luxembourg
June 23 marks Luxembourg's National Day, as well as the birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte, who ruled for almost 50 years.
As a curious fact, the Grand Duchess was actually born on January 23, but the festivities are celebrated in June, since June is a month with better weather conditions.
15. The biggest castle: Bourscheid
Considering that Luxembourg is the smallest country in Europe, it seems incredible that it is so full of castles. There are a total of 75 castles that are still standing and many of them can be visited.
Bourscheid Castle is the largest in the country. It houses a museum that exhibits objects that have been found in excavations of the place. From its towers there is a beautiful view of the surrounding sites.
ARTICLES FROM LUXEMBOURG THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Luxembourg and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!