Sightseeing in Echternach - what to see. Complete travel guide

Echternach is the central settlement in the canton of Echternach in Luxembourg. This town is situated on the bank of the picturesque Sauer River. By the way, this river forms a natural border with Germany. The town is not big – its population is only around five thousand people. Nevertheless, Echternach greets thousands of tourists who come to this lovely settlement from different parts of the world every year. Echternach is a charming place that pleases its guests not only with beautiful nature but also with interesting landmarks.

According to historical data, the first settlement in this area appeared yet during prehistoric times. During the Roman epoch, there was a big villa here. It belonged to a rich noble. Unfortunately, archaeologists still do not know anything about that person. At the end of the 7th century, the town and abbey appeared in the area thanks to the efforts of an Irish monk. A bit later, the first basilica was built here. In the 30s of the 13th century, Echternach officially became a town. Starting from that period, the settlement had to surround its territory with a wall, the total length of which was two kilometers. Several guardian towers appeared on the perimeter of the wall.

The Town Hall building was erected not far from the basilica. The Town Hall has remained the main symbol of the town until modern times. Echternach got its “symbol” in the 30s of the 13th century. Almost one and a half century later, the abbot occupied the building, but it was severely damaged by the fire in the mid-15th century. In the 18th century, a beautiful park appeared along the protective walls. Abbot Gregorius Schouppe ordered to make the park. It is worth mentioning that Echternach got electrical lighting earlier than other European cities. This important event took place in the 19th century. This is exactly where the first lead accumulators appeared. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Despite a small size, Echternach has a substantial number of architectural landmarks that were built in different epochs. The Benedictine Abbey not far from the basilica is one of them. This is a gorgeous building in the Lotharingian style that dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. The building’s shape is nearly square if one looks at it from above. There is a charming inner yard in the middle, and there was an adjacent chapel attached to the wall. Architect Leopold Durand devoted this project to Saint Avold.

Starting from the 19th century, a lyceum was working in the Benedictine Abbey. If you go down to the dungeon, you will enter a museum that exhibits an interesting collection of ancient artifacts, including various manuscripts and facsimiles. A visit to this museum is a great way to learn more about the history of the abbey. The underground museum currently exhibits a copy of the tombstone of Saint Willibrord.

The Market Square is an important historical landmark in Echternach. This square was always crowded because numerous merchants were coming to sell their goods, jugglers performed in front of the public, and traveling musicians appeared from time to time to entertain locals with their marvelous shows. However, the Cross of Justice has always been the main symbol of the square. The name of the cross is not random. In the past, a person accused of crimes was tied to this cross. The judge read his ruling of the court near the cross. Needless to say, this sign was a symbol of sorrow and sadness, and so there were several attempts to install a fountain on its site.

However, only the revolutionary French army managed to do this. They transferred the column closer to the city administration at the end of the 30s in the 20th century. The symbol of justice was destroyed in 1944. Forty years later, the cross was restored and brought back to its original place. It was already not a symbol of sadness and painful memories. Local people looked at it as a part of their history. An interesting fact – the town’s crime level has declined since then.

A festive procession dedicated to Saint Willibrord is recognized as one of the most important cultural events in Echternach. Every year, on the second day of the week right after Whit Sunday, participants of the holiday make a column. What is so interesting about this? The key is in the way they walk on the streets. The participants first simultaneously make a step forward, then a step to the left, one more step forward, and a step to the right. Starting from the end of the 15th century, such processions have taken place in Echternach every year. The holiday ends near the tomb of Saint Willibrord where people pray to him.

It is easy to get to Echternach by bus that departs from the central bus station in Luxembourg every day. In this case, you need the bus #110-111. You will reach the charming Luxembourg town in just half an hour. Are you a driver? Then you can drive to Echternach using the road to Kirchberg. Needless to say, there are always taxi drivers who are ready to bring tourists to the picturesque town.