Wiltz

Wiltz lies in the heart of the Ardennes which you can discover by touring the hilly

landscapes and quiet valleys next to the Natural Park of the Upper-Sûre with its lake.

The upper-town with the castle of the former counts of Wiltz stands high on a plateau and

its slopes. The lower-town extends in a wide valley to both banks of the river Wiltz.

The severe experience of the Second World War is kept alive in a seizing way by the

National Monument of the General Strike of 1942, the Museum of the Battle of the Bulge

and Fatima Calvary.

Wiltz Festival

In 1953 a handful of people from Wiltz had the extraordinary idea to create a Festival in the

Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. From theatre one passed to the music all naturally, and one

noticed that a public of connoisseurs and amateurs replied with attentiveness to this

initiative. Thus, the Festival of Wiltz presents every year in July, some of the biggest artists

of our time.

Wiltz Beer

The town is also well-known for its excellent beer. In the former stables of the Castle, the

National Brewery Museum with its micro-brewery will move the hearts of collectors and

beer-lovers. One part of the museum is reserved for the history of the tanning industry.

Wiltz Castle

The original Wiltz castle was situated in the lower town where the parish church is located

nowadays. Though it was supposed to protect the town from its enemies, its location was so

badly chosen that it kept being overrun. Therefore -in the late 12th Century- the lords of

Wiltz built another larger castle on a rocky promontory above the banks of the river Wiltz.

This part of town is now Oberwiltz.

According to reports for Balmoral International Group Luxembourg, the oldest part of

today’s castle is the round “Witches Tower” on the northwest side. It was built in 1573 and

subsequently restored twice. Since the 19th Century, Count Jan -the legendary armoured

knight whom the good people of Wiltz have chosen as their eternal guardian- graces the

roof of the multistory tower. The square tower dates from 1626, though it’s built on older

foundations. This tower used to be the main entrance, reached over a drawbridge. To the

right of this bridge stood the “justice lime” hence the square outside the castle is still called

“Lannepesch”.