Village Background:
The township of Vianden carries a rather significant history with it, because in the middle ages, it was the center of a county that was as big as the current Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is. There were 136 villages in the township and it stretched as far as Bitburg and Plum, Germany. It was the seat of the house of Nassau, descended from the dutch royal family, and was a force to be reckoned with in those days, which provides the reason for the significant château that exists in the town still today. The town was built around the castle and was surrounded by a ring of walls with 5 gates and 24 towers surrounding the city for observational purposes. The Marechal de Bouffiers disassembled the fortifications of the city in 1679, and then around 1850, the last two gates to the city were taken down because they were becoming cumbersome and in the way, as well as the gate of the upper town and the bridge gate.
In 1308, the residents of Vianden received their independence and was then ruled by a mayor and seven counselors. There were three main courts of justice, as well as one court of the nobility and a feudal court. In the 15th century, Vianden had a population of around 3,000 people. It was a fairly diverse town in the number of crafts and professions that were represented in the town, and in those days it was the 3rd largest town in the country. The professionals in the town were broken down into seven different groups, which are as follows: tanners, drapers, coopers, masons, tailors, locksmiths and goldsmiths.
Later in the 15th century, the castle of Vianden became as much of a burden as a blessing, because once the house of Nassau received the castle and the county, they considered it to be only a minor possession and therefore left it to be run by bailiffs, which was the beginning of the decline of Vianden. Then in 1794, the abolition of Vianden took place, and then in 1815 at the conference of Vienna 42 villages in the county were given to the Prussian empire, while the rest of the county was returned to William I, the then-head of the house of Nassau. Finally the exit of Luxembourg from the German “Zollverein” in 1918 which then caused for tariffs in transactions between the villages of the county to be introduced. Therefore, when visiting Vianden, it is important to recognize that a small town like that can have such a large history, but over the course of time, many things can change.
Now the town offers visitors many things to do, which can be seen below, such as visiting the château, taking the chairlift that overlooks the town, visiting the Victor Hugo house, and taking a look at Mt. St. Nicholas and the hydroelectric power plant. There are plenty of things to do in the area to justify a day trip to Vianden, and you’ll also find enough good restaurants and places to eat.
In 1308, the residents of Vianden received their independence and was then ruled by a mayor and seven counselors. There were three main courts of justice, as well as one court of the nobility and a feudal court. In the 15th century, Vianden had a population of around 3,000 people. It was a fairly diverse town in the number of crafts and professions that were represented in the town, and in those days it was the 3rd largest town in the country. The professionals in the town were broken down into seven different groups, which are as follows: tanners, drapers, coopers, masons, tailors, locksmiths and goldsmiths.
Later in the 15th century, the castle of Vianden became as much of a burden as a blessing, because once the house of Nassau received the castle and the county, they considered it to be only a minor possession and therefore left it to be run by bailiffs, which was the beginning of the decline of Vianden. Then in 1794, the abolition of Vianden took place, and then in 1815 at the conference of Vienna 42 villages in the county were given to the Prussian empire, while the rest of the county was returned to William I, the then-head of the house of Nassau. Finally the exit of Luxembourg from the German “Zollverein” in 1918 which then caused for tariffs in transactions between the villages of the county to be introduced. Therefore, when visiting Vianden, it is important to recognize that a small town like that can have such a large history, but over the course of time, many things can change.
Now the town offers visitors many things to do, which can be seen below, such as visiting the château, taking the chairlift that overlooks the town, visiting the Victor Hugo house, and taking a look at Mt. St. Nicholas and the hydroelectric power plant. There are plenty of things to do in the area to justify a day trip to Vianden, and you’ll also find enough good restaurants and places to eat.
Vianden Castle:
Vianden Castle Website
Opening Hours:
Open Daily...
January & February: 10 - 16
March: 10 - 17
April - September: 10 - 18
October: 10 - 17
November & December: 10 - 16
Student Price: €4.5
Time Needed: 2 – 3 Hours for the Visit
2 hours each way from Differdange
This remarkably well-restored château was built from the 11th to the 14th century on the foundations of an ancient roman fort and a Carolingian refuge. It is still, and was, one of the most beautiful and remarkable feudal refuges of the Romanesque and Gothic periods in Europe. It was the seat of the influential counts of Vianden until the 15th century, who boasted close family connections to both the French and German royal families. The castle has great exhibitions of the middle-aged methods of defending ones’ home and also some interesting information and exhibits about the way of life of the time period and also the royal family that occupied the seat of Vianden. In 1820, under the reign of King William I of Holland, the castle was unfortunately sold piece by piece, and then as a result of that fell into a state of great ruin. In 1890 the Grand Ducal Family under Grand Duke Adolf of the old line of the house of Nassau and stayed in the ownership of the royal family for a while. In 1977, the family of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg transferred the ownership of the castle to the state and it has since been restored to its former glory. The picture on the left is from 1974, before ownership was transferred, and that on the right was taken during the summer of 2006.
Inside the castle today, because of the significant reparations that have been made, one can see the structure nearly as it would have been in the centuries of its occupation. Pieces of the old fortress can also be seen in the surrounding areas to the castle that are particularly interesting and historical. The castle was entirely self-sufficient producing much of the food that they needed within the walls, and current restorations are being done to recreate that area of the castle. Guides and explanations are available in English.
Opening Hours:
Open Daily...
January & February: 10 - 16
March: 10 - 17
April - September: 10 - 18
October: 10 - 17
November & December: 10 - 16
Student Price: €4.5
Time Needed: 2 – 3 Hours for the Visit
2 hours each way from Differdange
This remarkably well-restored château was built from the 11th to the 14th century on the foundations of an ancient roman fort and a Carolingian refuge. It is still, and was, one of the most beautiful and remarkable feudal refuges of the Romanesque and Gothic periods in Europe. It was the seat of the influential counts of Vianden until the 15th century, who boasted close family connections to both the French and German royal families. The castle has great exhibitions of the middle-aged methods of defending ones’ home and also some interesting information and exhibits about the way of life of the time period and also the royal family that occupied the seat of Vianden. In 1820, under the reign of King William I of Holland, the castle was unfortunately sold piece by piece, and then as a result of that fell into a state of great ruin. In 1890 the Grand Ducal Family under Grand Duke Adolf of the old line of the house of Nassau and stayed in the ownership of the royal family for a while. In 1977, the family of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg transferred the ownership of the castle to the state and it has since been restored to its former glory. The picture on the left is from 1974, before ownership was transferred, and that on the right was taken during the summer of 2006.
Inside the castle today, because of the significant reparations that have been made, one can see the structure nearly as it would have been in the centuries of its occupation. Pieces of the old fortress can also be seen in the surrounding areas to the castle that are particularly interesting and historical. The castle was entirely self-sufficient producing much of the food that they needed within the walls, and current restorations are being done to recreate that area of the castle. Guides and explanations are available in English.
Chairlift:
Chairlift Website
The only chairlift in the entire country allows riders to travel from 230m to 440m and provides outstanding views of the Our Valley as well as the town and the Château at Vianden. It was renovated and inaugurated by the Grand Duke Jean during the summer of 2006. For a moderate price, it provides a relaxing activity and there is a nice café at the top of the lift that allows visitors to have a drink and something to eat and enjoy a magnificent view of the city.
How to Get There: Once you’re in the town it’s across the river from the Château, so cross the bridge to the first major street, turn left, and it will be on your left. The address is 39 Rue du Sanantorium.
Opening Hours:
April - October 10 - 17
(weather depending)
Roundtrip: €4.80
Oneway: €3.50
Time Needed: 1 hour for trip up and down and time at the café.
2 hours each way from Differdange.
The only chairlift in the entire country allows riders to travel from 230m to 440m and provides outstanding views of the Our Valley as well as the town and the Château at Vianden. It was renovated and inaugurated by the Grand Duke Jean during the summer of 2006. For a moderate price, it provides a relaxing activity and there is a nice café at the top of the lift that allows visitors to have a drink and something to eat and enjoy a magnificent view of the city.
How to Get There: Once you’re in the town it’s across the river from the Château, so cross the bridge to the first major street, turn left, and it will be on your left. The address is 39 Rue du Sanantorium.
Opening Hours:
April - October 10 - 17
(weather depending)
Roundtrip: €4.80
Oneway: €3.50
Time Needed: 1 hour for trip up and down and time at the café.
2 hours each way from Differdange.
Victor Hugo House:
Victor Hugo House Website
This famous French poet came to visit Vianden 4 times throughout the course of his life. He even wrote part of his work “Annee Terrible” here in Vianden, as well as organizing a line of workers one crazy night to put out a fire in one of the homes in the town. The museum was opened in 1935 in commemoration of the great poet. Manuscripts of his works, furniture, personal documents, as well as reproductions of drawings done by the poet of the town can be seen in the museum. Also, on the bridge outside of the house you can see the famous bust of Hugo done by Rodin.
Opening Hours:
Open Daily 11 - 17
Student Price: €3.50
Time Needed: 1 – 2 hours to visit
2 hours each way from Differdange.
How to Get There: Once you’re in Vianden, the Hugo house is directly across the river from the Château at the end of the main bridge in town. The address is 37 Rue de la Gare.
This famous French poet came to visit Vianden 4 times throughout the course of his life. He even wrote part of his work “Annee Terrible” here in Vianden, as well as organizing a line of workers one crazy night to put out a fire in one of the homes in the town. The museum was opened in 1935 in commemoration of the great poet. Manuscripts of his works, furniture, personal documents, as well as reproductions of drawings done by the poet of the town can be seen in the museum. Also, on the bridge outside of the house you can see the famous bust of Hugo done by Rodin.
Opening Hours:
Open Daily 11 - 17
Student Price: €3.50
Time Needed: 1 – 2 hours to visit
2 hours each way from Differdange.
How to Get There: Once you’re in Vianden, the Hugo house is directly across the river from the Château at the end of the main bridge in town. The address is 37 Rue de la Gare.
Indian Forest - Adventure Park:
Indian Forest Adventure Park Website
Opening Hours: 10 – 18
04/01 – 10/31 : Open Daily
11/01 – 3/31 : Closed Mondays
Prices:
18€ per person (17€ when a group of 10+)
Additional 5€ for the more difficult courses
23€ for the Zipline
Time Needed:
2+ hrs are needed to go through the course
Add 45 minutes for the zip line.2 hours each way from Differdange.
Also located in Vianden is an opportunity to have a little bit of fun and spend some time among friends. It’s a bit similar to the high ropes course on the Oxford campus, and provides the visitor with challenges that they must overcome, in all safety of course, and provides limitless amounts of fun. It's home to the longest zip-line in Luxembourg! It is very near to the château in Vianden, and could easily make a great addition to a day already spent touring the chateau. They do ask that reservations are made online in advance (especially in low season). These are typically a group thing, so try to get a group together to have some fun experiencing the town of Vianden and then embarking on an adventure. *Wear sportswear!
How to Get There: Either walk from the château towards the Bildschenbësch (15 min) or take the chairlift up and walk down to the course (15 min).
Opening Hours: 10 – 18
04/01 – 10/31 : Open Daily
11/01 – 3/31 : Closed Mondays
Prices:
18€ per person (17€ when a group of 10+)
Additional 5€ for the more difficult courses
23€ for the Zipline
Time Needed:
2+ hrs are needed to go through the course
Add 45 minutes for the zip line.2 hours each way from Differdange.
Also located in Vianden is an opportunity to have a little bit of fun and spend some time among friends. It’s a bit similar to the high ropes course on the Oxford campus, and provides the visitor with challenges that they must overcome, in all safety of course, and provides limitless amounts of fun. It's home to the longest zip-line in Luxembourg! It is very near to the château in Vianden, and could easily make a great addition to a day already spent touring the chateau. They do ask that reservations are made online in advance (especially in low season). These are typically a group thing, so try to get a group together to have some fun experiencing the town of Vianden and then embarking on an adventure. *Wear sportswear!
How to Get There: Either walk from the château towards the Bildschenbësch (15 min) or take the chairlift up and walk down to the course (15 min).
Hiking in Vianden:
There are many opportunities to experience the countryside around Vianden, as they have 150km of marked trails in the vicinity of the city. If you’re interested in hiking, make sure to stop by the tourist office where you can pick up a map of all the trails in the area for a minimal 3€. Or you can follow the Circular Walk outlined here.
How to get to Vianden:
As Vianden is no longer one of the largest cities in Luxembourg, and there are no trains that run to the city, you will need to take Line 60 train to either Ettlebruck, Diekirch, or Clervaux and then take a bus. Be sure to check the schedule of the buses before you take off. It is likely to take approximately 2 hour to reach Vianden from the Miami Campus in Differdange.
RGTR 570: Ettelbruck - Diekirch - Vianden - Stolzembourg
RGTR 571: Ettelbruck - Vianden
RGTR 663: Clervaux - Vianden
RGTR 570: Ettelbruck - Diekirch - Vianden - Stolzembourg
RGTR 571: Ettelbruck - Vianden
RGTR 663: Clervaux - Vianden