Echternach

Echternach ( Luxembourgish Iechternach, Eechternoach ) is a city and a municipality in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the administrative seat of the eponymous canton of Echternach.

Echternach lies on the Sauer, at the same time forms the border with Germany here. Neighboring municipalities are in the north Berdorf, in the west Consdorf, in the south Bech and Rosport and in the northeast the German community Echternacherbrück.

Echternach is the capital of the tourist Luxembourg's Little Switzerland ( fr.: Petite Suisse luxembourgeoise ). Among the secular buildings is particularly the Gothic style chair ( 1444 ), popularly known as " Dënzelt " to highlight. The word corresponds to Old High German " Thing" (counseling ), meaning the seat of the former Schöffengerichts; he is now meeting room of the town ( on the market ).

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the town of Echternach is identical to the crest of the imperial abbey of Echternach and shows how almost all direct imperial territories in the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation the imperial eagle of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.

History

In Roman times there was in Echternach a large, prestigious villa rustica, probably the center of a large estate. To what extent this large Roman complex is the basis of early medieval development, is increasingly discussed in the research. Founded by St. Willibrord in 698 on the basis of geschenktem Irmina of Oeren, Echternach with its abbey and basilica in the oldest town in Luxembourg. The former imperial abbey of Echternach is famous for the flourishing medieval book illumination. Among the best known works include the Golden Gospels of Echternach (Latin Codex Aureus Epternacensis, 11th Century, today Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg ) and the Golden Book of Gospels of Henry III. (Latin: Codex Aureus Spirensis or Codex Aureus Escorialiensis, Speyer Gospel Book, and today El Escorial, Madrid).

In 1236, Echternach received its town charter. The attachment, which is to go back to the 10th century in a primitive form, was established in the 13th century, was provided with 20 shell towers, four city gates and a 2000 m long wall. A large part of the plant was destroyed in the 19th century. The towers which were auctioned in 1813 and developed for residential purposes.

In the line of sight to the Basilica rises one of the oldest landmarks in the city, the striking building of a former court- house ( "Ding chair " or " Dënzelt "). In 1236 it was built, in 1374 purchased by the abbot of his term in 1444 and destroyed by fire. After that, the building has changed a number of modifications: 1520 in Renaissance style in the 18th century Baroque, 1895 in Neo-Gothic style. The statues on the facade are works of Aachen sculptor Lambert Piedboeuf from the year 1896. Adjust the cardinal virtues, the Virgin Mary, King Solomon and Robert Abbot of Monreal († 1539) dar.

The prelate garden (also called orangery ) was created after 1731 by Abbot Gregory Schouppe based on French models on the site of the former city wall. The Orangery, built for the plants during the winter, could 1736 be probably completed according to the plans of Leopold Durand. The statues on the facade represent the four seasons represents the sculptures are derived from the radius of the Würzburg sculptor Ferdinand Tietz. The abbey and the Orangerie are now used as a school.

In October 1886 Echternach received a public and private electric lighting as the first city of the country and one of the first cities in Europe. Initiator and operator of the plant was the inventor Henri Tudor, whose lead-acid batteries provided the current ( DC ). Moreover, the first movie projection in Luxembourg took place in Echternach in 1896. Compared with the former Hôtel du Cerf is located today run by volunteers cinema, Ciné Sura.

Dënzelt in Echternach

St. Willibrord Basilica

Nave

Statue of St. Willibrord in the Basilica

Willibrord - wing altar in the Basilica

Willibrord's grave in the crypt of the Basilica

Ceiling paintings in the crypt

Abbey and downtown

Abbey ( East Wing )

Courthouse " Dënzelt " with Facade Statues

Detail at Dënzelt

Downtown

Dancing procession in the town square

Trifolion

Echternach Hopping Procession

On Tuesday after Pentecost the Echternach procession takes place, a celebrated annual dance procession which is carried out in a similar form in the Trier district Biewer in the so -called warp jump. "Jump" In the dancing procession participants to march music, starting from the courtyard of the former abbey through the city to Echternach Basilica, the burial place of St. Willibrord. With the procession of the saint is honored, the departed from here to his missionary activity to Friesland. The event will also participate regularly numerous faithful from the missionary work areas.

The jumps will probably go back to the movements of epileptics who had hoped to see a pilgrimage cure their disease. However, recent research preferred the theory that the dancing procession is much older than the worship of Willibrord and emerged from Germanic and early Christian cult dances. Since 2010, Echternach Dancing Procession is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

Echternach Music Festival

Festival International Echternach

The two music lovers Luxembourg Georges Calteux and Dr. Jean Kraft had the idea to use the Echternach Basilica for concerts at a concert in an abbey church in Spain. Back home, the idea fell on fertile ground in 1975 and quickly found many friends and supporters. Among them is the world-renowned pianist Cyprien Katsaris, the more than 30 years coined the festival as a music director with strong personal commitment.

Adrien Meisch, former Ambassador of Luxembourg and an enthusiastic musician, wrote as president from 1985 to 2007 the history of the Festival International Echternach significantly with.

On 20 November 2007, Georges Santer, currently ambassador to Luxembourg in Paris, the presidency. Adrien Meisch remains closely associated with the festival as honorary president.

Musical greats like Benny Goodman, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Montserrat Caballé, Anne- Sophie Mutter, Gidon Kremer, Alfred Brendel or, in 2009, for example, Arcadi Volodos, Christian Zacharias and George Benson (to name only a few), have occurred as well as young talents and award winners from at home and abroad in Echternach. Many pieces were premiered in Echternach. They were created on behalf of the Festival International Echternach and promote young talented composers.

Musically speaking the festival ranges from medieval sounds to classical and jazz to world music. Since the year 2008 will be held also a jazz festival in the context of the Echternach Festival in September.

As venues are available:

  • The Basilica
  • The Church of St. Pierre et Paul
  • The cultural center Trifolion (since 2008)
  • The Philharmonie Luxembourg

And occasionally other venues

E-Lake festival

The e-Lake festival is a free three-day music festival, which is organized since 1983 in August by young people for young people. The music styles include rock and pop, electro, house and reggae.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Henry IV (1112-1196), Count of Luxembourg
  • Jos Namur (1823-1892 ibid.), Luxembourg pharmacist and a secondary school teacher
  • Caspar Mathias Spoo (1837-1914), industrialist and politician
  • Rudolf Palgen (1895-1975), Luxembourg Romanist, Italianist, German scholar and researcher Dante
  • Paul Spang (1922-2009), Luxembourg historian and archivist
  • Jules Hoffmann ( born 1941 ), biologist and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine
  • Hans Günter Hockerts (* 1944), German historian
  • Carole Dieschbourg ( b. 1977 ), Luxembourg politician
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