Wiltz

For other uses of "Wiltz", see Wiltz (disambiguation).

Wiltz Wolz
Commune
City hall
Coat of arms
Map of Luxembourg with Wiltz highlighted in orange, the district in dark grey, and the canton in dark red
Coordinates:
Country	Luxembourg
District	Diekirch
Canton	Wiltz
Government
• Mayor	Fränk Arndt
Area
• Total	39.25 km2 (15.15 sq mi)
Area rank	13th of 105
Highest elevation	518 m (1,699 ft)
• Rank	14th of 105
Lowest elevation	285 m (935 ft)
• Rank	90th of 105
Population (2014)
• Total	6,243
• Rank	21st of 105
• Density	160/km2 (410/sq mi)
• Density rank	46th of 105
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
LAU 2	LU00005009
Website	wiltz.lu

Wiltz (Luxembourgish: Wolz) is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II. A local airfield (near the village of Noertrange) was used by both sides of the conflict, depending on the location of the Front.

As of 2014, the town of Wiltz, which lies in the south of the commune, has a population of 5,469. Other towns within the commune include Weidingen.

History

One of the main features of the town is Wiltz Castle which belonged to the former Counts of Wiltz. This castle, which is situated on 600 acres (2.4 km²) of lawns and gardens, contains hundreds of rooms. It was completed in 1727, and the final Count died in 1793. It served as a private girls school from 1851 until 1950, and became a retirement home after that. Plans are in place to make it into a museum. The industrialisation of Wiltz was advanced in the late 19th and early 20th century by the leather industry, namely by IDÉAL Tannerie de Wiltz S.A. belonging to the Adler & Oppenheimer trust.

During World War II, Wiltz was at the centre of intensive battles between Allied and German forces in 1944. Previously, in 1942, a general strike had been initiated in Wiltz, that spread throughout the country, and remains one of the proudest moments of Luxembourg national history. These events took their toll on the Wiltz population, and Wiltz was named Martyr Town after the war. A monument representing a lighthouse was erected to commemorate the victims of the repression following the 1942 General Strike. The relief on the monument is by Luxembourg's best-known modern sculptor Lucien Wercollier.

Town Centre

Wiltz has a quiet town centre. There is an outdoor musical hall with bands and classical musical shows held typically every fortnight. Looking out from the hill on the music hall one will see the largest lake in the country at Esch-sur-Sure, located around 20 km away. A local multi-carriage tourist "road-train" takes visitors around the village and its surroundings on the hour.

File:InternationalScoutingOnePennyMonumentInWiltz.jpg

The International Scouting One Penny Monument.

There is also an international soccer training pitch. In the heart of Wiltz there is plenty to see with a second world war tank parked in the main plaza. One of the most popular nights out is the summer rave held 10 km in the wilderness. A local farm has been transformed into a pub and rave club, this is a favourite night out for scout units (male and female).

Attractions

Wiltz is a major centre for the international scouting movement. There are many scout campsites and buildings surrounding the town. The International Scouting One Penny Monument, dedicated to Robert Baden-Powell, is located in Wiltz.

Nearby Wiltz, on a hill overlooking the town, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima is the site of an annual pilgrimage on Ascension Day. In particular it attracts many of the Portuguese people who form a sizeable proportion of the population of Luxembourg.

The Festival of Wiltz, a music and performing arts festival, takes place every summer.

External links

• Wiltz municipality official site
• Festival of Wiltz
• RadioLNW – Local broadcast station in Wiltz
• Scouts de Wiltz