The Place d'Armes (, or simply Plëss) is a square in Luxembourg City, the capital of Luxembourg. Centrally placed in the old town, it attracts large numbers of locals and visitors, especially in the summer months. It originally served as a parade ground for the troops defending the city.
History
In 1554, a gunpowder explosion in the church of the city's Franciscan convent caused fires that destroyed a large part of the Ville Haute. Martin van Rossem, the acting Governor of Luxembourg, tasked Dutch military engineer Sebastian van Noyen with establishing a reconstruction plan. In 1561, Thomas Mameranus, brother of humanist historian Nicolaus Mameranus, submitted an evolved version of van Noyen's plan; it included, at the centre of a somewhat grid-like street network, a 96 meters in length and 64 meters in width, which was about the size of Brussels' Grand-Place at the time.
In 1671, the Spanish engineer Jean Charles de Landas, Count of Louvigny, produced a slightly smaller square at the same location. It became known as the Place d'Armes as it was used as a parade ground for the garrison. Under Louis XIV, it was paved with flagstones and bordered with lime trees.Jean-Pierre Koltz, "Baugeschichte der Stadt und Festung Luxemburg, Vol I.". Luxembourg, Sankt-Paulus-Druckerei, 1972, pp. 118–119.
The Place d’Armes today
Now an integral part of the pedestrian zone, the square is surrounded by numerous cafés and restaurants, all with pavement terraces in the summer months. It has become the city's main centre of activity, attracting locals and visitors of all ages. Visiting bands and music groups present concerts from the central bandstand every summer evening. Every second and fourth Saturday, there is a flea market and in December the Christmas market with several square houses ."Place d'Armes", Luxembourg City Tourist Office. Retrieved 30 September 2010."Christmas in Luxembourg", Luxembourg Tourist Office in London. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
Cercle Municipal
The Palais Municipal, generally known as Cercle Municipal or Cercle Cité, stands at the eastern end of the square. It was originally designed as an administrative building with reception rooms. The main structure was completed in 1906 but work on the interior took until 1909.
On the facade, there is a frieze by Luxembourgish artist P. Federspiel of Countess Ermesinde granting the Charter of Emancipation in 1244 which guaranteed the citizens rights and duties towards the nobility.
After a period when it was used for the European Court of Justice the Palais Municipal has, since 1969, served as a venue for celebrations and cultural events."The Palais Municipal (Cercle)", Gouvernement du Grand Duché de Luxembourg. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
A plaque on the Cercle Municipal records the liberation of Luxembourg during the Second World War. It reads:
Dicks-Lentz monument In a part of the Place d'Armes that was renamed in 1969, there is by Pierre Federspiel celebrating Luxembourg's two national poets, Dicks (1823–1891) and Michel Lentz (1820–1893), who wrote the words of the national anthem. The lion at the top of the monument represents the Grand Duchy, while the blacksmith symbolizes the steel industry. The inscription on the pillar: Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sin (We want to stay what we are) is the motto of the Luxembourgers.
See also Place Guillaume II
Gallery
References