"About Luxembourgs city's" a Echternach Travel Page by speed4turtles

Before we start " Welcome ".
Let me remind you that my normal tongue is Dutch and at the time i was going to school we must learn French as second language.
So please, If i do or write something wrong, forgive me

Echternach was discovered by the Romans in the 1st century B.C. They too, seemed to like the picturesque valley created by the river „Sauer“ ( today’s borderline to Germany) and surrounded by woods. The Romans were mainly merchants from nearby Trier ( a town 30 miles into Germany) and they made Echternach their second base.
In the 7th century the region of Echternach belonged partly to King Pipin of Herstal (Franken, Germany) and partly to Irmina, Abbess of Oeren (near Trier). In 698 the Abbess donated part of her lands to the Irish Benedictine monk Willibrord who encouraged the protestant development on the Continent. In 706, after Willibrord was ordained bishop by the Pope, King Pipin also gave him a large part of his grounds of Echternach. The church and monastry which Willibrord built there were to become the turn table of Westeuropean christianity over the following centuries. Echternach soon became an important city for merchants and craftsmen, and in 1236 it was declared a free and independant city. In 1596 during religious wars the Dutch (Holländische Geusen) came to Echternach and held the abbot Johannes Bertels hostage until a ransom was paid. In 1794 during the French Revolution the monks left the abbey which was then auctioned off with all its wealth. In the 19th century the Abbey was transformed into a porcelain factory then later into a military camp thus causing many craftsmen to leave the city. In the second half of the 19th century the construction of the railway line brought an economic upturn. As the number of pilgrims fell, the number of tourists increased. During the second World War Echternach was heavily bombarded and the citizens who
had fled to safety for over five months found nothing but ruins on their return. Thanks to the financial support of the Government of Luxembourg and the diligence of the citizens Echternach has kept its medieval flair until today

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text thanks to marco evers

The city of Echternach has 4000 inhabitants and is situated at 165m altitude in the middle of the idyllic valley of the „Sauer“ and surrounded by the naturereserve „Muellerthal“.
Echternach is famous for its annual spring procession in honour of Saint Willibrord.
The pilgrimage attracts thousands of pilgrims and has done so for centuries.
The beautiful old part of the city with its narrow alleys surrounded by the ring wall and its towers invite to linger. At the market place in the city centre you can find the ikon of Echternach, the „Denzelt“the „Cross of Justice“ and many terraces tempting to a relaxing rest.
There is a pedestrian area that starts at the market place and ends at the railway station.
Lots of small shops, flower arrangements and springs all along make shopping a pleasant and
relaxing experience.
The local park (Stadtpark) starts behind the railway station and runs along the river „Sauer“. There you can find a pavillion that was built during the time of Louis XV, a tennis court and a playground for children. You can also play minigolf.
The abbey lies near the park and has a basilica with towers rising 70m over the city.
The crypt of the basilica contains the grave of Saint Willibrord and its worth paying a visit to the museum in the basement. Today the abbey is used as a school (Lyzeum). If you leave the abbey heading for the bridge marking the frontier to Germany, you will find the museum for ancient history and behind it the St. Peter and Paul church.
Echternach also has a recreation area located at the boundary of the city on the road to (the capital) Luxembourg.
An artificial lake offers a variety of water sports and the ruins of a Roman villa can be visited on a walk around the lake ( they were discovered in 1975).
There are plenty paths to discover the countryside by bike or by foot. For example, you can cycle to (the capital)Luxembourg, to Moersdorf, to Diekirch or to Vianden.The foot paths taking you through „Little Switzerland“Luxembourger Schweiz, part of the nature reserve
„Müllerthal“) are well-known across the borders. They guide you past rock formations and ravines that will remind you of a small-scale Switzerland.
The local swimming pool is situated behind the railway station. A long list of hotels, restaurants with international cuisine, small bistros and public classical concerts during the sommer period make Echternach a very attractive city.
There is a big range of places to stay over night.You can choose between the youth hostel, private B&B, 2 camping places, over 20 hotels ( up to 5 stars ), chalets and accomodation on a farm. For a special treat, you can rent one of the 3 renovated towers of the ancient city wall.

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text with thanks to marco evers

In Echternach, musical events can be retraced back to the origins of the city itself. From the 8th century to the French Revolution, Benedictine monks practised choir singing. For more than 500 years, on Tuesday after Pentecost, the Dancing Procession in honour of St. Willibrord has been a unique religious and cultural event filling the little town with enchanting rhythms. Thus, it is not surprising that the project by some idealists, among which Cyprien Katsaris, an internationally renowned pianist, originated here and immediately found many friends, donators and sponsors. This led, in the year 1975, to the beginning of the now world-wide acknowledged festival. Every year since then, during the months of May and June, the small town becomes the Mecca of music and hosts well known artists as well as promising talents. Many monuments retrace the prestigious history of the city spreading over two millenniums and offer a rare symbiosis of architecture, landscape and music. The artist as much as the music lover find a privileged setting allowing them to share delightful moments: the Basilique with majestic proportions as well as the St. Pierre-et-Paul church, beautifully restored and more intimate, two jewels of a high class architectural heritage which also and among others comprises the market place with the "Dënzelt", the house of the town council in gothic style, important vestiges of the medieval town wall, the former baroque abbey with park, rococo pavilion, orangery, and not far from the centre the foundations of a roman villa with impressive dimensions, discovered in 1976.

with gratitude thanks to yracre yahoo