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The "Hollow Tooth" tower, part of the old fortifications |
One of the highlights for tourists in Luxembourg are the "casemates" which are fortified bunkers built right into the rock that the city rests upon. Luxembourg city sits in a great location to fortify it. Taking advantage of topography, with the river gorges providing massive vertical relief to keep friend from foe, they built massive fortifications to make the city "The Gibraltar of the North". There were a total of 24 forts, 16 other works, and a 23 km long network of underground casemates. It took gunpowder to capture the city. After Luxembourg came under the thrall of France, the fortifications were ordered destroyed. The casemates were shut in in 1875, as a part of its newfound neutrality.
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