THE BOCK CASEMATES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE FORTIFICATIONS AND OLD TOWN GIBRALTAR OF THE NORTH Bock Casemates: view through the loopholes The Bock Casemates Specifications Year of construction: 1745 Clients: Austrian engineers Surface area: 1,100 m2 Main casemate: 110 m long - 7 m wide Special features: superb views through the loopholes Famous visitors to the Bock Casemates: - Emperor Joseph II of Austria (1781) - Napoleon I (1804) - Prince Henry of the Netherlands (1868) - Grand Duchess Charlotte (1936) - Grand Duke Henry and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (2000) A The archaeological crypt, the antechamber to the Casemates, accommodates the cradle of Luxembourg. The archaeological searches carried out in 1993 show the vestiges of the first château comtal, or count’s castle, erected in the 10th century on the “Bock” promontory by the city’s founder, Count Sigfried. B1 / B2 After visiting the archaeological crypt, you enter the dungeon of the old Luxembourg castle. A beauti- ful view over the valley and the lower town awaits you. Cannons would be passed through the openings (now Bock Casemates: Melusina’s well blocked up) in the upper vault, in order to avoid the stairs. C The main gallery with its halls with cannons and loop- holes which were enlarged during the dismantling of the fortress in 1867. The Bock Casemates could accommo- date some 50 cannons and 1,200 soldiers. D As you pass through the former prison of the castle in the belfry foundations, you have a magnificent view over Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge, which links the city cen- tre to the Kirchberg plateau, and over the vestiges of Fort “Haut-Grünewald”, and to your right, over the Bock rock and “Huelen Zant” (Hollow Tooth). E The 47 metre deep well of the castle plunges you into the mythical Luxembourg: perhaps you will catch a glimpse of the lovely Melusina who will greet you with a mischievous wink and an elegant beating of her fish’s tail... F During the 8 months of the 1794-95 siege, the Hab- sburg Marshal von Bender (1713-1798) occupied these spaces to shelter from the French attacks. Visit the bed- room, office and antechamber of this military genius who commanded the Austrian troops at the age of 82. Through the loopholes, you can enjoy superb views over the Spanish ramparts (1632), the upper town, the Faubourg du Grund, the Neumünster Abbey cultural centre with the church of St John (17th century), the Rham plateau with the former Vauban barracks (1685), the viaduct as well as the semi-circular towers which form part of the vestiges of A 1 B B2 D 1 E Exit I B2 H G 2 1 Bock Casemates: side view the third precincts of the city encompassing the “Wenzel” cultural and nature circuit. G Through the iron gate, you enter the “Batterie du Grund” which had 4 loopholes for 8 cannons, firing alternately (3 shots an hour) to defend the lower town of the Grund and flank the ramparts of the Citadel. Now known as the Tun Deutsch room (1932-1977) in memory of the Luxembourg actor and director, the “Batterie du Grund” used to serve as a platform for the performances of the famous “Casemate Theatre”. H Descending the spiral staircase, you reach a passage specially designed in case the “Pont du Château” (Castle Bridge) was destroyed, which passes beneath the street. This underground passage is one of 5 possibilities of crossing this bridge, which constitutes an interesting architectural element of the fortress. I You leave the underground galleries by the castle bridge, erected in 1735 by the Austrians, to return to Chemin de la Corniche, Europe’s most beautiful balcony, and the old town. D C B2 B1 F F F E 2 Bock Casemates: view from top Place de s s BD ain Couvent B J d es E A Ru e N U Square R Auberge de R obe rt L Ru e Be aumont V Jeunesse u Bra sseur E e Hospice de L Muerbelsmillen ³P d u IN Pfaffenthal y Théâtre s ue N li des Place du R G o O Legend of the beautiful Melusina d r e Capucins Théâ tre d B s t Passage R. O r R o Manderscheid U u F According to legend, Melusina was the wife of L e C E u V S d a A o s p t st R hè u e u n R Sigfried, 1 count of Luxembourg, living in his castle Grand D e N - c E Rue V W S i ustice U n J I e de P C is L A s a s lai C a s R T Rue du P s Musée M O E . u D G e R on the rocky Bock promontory. On their marriage, R o National n E ë W T É l n H T u l i N e l a O O e e t h M r i K R st e Conseil i l e N n a Ge d i e c Marché Ru m s te u R. d k d' Etat Melusina required her husband never to see her la Po Cercle - e la Bouch - aux - eri R e r é M e Poissons i d Cité C u u g efr o a i R S Square Place u e Ru e d r Klouschtergaart u c Jan Palach d'A rmes R ue d during a particular day and night of the week. One e h u é e Palais R g o o - L Grand s s t a d a i l rey u e te u e fine day, unable to resist his curiosity, Sigfried spied on x Ducal Rue d W u M R Rue de - la Reine H e e e e g n r r F b e è Place G uill aume I I o a e u h her in her bath through the keyhole of her room’s door h t s s a L C E c s s ' i l o n y h é n g i L ouvi r S a e m Ru P e Rham ³ e o Abbaye de u d u es d and discovered her fish’s tail. Melusina, noting that C v y Hôtel de R ) P Neumünster è e e Tr Ru Ville u u e Musée R R Place a her husband was watching her, then vanished forever l e - Dame R Not re du 6 Juin Ru e é e n Place de 1937 u d é Bibliothèque h e t s A Nationale Cl airefo ntai ne e i R . d t Musée c into the torrents of the Alzette river. u e n e a e u ' a l l R n d M E VA RD F. D e U L d B O . o P i u o . t Platea u du n R n Cathédrale a i t Rh am g é é m e R r e S M O g Ecole e u ) h P O t n u S o R C E d PLACE DE C n V u E a s L l E LA CONSTITUTION T t e s e r d p G What does the term “casemate” mean? r r e u u i t n R d Casemate is derived etymologically from the Greek ³P Archives de l' Etat Op der)P )P “chasma(ta)” meaning “chasm”. This is a “bomb-proof” Schmëdd Place A ug ust e Ecole Engel vaulted room situated in the actual body of the works © Ville de Luxembourg - Service de la Topographie et de la Géomatique Ru e S leading to one or more embrasures or intended to a in t Ul accommodate troops and equipment. ri c Place de s s BD ain Couvent B J d es E A Ru e N U Square R Auberge de R obe rt L Ru e Be aumont V Jeunesse u Bra sseur E e Hospice de L Muerbelsmillen ³P d u IN Pfaffenthal y Théâtre s ue N li des Place du R G o O d r e Capucins Théâ tre d B s t Passage R. O r R o U u F Manderscheid L e C E u V S d a A o s p t R hè u e u n R Grand D e N - c E Rue V W S i ustice U n J I e de P C is L A s a s lai C a s R T Rue du P s Musée M O E . u D G e R R o National n E ë W T É l n H T u l i N e l a O O e e t h M r i K R st e Conseil i l e N n a Ge d i e c Marché Ru m s te u R. d k d' Etat la Po Cercle - e la Bouch - aux - eri R e r é M e Poissons i d Cité C u u g efr o a i R S Square Place u e Ru e d r Klouschtergaart u c Jan Palach d'A rmes R ue d e h u é e Palais R g o o - L Grand s s t a d a i ey l e Bock r u te u e on x Ducal Rue d W u M R Rue de - la Reine H Casemates e e e e g n r r F b e è Place G uill aume I I o a e u h h t s s a L C E c s s ' i l o n y h é n g i L ouvi r S a e m Ru P e Rham ³ e o Abbaye de u d u es d C v y Hôtel de R ) P Neumünster è e e Tr Ru Ville u u e Musée R R Place a l e - Dame R Not re du 6 Juin Ru e é e n Place de 1937 u d é Bibliothèque h e t s A Nationale Cl airefo ntai ne e i R .