Fort Thüngen, Luxemburg, Luxembourg

Fort Thüngen is a historic fortification in Luxembourg City sited in Dräi Eechelen Park. Named after the Austrian commander-in-chief of the fortress, Baron of Thüngen, it was built in 1732 to enclose the defence work called Redoute du Parc (Park Redoubt) set up by Vauban 50 years before. A deep moat surrounded Fort Thüngen which was accessible only through a 169-metre long underground tunnel through the rocks from Obergrünewald. In 1836 the Prussians extended the Fort and in 1860 strengthened it again.

Most of the original fortress was demolished after the 1867 Treaty of London, which demanded the demolition of Luxembourg City's numerous fortifications. The three towers and the foundations of the rest of the fort were all that remained. During the 1990s, the site was reconstructed in its entirety, in parallel with the development of the site for the construction of the Mudam, Luxembourg's museum of modern art.

References:

Luxembourg Tourism

Castles and fortifications in Luxembourg

User Reviews

Santosh Rane (9 months ago)
I'm not much into the history. But just walking up in fresh air and lush green park with a lovely view of Luxembourg, is worth a visit here.

Chris (9 months ago)
Fun and free history museum. Very Luxembourg focused, great place to stop in…doesn’t take long to visit. I went with my 8 year old and spent 30-45 minutes. He liked the guillotine the most — they do what with that?!?

Richard E (10 months ago)
A beautiful piece of art and history restored to be a lesson of a time that once was. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through this amazing museum.

Csaba Győrfi (10 months ago)
Beautiful slice of history, old fortification of the city. Fort is really interesting both from outside and inside if you like this kind of stuff. 1-2 hours easily spent here if walking around inside’n’out of the structure. Close to the city center by foot.

JB Young (12 months ago)
They do not recognize the American COVID vaccine cards for proof of vaccination. I was denied entry. The outside looks cool though.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright jadwiga.ws

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Tyniec Benedictine abbey was founded by King Casimir the Restorer probably around 1044. Casimir decided to rebuild the newly established Kingdom of Poland, after a Pagan rebellion and a disastrous Czech raid of Duke Bretislaus I (1039). The Benedictines, invited to Tyniec by the King, were tasked with restoring order as well as cementing the position of the State and the Church. First Tyniec Abbot was Aaron, who became the Bishop of Kraków. Since there is no conclusive evidence to support the foundation date as 1040, some historians claim that the abbey was founded by Casimir the Restorer’ son, King Boleslaw II the Generous.

In the second half of the 11th century, a complex of Romanesque buildings was completed, consisting of a basilica and the abbey. In the 14th century, it was destroyed in Tatar and Czech raids, and in the 15th century it was rebuilt in Gothic style. Further remodelings took place in the 17th and 18th centuries, first in Baroque, then in Rococo style. The abbey was partly destroyed in the Swedish invasion of Poland, and soon afterwards was rebuilt, with a new library. Further destruction took place during the Bar Confederation, when Polish rebels turned the abbey into their fortress.

In 1816, Austrian authorities liquidated the abbey, and in 1821-1826, it was the seat of the Bishop of Tyniec, Grzegorz Tomasz Ziegler. The monks, however, did not return to the abbey until 1939, and in 1947, remodelling of the neglected complex was initiated. In 1968, the Church of St. Peter and Paul was once again named the seat of the abbot. The church itself consists of a Gothic presbytery and a Baroque main nave. Several altars were created by an 18th-century Italian sculptor Francesco Placidi. The church also has a late Baroque pulpit by Franciszek Jozef Mangoldt.

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