Wiltz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses of "Wiltz", see Wiltz (disambiguation).

Wiltz
Wolz

District

Diekirch

Canton

Wiltz

LAU 2

LU00005009

Geography

Area
Area rank

19.37 km²
60th of 116

Highest point
Highest point rank

506 m
23rd of 116

Lowest point
Lowest point rank

285 m
96th of 116

Population

Population (2005)
Population rank

4,587
24th of 116

Density (2005)
Density rank

236.8 /km²
26th of 116

List of communes of Luxembourg

Wiltz (Luxembourgish: Wolz) is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II.

As of 2005, the town of Wiltz, which lies in the south of the commune, has a population of 4,567. Other towns within the commune include Weidingen.

The International Scouting One Penny Monument

Wiltz is a major centre for the international scouting movement. There are many scout campsites and buildings surrounding the town. The International Scouting One Penny Monument, dedicated to Robert Baden-Powell, is located in Wiltz.

The Festival of Wiltz, a music and performing arts festival, takes place every summer.

Nearby Wiltz, on a hill overlooking the town, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima is the site of an annual pilgrimage on Ascension Day. In particular it attracts many of the Portuguese people who form a sizable proportion of the population of Luxembourg.

[edit] History

One of the main festures of the town is the castle of the former Counts of Wiltz. This castle, which is situated on 600 acres of lawns and gardens, contians hundreds of rooms. It was completed in 1727, and the final Count died in 1793. It served as a private girls school from 1851 until 1950, and became a retirement home after that. Plans are in place to make it into a museum.