From the Official Website here is some info on the Grand Ducal Residences:
I will try and find some photos;
The Residences of the Grand-Ducal Family
I) The Palais Grand-Ducal
The Grand-Ducal Palace in Luxembourg is interesting from a number of viewpoints: for the Luxembourg people, it symbolizes their sense of national independence; for historians, it represents an element of continuity in the exercise of the administrative powers of a city and even a country, through the centuries of foreign rule or independence; and for art lovers, its façade reflects the influence of the Hispano-Moorish style in our regions .
History of the Palace
Following the granting of a Charter of Emancipation in 1244, the City of Luxembourg built a Town Hall in the new market square.
After the Burgundians seized the city in November 1443, Philip the Good requisitioned the Town Hall as his palace and the seat of his council. In a gesture of appeasement, Mary of Burgundy granted the usufruct of the Town Hall to the Magistrat, who became its owner three years later.
In 1541, Emperor Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, stayed at the Town Hall during his visit to Luxembourg.
On 11 June 1554, much of the city was destroyed by a fire caused when lightning struck the Church of the Franciscans, and ignited gunpowder stored in the basement. Work on reconstructing the Town Hall only started in 1572, thanks to city architect Adam Roberti. The work was completed in 1573.
The building was bombarded by the troops of Louis XIV in 1683 because the cellars were used as refuges by the inhabitants during attacks. The building had to be restored. The main body of the building subsequently became the seat of the States i.e. the provincial representatives. During the period of French rule (1795-1814) it housed the Prefecture of the new "Département des Forêts" and Napoleon I stayed there.
In 1741, the Town Hall was extended by adding a building known as "La Balance".
From 1815 onwards, the Palace was used to house the Government Commission and the various governments which succeeded it until 1867. From 1848 onwards, the new Chamber of Deputies was also housed there, so the executive and legislative powers shared the same building. The latter power, which became the "Assemblée des Etats" (Assembly of the States) in 1857, remained there until 30 October 1860, when it moved to its present site to the right of the Palace. After the turmoil of 1867, Luxembourg’s new demilitarized status led to the departure of the Prussian garrison, which left the Luxembourg state with numerous buildings. The government departments, and other administrative units/agencies moved into the offices vacated by the military. The government was thus able to leave the first floor of the building and move to the old Saint Maximin refuge (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), while the second floor continued to house other services like the Archaeological Museum, the Agricultural Service and the Public Education Commission.
At the same time, the Palace was used to accommodate William II, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg (in 1841, 1844 and 1845), and also William III, during their occasional visits to Luxembourg. Between 1850 and 1878, Prince Henry (Grand Duke William III’s Lieutenant-Représentant for Luxembourg affairs) and his wife regularly stayed there for longer periods.
The alteration of the Palace for the exclusive and official use of the sovereign coincided with the arrival of the new Nassau-Weilbourg dynasty in 1890. The work undertaken by Grand Duke Adolph, which included not only the complete transformation of the existing premises, but also the building of a new wing in the courtyard, took four years to complete and was entrusted to a Brussels architect, M. Bordiau, assisted by the State Architect, Charles Arendt.
During the Second World War, under the German occupation, the Palace was converted into a tavern, and the rich collections of paintings, including works by Largilière and Tischbein, the collections of oriental and Dutch china, the Sèvres vases and Russian malachite vases were dispersed, but fortunately recovered later. Having been restored immediately after the liberation, the Palace once more became the political centre of the Grand Duchy. On 23 June every year (Luxembourg's national holiday) crowds throng there to cheer the Sovereign.
Between 1964 and the present day, the interior of the Palace has been regularly renovated to match modern tastes and standards of comfort.
One of the aims of the renovations was to create a series of suites, consisting of a drawing-room, bedroom and bathroom, to house foreign guests, especially those paying state visits.
The Palace as the Sovereign’s Workplace and Official Residence of the Grand-Ducal Family
Article 44 of the Constitution states that the Grand-Ducal Palace in Luxembourg and Berg Castle are reserved for the residence of the Grand Duke.
It is at the Palace that the Sovereign performs his daily duties as head of the executive power. On several days a week, he receives his staff to hear their reports on current affairs and also gives audiences to various dignitaries. He signs laws and decrees, studies appeals for clemency, reads reports, requests, and letters from the national and international press.
It is also at the Palace that accreditation ceremonies and farewell audiences are held for ambassadors accredited to the Head of State. The Grand Duke's Palace is also the setting for international activities during official and state visits. The Palace, where the visitors stay, is the centre or support base for the various ceremonies.
The "Salle des Fêtes", on the first floor, is where official receptions are held. Ambassadors accredited to Luxembourg are received in the "Salle des Rois" on the same floor.
The civil marriage ceremony between the Crown Prince Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium took place in the Salle des Fêtes on 9 April 1953. This same room was the venue, on 12 November 1964, for the ceremony during which Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Charlotte signed the abdication declaration after her 45-year reign, and renounced the Crown in favour of her son, His Royal Highness Grand Duke Jean.
The Palace as an Artistic Monument
The striking feature of the Palace’s façade is the harmonious effect produced by two polygonal turrets built onto the first floor and which have the same depth as the balcony, now made of wrought iron, but originally (until 1741) made of latticed stonework. The general line of the building is vertical, and this vertical character is emphasized by the pitched roof, the fine and graceful turrets and the attic windows.
The five windows distributed lengthwise along each floor capture the light while at the same time accentuating, by their alignment, the elegant austerity of the façade. This austerity is softened by the rich decoration in relief, certain elements of which are typical of the late Spanish Renaissance.
Restoration of the Grand-Ducal Palace between 1991 and 1996
There was absolutely no doubt that action was required, both for technical and subjective reasons. There was a unanimous desire for the Palace to be restored once again to give it an appearance worthy of its nobility. All the work was intended to conserve the Palace, without modifying the architecture, which had to remain strictly authentic, both as a symbol of and testimony to Luxembourg's past.
The work on the interior was aimed at improving the functional aspects of the apartments and service rooms, and special mention deserves to be made of the restoration of the old "Salle de la Balance" on the ground floor - the largest room in the present-day Palace, which had been subdivided for ancillary functions.
On the outside, the operations included washing, cleaning and work to ensure the correct static balance of the structure of the walls, roof and foundations.
The work started in November 1991, on a project that would continue until the end of 1996.
Bibliography:
Bref aperçu de la Ville de Luxembourg. SIP 1993.
Calmes, Christian; Le Palais grand-ducal. Luxembourg, 1988. Fascicule 2. Le palais grand-ducal.
Gaymard, Daniel; La restauration du Palais grand-ducal de 1991 à 1996; in: Ministry of Public Works; Le Palais Grand-Ducal. Editions Imprimerie François Faber; Mersch 1997.
Krier, Tony; Le Palais grand-ducal. Luxembourg.
"Cahiers luxembourgeois" 1936. Fascicule 1. L’ancien hôtel de Ville et actuel Palais grand-ducal.
Reuter, Raymond; Calmes, Christian; Jean Grand-Duc de Luxembourg. Un Souverain et son Pays. Luxembourg 1986.
Luxembourg City Tourist Office (ed.), Luxembourg, Bonjour, le Palais grand-ducal. Luxembourg.
II) The Château de Berg
The first record of a Lord of Berg(he) dates from 1311. The Château de Berg changed hands frequently until the King-Grand Duke William II purchased the estate from Baron Claude du Pasquier in 1845. In 1848, the Château de Berg was recognized by the new Constitution as the exclusive home of the Grand Duke.
During the reign of William III, the Château underwent many alterations in the neo-Gothic style. Then, in 1891, the private estates of the King became the property of Grand Duke Adolph. It was during this year that the Crown Prince William IV moved into in the Château de Berg, where six daughters were to be born out of his marriage with the Infanta Marie-Anne de Bragança.
On his accession to the throne, William IV had the old Château demolished, and replaced it with a building better suited to the needs of the day. The plans were drawn up by Munich architect Max Ostenrieder, and executed by the Luxembourg architect Pierre Funck-Eydt. Work started in 1907, and was completed in 1911.
The Grand Duchesses Marie-Adélaïde and Charlotte resided there during their successive reigns.
The Luxembourg State acquired the Château in 1934 and placed it at the disposal of the Grand-Ducal family.
During the Second World War, the Nazis established an elite school for young girls in the Château. The alterations they imposed caused a great deal of damage, and like the Grand-Ducal Palace, the furniture and many works of art were plundered.
From 1948 onward, the amendment of the Constitution made the Château de Berg the home of the Grand Duke. During the restoration work undertaken after the war, the Grand Duchess and her family moved to the Château de Fischbach until 1964.
III) The Château de Fischbach
The Fischbach manor is one of the oldest in Luxembourg, and appears to date back to the property which came from Echternach Abbey. The first known Lord, Udo of Fischbach, is recorded in 1050.
Like the Château de Berg, it had many owners, and underwent many alterations, particularly after being set on fire by the Poles in the Army of Duke François of Lorraine in 1635.
In 1850, King William II acquired the estate, and ordered the demolition of the majority of the industrial installations that had been added when the previous owner, industrialist Auguste Garnier, had granted ownership to the Belgian Hauts Fourneaux (Blast Furnaces) company.
In 1884, Duke Adolph of Nassau became the owner.
During the Second World War, the Nazis turned the Château into a rest home for artists, and called it "Künstlerheim Fischbach". The majority of the furniture and works of art were looted.
From 1945 onward, and until the end of her days, Grand Duchess Charlotte lived in the Château de Fischbach, which became her favourite residence.
Since 1987, the hereditary Grand-Ducal couple has lived there.
Home of Luxembourg's Royal Family
The residence of Luxembourg's royal family, 1966. At the time the photo was taken, it was the home of Grand Duke Jean, Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte, and their children. Jean came to the throne of Luxembourg's constitutional monarchy in 1964, upon abdication of the throne by his mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte.
I believe that this is Fischbach (sp) Castle/Palace. Which is currently the residance of HRH Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte. It was the early marriage residance of HRH Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa.
Do we have some inside photos of the Grand Ducal Palace?
It seems as though this castle/chateau is called two different names. This is the current living residence of their Royal Highnesses Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and thier five children - Guillaume, Felix, Louis, Alexandra, and Sebastian. Here is a link to the site: I am hoping that this is the same residance that the Grand Ducal Family lives in. Can someone help?
I am going to add a few photos of the outside structure of Chateau de Berg, some are from the 40th wedding anniversary of Jean on the throne and some are from the engagment of Guillaume and Sibilla.
from the website for the castle:
second from the website:
another from the website:
ouside of the castle walls:
another :
Guillaume and Sybilla at their engagment announcement:
Luxembourg look like a nice places with many good scenary!!
Anymore photos about it!! By the way, is Luxembourg famous for anything, like chocolate?? And do the luxembourg royals led a very luxurious and spoil life, are they very rich or are they very down-to-earth?
It's very important to the EU and is known for banking, but I don't know of any commercial things, like the Swiss have chocolate and watches, and the French have fashion.
you can find plenty of photos at www.corbis.com -- just search for Luxembourg.
Luxembourg seems to be one of the more casual courts in Europe. Henri, MT, Jean and JC live in palaces -- Guillaume (Henri's brother, not his son), apparently moved back to Luxembourg after his car crash, but I don't think he lives in one of the family's official residences.
I read somewhere that Luxembourg is a very small country? Anyone know how small is it? And if is an banking hub and is important to EU, then can we assume that Luxembourg is like anyother big city such as london and is a rich Country!!!
Originally posted by Duke@Jan 12th, 2004 - 3:55 am I read somewhere that Luxembourg is a very small country? Anyone know how small is it? And if is an banking hub and is important to EU, then can we assume that Luxembourg is like anyother big city such as london and is a rich Country!!!
Luxembourg covers 1,000 sq miles. There are many smaller countries in the world.
in fact, there are many small countries, and most of them are really important and rich... some of them? monaco, luxembourg or the vaticano.. :)
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