Did you know Luxembourg has nearly 1,877 monuments and protected objects, 838 of which are listed as national cultural heritage? And good news for heritage lovers is that the new Heritage Protection Law will further enrich this list and promote historic buildings.

What is a listed building?

Buildings listed as national cultural heritage are assets whose conservation is recognized as being of public interest for art or history. These buildings are protected from any destruction or modification without the authorization of the Minister of Culture. They also receive financial aid for their restoration.

In Luxembourg, the Law on the Conservation and Protection of National Sites and Monuments was published in 1927. However, almost half of the protections have been implemented in the last ten years alone. This acceleration is linked to the modernization of the existing rules, which are now more consistent and transparent.

The latest Heritage Protection Law has just been adopted in February 2022. It extends its scope to archaeological, artistic, and architectural buildings and "intangible" events in the country, such as the Schueberfouer funfair. The new texts also aim to strengthen the enhancement of cultural heritage in all its forms.

Listed heritage: between conservation and enhancement

The new Law establishes a detailed inventory of assets to be protected and enhanced. The objective is to consider the protection of cultural heritage in the country's development projects, particularly in the construction of housing. The regulatory texts are not incompatible with modifying buildings but reinforce the formalities and requests for authorization for buildings or architectural ensembles, which are the subject of classification.

Conversely, heritage protection rules also facilitate renovations. In 2020, the National Sites and Monuments Service (SSMN) thus acted as project owner and adviser in restoring and redeveloping 900 properties belonging to municipalities, companies, and individuals.

The objective is to preserve, enhance and enrich listed buildings, and create a fund for architectural heritage. This fund is used to grant subsidies and finance the acquisition and restoration of buildings related to industrial and religious heritage or buildings that are part of a protected sector of national interest.

Luxembourg listed buildings

It is difficult to establish the complete list of listed buildings because of the 102 municipalities in Luxembourg; only two of them have no national monument! In addition to the 838 buildings benefiting from the classification as cultural heritage, we must add nearly 951 others listed in the supplementary inventory. This inscription means that they are of sufficient interest to be preserved.

Among the most famous examples of listed buildings is the ARBED building in Luxembourg City. This former headquarters of the Luxembourg Mining Company was the property of ArcelorMittal. In 2013, the property was classified and bought by the State Bank and Savings Fund to protect the building and its facade, richly decorated with columns and figures, from destruction.

For the archaeological heritage, one of the finest examples of restoration and enhancement is the Roman villa located in Walferdange. In 2020, the site underwent major renovation with the stabilization of the walls and enhancement by developing a pedestrian path made of mechanical gratings.

Do you want to discover the listed historic buildings and sites near you? Please note that the complete list of national monuments and listed buildings is updated every five years. It is published in the Mémorial, the official journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

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