The Rham Plateau, Luxembourg's fortress seen from the other side

Stand on the Corniche and you’re on top of Luxembourg’s fortress without really seeing it. Cross the Alzette to the Rham Plateau and the whole thing swings into view. That’s why I rate this unassuming spur above the Grund so highly. It’s where the walls stop being a pleasant promenade and start looking like a defence.

A spur the river nearly cuts off

The LCTO describes the Rham as high ground washed by the Alzette on three sides, and its French page adds that people were living here in the Iron Age. For centuries it sat outside the city’s defences, until the third ring of walls tied it to the protected town from the 15th century. That ring was the work of Wenceslas II, and visitluxembourg dates the Rham stretch to around 1420 to 1424, with the caveat that it’s presumed rather than proven.

Late in the 17th century, with the French in charge, Vauban had four barracks built up here. They’re still standing, though you won’t be going in. Social institutions have used them since the late 19th century.

Towers back in shape

The real change in recent years is the towers. visitluxembourg says all four on the Rham have been fully restored, with the defensive ditch cleared and the casemates opened up. If medieval walls interest you more than Vauban’s bastions, this is the best place in the city to see them.

One detail I didn’t expect. The railway to Liège has cut through these fortifications since 1862, and a new viewpoint has been opened next to the rail bridge. A train rumbling between 15th-century towers is about as Luxembourg as it gets.

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Why climb up here at all?

For the view back. The LCTO points out that from the front of the plateau you look across to the military buildings and walls of the Saint-Esprit plateau and along the Chemin de la Corniche. You see the stepped walls of the upper town face on, which is exactly what you can’t see while you’re standing on them. The LCTO page also has a 360-degree view if you want a preview before you go.

Fitting it into a walk

The Rham works best as the final climb of the Wenzel Walk, the 2.5 km route that follows the Wenceslas wall from the Bock, down the Corniche to the Grund and up here. Self-guided, it’s free, and the LCTO leaflet comes in English. I’d walk it in that order, so you reach the Rham with the upper town behind you and can pick out everything you’ve just seen.

To reach the start of the walk, buses 9, 14 and 15 stop at Bockkasematten, and like all public transport in Luxembourg they cost nothing, so there is no ticket to sort out when you land. If you’re coming independently, head up from the Grund. The Melusina statue sits on the riverbank below, a short stroll from the start of the climb. Leave the pushchair at the hotel, though. Both official sites mention steps and uneven ground.

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If you are short on time, see the best tours in Rham Plateau and pick one that fits your day.

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