The city of Wiltz

In the 13th century, the Lords of Wiltz built a fortified castle on a rocky promontory, initiating the development of the upper town of Wiltz. In 1388, the French attacked the town and burnt the castle down but it was soon repaired. In 1453, Wiltz was again attacked, this time by the troops of Philip of Burgundy. The round Witches' Tower to the east of the gardens is the oldest part of today's castle.

Under Count John VI of Wiltz, the construction of today's Renaissiance style castle was begun in 1631. After delays caused by the Thirty Years War, the main building was not completed until about 1720. The old chapel was finished in 1722 and the monumental staircase leading down to the gardens was completed in 1727. The castle premises were acquired by the State of Luxembourg in 1951 for use as an old people's home

The museum was created in 1970 on the initiative of several members of the association "Les Amis de la Féerie du Genêt Wiltz" and was inaugurated on 24 January 1970.

The museum is mainly dedicated to the terrifying period of the Battle of the Bulge from 16 December 1944 to 21 January 1945, the day of the final liberation of Wiltz and the feast day of the venerated Saint Sebastian. The photos on display show the heroic attitude of all those involved, military and civilian, who contributed to the liberation of OESLING and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The first concern of the museum's promoters was, and still is, to evoke the pain and misery of the local soldiers due to the loss of life and material, which was unavoidable in the reconquest of freedom. Many of the photos, documents, paintings, uniforms and war materials that have been collected, selected and arranged by the friends of the museum are of particular interest to the town of Wiltz and the region and best illustrate the scourges of war. A visit to the museum brings to life for the interested observer above all the horrific aspect of the destruction of the town of Wiltz and the neighbouring villages.

Thanks to the courageous attitude of the inhabitants of Wiltz during the strike of 31 August 1942 and during the entire period of the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, the town has earned the title of "Martyrdom City".

Today, the main aim of the museum is to arouse the interest of young people in the horrific events experienced by their ancestors through the material on display. Conscious of their past and the duty to reconcile the opposing parties of the past, the friends of the museum invite their supporters to join them in order to ensure a peaceful future.

Since 1953, Wiltz Castle has been the venue of an international music festival attracting artists and orchestras of international repute. Not only classical music but also jazz and rock is included in the festival which runs for three weeks

from late June to mid-July. In 1991, a removable roof was installed, covering most of the stage and sheltering the hundreds of spectators who would otherwise have been bothered by bad weather.

One of Wiltz's centuries-old prides is its brewing tradition another speciality was the tannery. Leather working in Wiltz dates back to the 16th century. In 1868, the town had 28 tanneries, two of which survived into the second half of the 20th century, IDEAL and LAMBERT. Between the two world wars, the IDÉAL leather factory delivered fine leather all over the world and employed up to 1200 people.

It was in front of the large gate of the IDEAL tannery, at dawn on 31 August 1942, that the brave workers called a general strike and sent a wave of protest and anger across the country against the forced recruitment of young Luxembourgers into the German "WEHRMACHT".

Production continued apace after the Second World War. By 1950, IDEAL was the largest luxury leather factory in Western Europe. However, it had to close its doors in 1961. The LAMBERT tannery employed up to 300 people. It produced mainly sole leather and belts. It stopped its production in 1953.

In 1961, Wiltz ceased to be the capital of leather. A 400-year-old tradition disappeared. More modern and cheaper processes, international competition and the invention of artificial leather were the reasons for the closure of the last two tanneries in Wiltz.

One of the prides of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is its centuries-old brewing tradition. Established in Wiltz, the SIMON brewery is one of the few to have remained the property of a Luxembourg family. In addition, the nearby Haute-Sûre Nature Park is home to the spelt fields used to produce the tasty DINKEL (spelt beer). So there was more than one good reason to turn the nostalgic stables of Wiltz Castle into a beer museum, the first of its kind in Luxembourg.

The exhibits not only give an insight into the 6,000-year history of beer production, but also document the fascinating evolution of the art of brewing in Luxembourg. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of water, hops and malt in a whole new light.

Brew your own beer

Would you like to do the work of a master brewer yourself? A seminar will teach you the art of brewing in just one day. The Wiltz Beer Museum has a miniature brewery - just like the original, with a copper filter tank.

This micro-brewery not only gives an insight into the various production cycles - from the crushing of the grains, through brewing and fermentation, to the storage - but can also produce up to 50 litres of beer. Of course, after a waiting period of about one month, you can enjoy the beverage you have produced yourself.

Enjoy a beer? Where does the name GAMBRINUS come from?

Was he a legendary beer king, the secular patron saint of brewers and beer drinkers?  Historians refer to John I (Jan Primus), Duke of Brabant and Marquis of Antwerp, son of Henry III, who lived in the 13th century.

In 1288, after the battle of WOERINGEN, during the feast given to his vassals, John of Brabant is said to have climbed onto a pile of beer barrels, with a tankard in his hand, to make himself heard. The enthusiastic assembly then shouted "Jan Primus! Jan Primus! "Hence "GAMBRINUS".  Another explanation suggests the Latin origin GANEA BIRRINUS, which means the one who drinks beer in a pub.

Some also point out that John the Fearless, son of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy at the beginning of the 15th century, was the founder of the hop order. In any case, these legends have given rise to rich and varied representations. The museum is proud to have a collection of about fifty representations.