Silent witnesses to our history - Luxembourg's unknown monuments

Gëlle Fra, Kanounenhiwwel, equestrian statue of Wilhelm II … yawn. We carelessly pass by most of the iconic monuments in Luxembourg. But our country is littered with statues, memorials and, above all, steel and stone that tell a hidden story. If you keep your eyes open, you can discover witnesses to historical days that you don't necessarily recognise.

Ralph Pletsch felt the same way. He recently completed his training as a tourist guide at the Luxembourg City Tourist Office: "You get a completely different perspective. I knew that we had a fortress, but after immersing yourself in it during the six-month training programme, you see so much more. It's a shame that we hardly learn about the history of our country even at school.We know about all sorts of things, but not about our own country, or only in a rudimentary way." He only learnt that four of the bank buildings on Kirchberg, for example, were designed by Pritzker Prize winners, a prestigious architecture prize, as part of his training, even though he had worked there for years. "It's crazy, it really opens your eyes."