A bit of history
The name of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg comes from the High German “lucilinburch” which means “small town”. The first human settlements on the territory of the duchy appeared 35,000 years ago, which is confirmed by ancient artifacts found in the town of Otringen. In the I-VI centuries. BC. the territory of Luxembourg was inhabited by the Gauls, then it was part of the Roman Empire, and in the VI century. the Franks settled here. Starting from the 7th century, when the population of Luxembourg was converted to Christianity, the state was alternately part of Austrasia, the Holy Roman Empire, Lorraine, and in 963, after this territory gained independence, Count Siegfried built a fortified castle here – Lisilinburg (Little Fortress) that laid the foundation for the state. In 1354, the County of Luxembourg became a duchy, which in 1477 passed to the Habsburg dynasty, and then to Spain. Then the state was several times in the power of France, but in 1815 the Congress of Vienna granted Luxembourg the status of the Grand Duchy with Willem at the head. During World War I, Luxembourg remained neutral; during World War II, the country was occupied by Germany. Liberation came in 1944, and in the same year Luxembourg entered into an economic union with Belgium and the Netherlands – the Benelux, and in 1957 became a member of the European Union. June 14, 1995 Luxembourg was the site of another important event. In the southeast of the country, in the town of Schengen, or rather, on the pleasure ship “Princess Maria Astrid” on the Moselle River, the Schengen Agreement was signed. Today Luxembourg has a constitutional monarchy headed by Grand Duke Henri. or rather – on the pleasure ship “Princess Maria Astrid” on the Moselle River, the Schengen agreement was signed. Today Luxembourg has a constitutional monarchy headed by Grand Duke Henri. or rather – on the pleasure ship “Princess Maria Astrid” on the Moselle River, the Schengen agreement was signed. Today Luxembourg has a constitutional monarchy headed by Grand Duke Henri.

Kitchen
Undoubtedly, the influence of French and German culinary traditions is present in Luxembourgish cuisine, but the cuisine of the Grand Duchy also has many of its signature recipes that have come from ancient times. Thanks to the wonderful natural features, the dishes here are prepared from selected local products, among which meat dishes are in the first place. The famous Ardennes ham, jellied suckling pigs, smoked pork with beans, Luxembourg hare roast, the national dish – bunschlupp (soup with bacon, green beans and potatoes). These dishes are usually served with delicious vegetable side dishes, potatoes and greens. Luxembourg is also famous for the preparation of fish dishes – for example, excellent trout, pike and crayfish from local rivers. Pastries are also unusually tasty – muffins, pies with fruit fillings, many varieties of cakes and cookies. Among the famous drinks is Luxembourg blackcurrant liqueur, which is prepared according to old recipes. And by the way, Luxembourg, like Belgium, is the country where the largest number of Michelin-starred gourmet restaurants is concentrated. In addition, Luxembourg is the founder of the Expogast Culinary World Cup Luxemburg, which is held in the Duchy every four years.

Moselle wines
Speaking about the cuisine of Luxembourg, one cannot help but recall the famous throughout Europe wines made from grapes in the Moselle River Valley. The main part of the vineyards is located on a vast area of ​​almost 1500 hectares, between Schengen and Wasserbillig, where only white grape varieties are grown, from which dry aromatic wines are made. The most common grape variety is Rivaner, as well as Elbing, Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris. Müller-Thurgau grapes make fruity wines, Elbing – sparkling and effervescent, Riesling – light, refined dry wines, Auxerrois – soft, mostly with citrus aromas, Pinot Grisgio – fragrant, velvety and harmonious wines.