Casino Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
The Casino Luxembourg is currently a forum for contemporary art which was adapted and renovated in 1995 to fit its new role of housing temporary exhibitions of Luxembourg art. Originally opened in 1882 as the Casino Bourgeois, it was a centre for cultural and social events in addition to its gaming functions.
gave his last piano recital at the casino on 19 July 1886. In 1959, after being purchased by the State, the building was rented out to the Cultural Circle of the European Communities and became known as the Foyer Européen. In 1959, a large glass and steel pavilion designed by René Maillet was added to the south side of the building.
With a view to using the building for art exhibitions during Luxembourg City
's year as European Cultural Capital
in 1995, the Swiss artist Urs Raussmüller of Schaffhausen
's Hallen für Neue Kunst
was charged with adapting the casino into an exhibition space for a limited period by creating substantially more hanging space than could be provided by the walls in the various rooms. This was achieved by installing open-top white-walled cubes throughout building except in the entrance hall which became a reception and information centre. In March 1996, shortly after the end of the European year of culture, the building took on its present function of serving as a forum for contemporary art.
at 14 rue Notre-Dame, the Casino Luxembourg is open to the public every day except Tuesdays from 11 am.
History
The Casino Bourgeois, designed by Luxembourg architects Pierre and Paul Funck, was completed in 1882. In addition to its gaming activities, the casino also had a reading room, a restaurant and a number of large halls which were used for lectures, balls, plays, shows, concerts and art exhibitions. Franz LisztFranz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
gave his last piano recital at the casino on 19 July 1886. In 1959, after being purchased by the State, the building was rented out to the Cultural Circle of the European Communities and became known as the Foyer Européen. In 1959, a large glass and steel pavilion designed by René Maillet was added to the south side of the building.
With a view to using the building for art exhibitions during Luxembourg City
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
's year as European Cultural Capital
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
in 1995, the Swiss artist Urs Raussmüller of Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
's Hallen für Neue Kunst
Hallen für Neue Kunst
The Hallen für Neue Kunst is a museum for contemporary art, especially New Art . It is located in the Swiss city of Schaffhausen, right on the banks of the river Rhine. The Hallen was founded and established in 1982/83 by the artist Urs Raussmüller...
was charged with adapting the casino into an exhibition space for a limited period by creating substantially more hanging space than could be provided by the walls in the various rooms. This was achieved by installing open-top white-walled cubes throughout building except in the entrance hall which became a reception and information centre. In March 1996, shortly after the end of the European year of culture, the building took on its present function of serving as a forum for contemporary art.
The Infolab
The casino also houses a public library and reading room. Known as the Infolab, it contains some 7,000 publications on the history of art since the 1960s, 50 portfolios on Luxembourg artists and 40 international magazines on contemporary art and culture. Information is also provided on current exhibitions with videos, periodicals and books on the exhibiting artists.Location
Located close to the city centre in the Ville HauteVille Haute
Ville Haute is a quarter in central Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.In 2001, the quarter had a population of 2,686 people.It is the historical center of Luxembourg City and is involved in its UNESCO World Heritage Site status....
at 14 rue Notre-Dame, the Casino Luxembourg is open to the public every day except Tuesdays from 11 am.