Gutland (Luxembourg)
Encyclopedia
Gutland is a region covering the southern and central parts of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Gutland covers 68% of the territory of Luxembourg; to the north of Gutland lies the Oesling
, which covers the remaining 32% of the Grand Duchy.
Gutland is not an homogeneous region, and includes five main sub-regions: the Valley of the Seven Castles
, Little Switzerland
, the Luxembourg plateau
, the Moselle valley
, and the Red Lands
. Despite its variety, Gutland does have general geographic characteristics, both physical and human, that separate it from the Oesling.
Unlike the sparsely-populated Oesling, Gutland is relatively urbanised. Whereas the Oesling has only one town with a population larger than 2,000 people, Gutland has four with a population of over 15,000. However, Gutland's urban areas are mostly congregated in the cantons
of Esch-sur-Alzette
and Luxembourg
, whereas some other parts of Gutland are almost as uninhabited as the Oesling.
Gutland is lower lying and flatter than the Oesling. Geologically, Gutland is predominantly a large Jurassic
-Triassic
sandstone formation, part of the Lorrainian system; the Oesling is predominantly Devonian
schist
and quartz
. Both are wooded, but the Oesling's forests are more numerous and thicker, a testament to the slower pace of human development in the Oesling. Most of the Gutland is fertile agricultural territory (hence the name).
Oesling
The Oesling or Ösling is a region covering the northern part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, within the greater Ardennes area that also covers parts of Belgium and France...
, which covers the remaining 32% of the Grand Duchy.
Gutland is not an homogeneous region, and includes five main sub-regions: the Valley of the Seven Castles
Valley of the Seven Castles
'Valley of the Seven Castles' is an informal name given to the Eisch valley, in central Luxembourg. The valley stretches from the confluence with the Alzette upstream to Steinfort, on the border with Belgium. The entire route can be traversed in about an hour by car, starting near the town of...
, Little Switzerland
Little Switzerland (Luxembourg)
Little Switzerland is a nickname for a region in the east of Luxembourg, bestowed upon the region on account of its reputed geographic similarities to Switzerland. It is roughly contiguous with the canton of Echternach...
, the Luxembourg plateau
Luxembourg plateau
The Luxembourg plateau is a large Early Jurassic sandstone plateau in south-central Luxembourg. Lying mostly between and , it is the dominant part of the Gutland region....
, the Moselle valley
Moselle valley
The Moselle valley is a region in north-eastern France, south-western Germany, and eastern Luxembourg, centred on the river valley formed by the Moselle...
, and the Red Lands
Red Lands
The Red Lands form a geographic region in southern and south-western Luxembourg. They are called this way for their red iron-laden earth.The Red Lands roughly correspond with the southern part of the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, along the border with France...
. Despite its variety, Gutland does have general geographic characteristics, both physical and human, that separate it from the Oesling.
Unlike the sparsely-populated Oesling, Gutland is relatively urbanised. Whereas the Oesling has only one town with a population larger than 2,000 people, Gutland has four with a population of over 15,000. However, Gutland's urban areas are mostly congregated in the cantons
Cantons of Luxembourg
||The districts of Luxembourg are divided into 12 cantons. These cantons are subdivided into 116 communes. The cantons, listed by district, include:Diekirch District*Clervaux *Diekirch *Redange *Vianden *Wiltz Grevenmacher District...
of Esch-sur-Alzette
Esch-sur-Alzette (canton)
Esch-sur-Alzette is a canton in the south-west of Luxembourg, in Luxembourg District. The capital is Esch-sur-Alzette.The canton consists of the following 14 communes:*Bettembourg*Differdange*Dudelange*Esch-sur-Alzette*Frisange*Kayl*Leudelange...
and Luxembourg
Luxembourg (canton)
Luxembourg, sometimes Luxemburg, is a canton in the south of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in the Luxembourg District. The capital is Luxembourg City.The canton consists of the following 11 communes:* Bertrange* Contern* Hesperange* Luxembourg...
, whereas some other parts of Gutland are almost as uninhabited as the Oesling.
Gutland is lower lying and flatter than the Oesling. Geologically, Gutland is predominantly a large Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
-Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
sandstone formation, part of the Lorrainian system; the Oesling is predominantly Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
and quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
. Both are wooded, but the Oesling's forests are more numerous and thicker, a testament to the slower pace of human development in the Oesling. Most of the Gutland is fertile agricultural territory (hence the name).