Mondorf-les-Bains
Encyclopedia
Mondorf-les-Bains is a commune
and town in south-eastern Luxembourg
. It is part of the canton of Remich
, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher
. Mondorf-les-Bains is a spa town
(hence its name), and has the only casino
in Luxembourg.
, the town of Mondorf-les-Bains, which lies in the south-east of the commune, has a population of 2,812. Other towns within the commune include Altwies
and Ellange
.
, who arrived in 65 BC, built the Castel on Celtic foundations to protect the road from Metz
to Trier
. It was one of Charlemagne
's nieces, Muomina, who is behind the village's name. In the 9th century, she donated all her possessions including the little village to Echternach Abbey. The village was subsequently called Muomendorph. Over the centuries, Mondorf was frequently attacked, burnt down and rebuilt. St Michael's Church from 1065 was rebuilt on four occasions, the last time in 1764.
It was in the 1840s that the thermal waters were uncovered as a result of deep drilling for salt which had become highly taxed under the Dutch. Karl Gotthelf Kind, who had found salt in Germany and hoped to do the same in Mondorf, discovered the waters after drilling to a record depth of 736 metres. Despite their mineral properties, the waters were not suitable for salt a brownish colour caused by the rich iron content which emerged after distilling. Nevertheless, the local notary, J.-P. Ledure, saw other opportunities for the waters and was successful in finding support for setting up the "Société des Bains de Mondorf". The architect Charles Eydt was immediately commissioned to build the thermal establishment which was inaugurated on 20 June 1847. As a result of the spa's success, the village prospered as rich French guests came to stay in the luxurious hotels which sprang up in the vicinity. The flow of visitors from France was however halted in 1871 when the Germans occupied Alsace
and Lorraine
.
Despite acquiring the name of Mondorf-les-Bains on 28 August 1878, the spa had been undergoing a significant decline since 1871. Only after the State took over the facilities on 21 April 1886 were its fortunes improved. Minister of State Paul Eyschen
was particularly successful in reviving interest, encouraging visitors to come from Belgium. In the early 20th century, the State invested heavily in the resort adding a pavilion for the original source, a banqueting hall and a reading room as well as the Orangerie and the country’s first indoor swimming pool. The park was also enlarged. A railway to Thionville
was opened in 1903 and, in 1913, the Marie-Adelaïde Source, named after the grand duchess was added after drilling to a depth of 464 metres.
After a quiet period during the First World War
, a new spa centre designed by architect Paul Wigreux was opened in 1926. In the 1930s, the hotels were occupied not by visitors interested in the waters but by émigrés from Nazi Germany including the pianist Arthur Rubinstein
. During the Second World War
, well-to-do Nazis enjoyed relaxing at "Staatsbad-Mondorf", far away from the bombing and fighting. After the war, Mondorf hosted 59 members of the Nazi elite as they awaited trial at Nuremberg
while the allies made the necessary preparations at the Palace Hotel. The spa continued to prosper in the second half of the 20th century with an outdoor swimming pool (1953), a new thermal centre (1988), and the Casino 2000
which opened in 1983.
buildings. Inside the church, the fresco, pieta and pulpit are of special interest. Now a listed building, the church was built from 1764 to 1766 on the initiative of Nic Ungeschick, with the support of the abbey of Echternach. The Louis XV furniture was created by the local sculptor Jean-Pierre Decker who lived and worked in Mondorf. The organ on the balcony with musical emblems, the confessionals and the altars blend harmoniously with the frescos designed by Weiser from Bohemia.
The original St Michael's was built in 1065 but was destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions.
as a hotel, restaurant, gaming centre and business venue. Other contributors are the town's restaurants, its tourists, arts and crafts interests as well as agriculture and viticulture
. The Domaine Thermal attracts visitors to the spa as well as those interested in its hotel and restaurants and its conference facilities.
, Germany
Cabourg
, France
Chur
, Switzerland
Mayrhofen
, Austria
Terracina
, Italy
Communes of Luxembourg
The communes of Luxembourg are the lowest nation-wide administrative division in Luxembourg. They conform to LAU level 2.Within the hierarchy of administrative subdivisions, communes come directly below cantons, which are directly below districts. Communes are often re-arranged, being merged or...
and town in south-eastern Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. It is part of the canton of Remich
Remich (canton)
Remich is a canton in the east of Luxembourg, in the Grevenmacher District. The capital is Remich.The canton consists of the following 10 communes:*Bous*Burmerange*Dalheim*Lenningen*Mondorf-les-Bains*Remich*Schengen*Stadtbredimus*Waldbredimus...
, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher
Grevenmacher (district)
The District of Grevenmacher is one of three districts of Luxembourg. It contains 3 cantons divided into 26 communes:#Echternach#*Beaufort#*Bech#*Berdorf#*Consdorf#*Echternach#*Mompach#*Rosport#*Waldbillig#Grevenmacher#*Betzdorf#*Biwer...
. Mondorf-les-Bains is a spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
(hence its name), and has the only casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in Luxembourg.
, the town of Mondorf-les-Bains, which lies in the south-east of the commune, has a population of 2,812. Other towns within the commune include Altwies
Altwies
Altwies is a small town in the commune of Mondorf-les-Bains, in south-eastern Luxembourg. , the town has a population of 557....
and Ellange
Ellange
Ellange is a small town in the commune of Mondorf-les-Bains, in south-eastern Luxembourg. , the town has a population of 269....
.
History
The area was first inhabited by the Celts. The RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, who arrived in 65 BC, built the Castel on Celtic foundations to protect the road from Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
to Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. It was one of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's nieces, Muomina, who is behind the village's name. In the 9th century, she donated all her possessions including the little village to Echternach Abbey. The village was subsequently called Muomendorph. Over the centuries, Mondorf was frequently attacked, burnt down and rebuilt. St Michael's Church from 1065 was rebuilt on four occasions, the last time in 1764.
It was in the 1840s that the thermal waters were uncovered as a result of deep drilling for salt which had become highly taxed under the Dutch. Karl Gotthelf Kind, who had found salt in Germany and hoped to do the same in Mondorf, discovered the waters after drilling to a record depth of 736 metres. Despite their mineral properties, the waters were not suitable for salt a brownish colour caused by the rich iron content which emerged after distilling. Nevertheless, the local notary, J.-P. Ledure, saw other opportunities for the waters and was successful in finding support for setting up the "Société des Bains de Mondorf". The architect Charles Eydt was immediately commissioned to build the thermal establishment which was inaugurated on 20 June 1847. As a result of the spa's success, the village prospered as rich French guests came to stay in the luxurious hotels which sprang up in the vicinity. The flow of visitors from France was however halted in 1871 when the Germans occupied Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
.
Despite acquiring the name of Mondorf-les-Bains on 28 August 1878, the spa had been undergoing a significant decline since 1871. Only after the State took over the facilities on 21 April 1886 were its fortunes improved. Minister of State Paul Eyschen
Paul Eyschen
Paul Eyschen was a Luxembourgish politician, statesman, lawyer, and diplomat. He was the eighth Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving for twenty-seven years, from 22 September 1888 until his death, on 11 October 1915....
was particularly successful in reviving interest, encouraging visitors to come from Belgium. In the early 20th century, the State invested heavily in the resort adding a pavilion for the original source, a banqueting hall and a reading room as well as the Orangerie and the country’s first indoor swimming pool. The park was also enlarged. A railway to Thionville
Thionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
was opened in 1903 and, in 1913, the Marie-Adelaïde Source, named after the grand duchess was added after drilling to a depth of 464 metres.
After a quiet period during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, a new spa centre designed by architect Paul Wigreux was opened in 1926. In the 1930s, the hotels were occupied not by visitors interested in the waters but by émigrés from Nazi Germany including the pianist Arthur Rubinstein
Arthur Rubinstein
Arthur Rubinstein KBE was a Polish-American pianist. He received international acclaim for his performances of the music of a variety of composers...
. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, well-to-do Nazis enjoyed relaxing at "Staatsbad-Mondorf", far away from the bombing and fighting. After the war, Mondorf hosted 59 members of the Nazi elite as they awaited trial at Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
while the allies made the necessary preparations at the Palace Hotel. The spa continued to prosper in the second half of the 20th century with an outdoor swimming pool (1953), a new thermal centre (1988), and the Casino 2000
Casino 2000
Casino 2000 is a gaming casino and entertainment complex located in Mondorf-les-Bains in the south of Luxembourg. It houses the country's only gambling facilities.-Facilities:...
which opened in 1983.
Spa facilities
The spa welcomes thousands of visitors a year with its richly mineralized waters at 24°C (75°F). Set in a park of 36 ha (89 acres), its facilities are among the most modern in Europe. The waters are particularly suitable for the treatment of liver, gastric and respiratory ailments. In addition to a fully equipped fitness pavilion, there are also massage booths, saunas, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, solariums, Turkish baths and whirlpools. Treatments from algae wraps and lava-stone therapy to lymphatic drainage and ayurvedic rituals are said to be especially relaxing.The church
St Michael's Church is one of the country's finest RococoRococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
buildings. Inside the church, the fresco, pieta and pulpit are of special interest. Now a listed building, the church was built from 1764 to 1766 on the initiative of Nic Ungeschick, with the support of the abbey of Echternach. The Louis XV furniture was created by the local sculptor Jean-Pierre Decker who lived and worked in Mondorf. The organ on the balcony with musical emblems, the confessionals and the altars blend harmoniously with the frescos designed by Weiser from Bohemia.
The original St Michael's was built in 1065 but was destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions.
Economy
The major contributor to Mondorf's economy is Casino 2000Casino 2000
Casino 2000 is a gaming casino and entertainment complex located in Mondorf-les-Bains in the south of Luxembourg. It houses the country's only gambling facilities.-Facilities:...
as a hotel, restaurant, gaming centre and business venue. Other contributors are the town's restaurants, its tourists, arts and crafts interests as well as agriculture and viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. The Domaine Thermal attracts visitors to the spa as well as those interested in its hotel and restaurants and its conference facilities.
Twin towns
Mondorf is part of a twinning network including: Bad HomburgBad Homburg
Bad Homburg vor der Höhe is the district town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, Germany, on the southern slope of the Taunus, bordering among others Frankfurt am Main and Oberursel...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Cabourg
Cabourg
Cabourg is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region of France.Cabourg belongs to the Paris Basin. The commune is located next to the sea and the back country is a plain, favourable to the cereal culture...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Chur
Chur
Chur or Coire is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton.-History:The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen
- Twin towns : Chur, Switzerland Bad Tölz, Germany Bad Homburg, Germany Terracina, Italy Cabourg, France Bad Mondorf, Luxembourg- Transport :Mayrhofen has one railway station, which is located next to the Zillertaler Bundestrasse. The station is a terminus for all Train services operated by the...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
Terracina
Terracina
Terracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail .-Ancient times:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Famous citizens
- John GrünJohn GrünJohn Grün, also known as Herkul Grün , a Luxembourger from Mondorf-les-Bains was believed to be the strongest man in the world at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.-Biography:...
(1868–1912), the strongest man in the world - Auguste LieschAuguste LieschJean-Baptiste Auguste Liesch was a Luxembourgian liberal politician, writer, and civil servant.He held the positions of Director-General for Justice and Director-General for Public Works in the government of Émile Reuter from 28 September 1918 to 15 April 1921...
(1874–1949), liberal politician and writer - Andy SchleckAndy SchleckAndy Raymond Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He is the younger brother of Fränk Schleck, who also rides for . Their father Johny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974...
(b. 1985), professional road racing cyclist - Fränk SchleckFränk SchleckFränk René Schleck is a Luxembourgish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . At the start of 2005, Schleck was joined by his younger brother Andy on , and they split the 2005 national championships between them, with Fränk winning the road race and Andy winning the time trial...
(b. 1980), professional road racing cyclist