Bock (Luxembourg)
The Bock (
History
It was in 963 that
The first historical mention of the Bock is indeed in connection with a watchtower or fortification on the Roman road from
Over the centuries, Siegfried's fortified castle on the Bock was considerably enlarged and protected with additional walls and defences. In 987, the castle chapel was built at the nearby
As time passed, the fortifications needed to be adapted to new methods of war based on increasingly strong firepower. During the 1640s under the Spaniards, the Swiss engineer Isaac von Treybach significantly reworked the defences. The Bock was also strengthened with three forts, the Large Bock, Middle Bock and Small Bock (from west to east), separated from each other by cuts in the rock and linked by bridges. As a result, little remained of the medieval castle.[6]
A little later in 1684, on behalf of
In addition to these structures, the Bock also included a system of casemates, which originated in the cellars of the medieval castle. In 1744, during the Austrian period, these underground passages were considerably enlarged by General Neipperg. The main passage, which still remains, is 110 m long and up to 7 m wide. Branches leading off on either side were equipped with no less than 25 cannon slots, 12 to the north and 13 to the south, offering considerable firepower. In the event of war, the Bock casemates, covering an area of 1,100 m2, could be used as barracks for several hundred soldiers. Water was supplied from a well 47 m deep.[7]
Thanks to its defenses, in 1794 during the
The fortifications were finally demolished under the terms of the Treaty of London in 1867. The demolition took 16 years and cost the enormous sum of 1.5 million gold francs.
Pont du château
The two-storey bridge connecting the Bock to the old town was an important component of the fortifications. Technically, it is a rather curious structure. Built in 1735 by the Austrians, it provides no less than four ways of crossing between the cliffs: the road over the top, a passage by way of the four upper arches, a spiral staircase up through the main arch, and a tunnel under the road at the bottom.[7]
Famous visitors
Over the years, the Bock casemates have received several famous visitors.[8] These include:
- Emperor Joseph II of Austria (1781);
- Napoleon Bonaparte(1804);
- Prince Henry of the Netherlands (1868);
- Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg (1936);
- Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his wife Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (2000).
The legend of Melusina
There have reportedly been people that have seen Melusine in the waters nearby.[9]
See also
Gallery
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The Bock fortifications
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The Bock cliff with cannon loopholes
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Cannon inside the casemates
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The Bock fortifications in the winter
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Luxembourg by Joan Blaeu (1649)
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Luxembourg by William Turner (1834)
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Luxembourg by Nicolas Liez (1870)
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The Luxembourg fortress before demolition in 1867
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St Michael's Church, once the castle chapel
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The "Hollow Tooth" tower with Saint Michael's Church in the background
References
- ^ a b Jean-Marie Kreins, "Histoire du Luxembourg", Presses universitaires de France, 1996.
- ^ Isabelle Yegles-Becker, "La naissance d'une ville", Onsstad.lu (in French) Retrieved 25 September 2010.
- ^ ISBN 3-88957-068-2.
- ^ John Allyne Gade, "Luxembourg in the Middle Ages", Luxembourg: E. J. Brill, 1951, 251 pp. Online access here
- ^ "Patrimoine religieux", ONT Luxembourg. (in French). Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ a b "Luxembourg" Archived 2015-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, Fortified Places. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
- ^ a b c "Le Bock", Service des sites et monuments nationaux. (in French) Retrieved 25 September 2010.
- ^ "The casemates UNESCO world heritage", Luxembourg: the city. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
- ^ "Luxembourg legends" Archived November 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Luxembourg Tourist Office in London. Retrieved 27 September 2010.