Echternach

Echternach (Luxembourgish: Iechternach) is a commune in eastern Luxembourg, capital of the Echternach canton. It is the oldest town with city rights in Luxembourg.

Echternach
Iechternach
Looking east across Echternach.
Looking east across Echternach.
Coat of arms of Echternach
Coat of arms
Map showing, in orange, the Echternach commune
Map showing, in orange, the Echternach commune
Coordinates: 49°48′42″N 6°25′18″E
Country Luxembourg
CantonEchternach
CommuneEchternach
Government
 • MayorYves Wengler
Area
[1]
 • Total20.5 km2 (7.9 sq mi)
Highest elevation
393 m (1,289 ft)
Lowest elevation
154 m (505 ft)
Population
 (2017)[2]
 • Total5,530
 • Density270/km2 (700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
LAU2LU00006005
WebsiteOfficial website

History
Basilica of Echternach

The town grew around the walls of the Abbey of Echternach, which was founded in 698 by St. Willibrord, an English monk from Ripon, Northumbria (in present-day North Yorkshire, England), who became the first bishop of Utrecht and worked to Christianize the Frisians.

The abbey were closed during the French revolution in 1797. Echternach was given city rights in the year 1236.

Geography

Echternach is in the east of the country near the border with Germany, on the banks of the Saar River.

The commune has an area of 20.5 km2 (7.9 sq mi).[1] The altitude is 154–393 m (505–1,289 ft) high. At the city hall, the altitude is 230 m (750 ft) high.[3]

Echternach is surrounded by four communes of Luxembourg: Rosport to the east and south, Bech to the southwest, and Berdorf and Consdorf to the west. To the north, the commune borders the Echternacherbrück municipality of the Bitburg-Prüm district in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate; and to the northwest the Bollendorf municipality, also in the Bitburg-Prüm district of the Rhineland-Palatinate.

Population

There were 5,530 persons living in the commune in 2017,[2] for a population density of 269.8 inhabitants/km².

Evolution of the population in Echternach

  • Roman villa
    Roman villa
  • Justice cross
    Justice cross
  • Town hall
    Town hall
  • Downtown Echternach
    Downtown Echternach

References
  1. "Surface area of the cantons and municipalities". Statistics Portal - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  2. "Population by canton and municipality 1821 - 2017". Statistics Portal - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  3. "Altitudes of the different localities per cantons (in m)". Statistics Portal - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Retrieved 10 June 2016.

Other websites
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echternach.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide about: Echternach
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