National Day of Luxembourg 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

National Day of Luxembourg is observed annually on June 23 to commemorate the official birthdate of Luxembourg’s monarch. Did you know that Luxembourg was once a part of the Roman Empire and produced a number of Holy Roman Emperors? National Day of Luxembourg is typically a day of celebration in Luxembourg City. The celebration begins on June 22 with the changing of the guard at the Grand-Ducal palace, followed by a procession with torches, open-air concerts, and pyrotechnics. Luxembourg’s National Day begins with an official ceremony, a gun salute, a military procession, and the traditional Te Deum at Notre Dame Cathedral.

The background of National Day of Luxembourg

Two Gallic communities, the Treveri and Mediomatrici, first settled in what is now Luxembourg around 450 B.C. The Treveri reached their zenith of prosperity in the first century B.C., when they constructed multiple Iron Age fortified sites near modern-day Luxembourg, France, and Germany. Julius Caesar seized the entire nation in 53 B.C., and it was subsequently incorporated into Roman Gallia Celtica and then Gallia Belgica by 90 B.C. Invading Luxembourg in the fifth century, the Franks ended Roman rule by 406 A.D. St. Willibrord was the driving force behind the region’s Christianization, and he subsequently founded the prominent Benedictine abbey of Echternach. Between the years 480 and 855, Luxembourg changed hands several times before succumbing to the Holy Roman Empire’s Upper Lorraine Duchy in 959.

In 963, Siegfried I, count of Ardennes, exchanged a portion of his estates for a strategically positioned fort known as ‘Lucilinburhuc’ (little castle). The castle is said to have inspired the moniker Luxembourg. The descendants of Siegfried grew the territory through marriage, conquest, and alliances. Several Holy Roman emperors, kings of Bohemia, and archbishops of Trier and Mainz were descended from this lineage. In 1477, the duchy of Luxembourg was ceded to the Habsburgs, and between 1555 and 1556, to the Spanish Habsburgs. In 1697, Louis XIV returned the city of Luxembourg to Spain after completing its conquest in 1684. The city became French again in 1795 and remained so until Napoleon’s defeat in 1814. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the allied powers elevated Luxembourg to the rank of grand duchy and transferred it to William I, prince of Orange-Nassau and monarch of the Netherlands.

The Grand Duke’s birthday was celebrated on April 24 during the reign of William I, although his actual birthday was August 24. Under William II (1840-1849), his actual birthday was December 6. During the reign of William III, the holiday was observed on June 17 and then February 19 between 1849 and 1890. In 1947, following World War II, the festival became a national holiday. By Grand-Ducal decree on December 23, 1961, the day was ultimately set to June 23. It was feared that inclement weather would ruin the actual January birthday celebrations of the then-reigning Grand Duchess Charlotte and her heir apparent.

NATIONAL DAY OF LUXEMBOURG ACTIVITIES

Attend the festivities in Luxembourg

On Luxembourg’s National Day, numerous events are conducted throughout the country. If you’re in Luxembourg at the right moment, you can sing “Te Deum” in one of the country’s churches and enjoy the street music on Place d’Armes. If you have concerns about the day’s schedule, you can consult your commune.

Send your warmest regards

Those who are unable to be in Luxembourg during the celebration can revel with Luxembourgers online. Send your warmest greetings via social media.

Analyse of European royal dynasties

Almost every sovereign family is connected to another. The royal family of Luxembourg-Nassau is related to the royal families of the United Kingdom and Germany, who are related to the royal families of Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Monaco. All of them share a common ancestor. This National Day of Luxembourg can be used to research this ancestral line from its inception to the present. We wager that this research will be an enjoyable endeavour replete with unexpected findings.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LUXEMBOURG

The official languages of Luxembourg are French, German, and Luxembourgish.

The use of public conveyance in Luxembourg is free of charge.

The minimum wage in Luxembourg is 2,141.99 euros per month.

Brussels, Strasbourg, and Luxembourg City are the three official capitals of the European Union.

Luxembourg is the second greatest investment fund centre in the world, after the United States.

NATIONAL DAY OF LUXEMBOURG DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	June 23	Friday
2024	June 23	Sunday
2025	June 23	Monday
2026	June 23	Tuesday
2027	June 23	Wednesday