Vianden is one of Luxembourg's key tourist attractions, and the rocky formations dotted around the town and beneath the castle add to its picturesque charms. But while the rocks may look good in photos, they have begun to pose a safety risk, as pieces have begun to detach and fall to the ground.
In the town centre, the bus stop by the bridge on Rue du vieux marché has been closed since last year due to falling rocks, with a temporary stop moved several hundred metres down the road. During the 2021 floods, the covered terrace of the restaurant nearby was closed for the same reason. Authorities installed anchors on the rock, but as these are not sufficient to prevent further rocks from falling, regular cleaning operations are carried out as well. A specialist company visits once a month to check additional measuring points, explains mayor François Weyrich:
"If it was more dramatic, they would come to check more frequently, but it's relatively calm. However, we've noticed increasingly large pieces falling, not huge blocks but rocks of 200g to about 2 kilos, so something must be done."
This could also affect the nearby restaurant.
"It could be that we'd say from one day to the next, sorry, it's too dangerous, the terrace must be closed. We are trying to find a solution, it's a restaurant, it's always busy, we need to ensure they can run their business."
After long discussions with the National Institute for Architectural Heritage – the rocks are considered cultural heritage – the council hopes it has found a solution. The 1,700 square metre rock is to be stabilised with a net. Weyrich admits he resisted this option for some time due to the aesthetic aspect.
"People take so many photos there, with the bridge, the rock, the bell tower and the castle. We looked at different possibilities, such as putting a concrete cover down that people could stand under, but we'd still need netting to prevent larger rocks from falling and breaking the concrete. So, ultimately, the net is the only answer."
If all runs according to plan, the netting will be installed this winter, outside of the tourist season. It could take two to three years to complete the work and the project is expected to cost 2.8 million euros. In the past, a small pathway passed through the rock, so there are some dry walls standing within, but this is not likely to represent a problem.
"We discussed it with the INPA, the walls can be categorised and removed, they don't need to be rebuilt. But it's also possible we could keep them enclosed within the netting. These are all details that need to be looked at."
As the netting will also secure the Hockelstour bell tower, which is classified as a monument of national heritage, the municipality could receive a subsidy. But it is not yet known how much that would be.
