Mamer
Encyclopedia
Mamer is a commune
and town in south-western Luxembourg
. It is located 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Luxembourg City. The commune includes the town of Mamer, and also the smaller communities of Capellen
and Holzem
. Mamer is situated on the river Mamer, a tributary of the Alzette
. The A6 motorway
from Luxembourg to Brussels
, also designated European route E25
, runs through Mamer.
, the town of Mamer, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 5,047. The town is the thirteenth-largest in Luxembourg. The commune as a whole is the fourteenth-most populous in the country.
The Treveri
, a Gallic
or Celtic tribe, inhabited the region for several hundred years until they were conquered by Julius Caesar
in 54 BC. A Celtic necropolis
from the 1st century was discovered in the early 1970s on the Juckelsboesch plateau between Mamer and Kehlen
. A beautiful dark blue glass bowl was among the offerings found in the tombs.
During the Gallo-Roman era which lasted until about 450, the Romans
built and maintained a number of roads
in the area including the Kiem (Latin caminus, road) linking Trier
to Reims
through what is now Mamer. Mambra was a Roman vicus
centred around a villa with thermal baths, sited on the banks of the Mamer River
at the eastern end of today's Mamer. The Roman settlement was burnt by Germanic
invaders around 276.
The oldest historical reference to Mamer is to be found in a document which records how, on 8 April 960, Lutgardis, daughter of Wigeric, Count Palatine, made a gift of the hamlet of Mambra to Saint Maximin
's Abbey in Trier
for the benefit of the monks. http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/egisheim_grafen_von/eberhard_3_graf_im_elsaessischen_nordgau_967/legl_frank_dagsburg_egisheim_24-27.html
Nicolaus Mameranus
was born in Mamer in 1500. A soldier and historian under Charles V
, he succeeded in having the Emperor pay for the restoration of the village of Mamer after the Duke of Orléans' troops pillaged it in 1543. In 1555, he was appointed poet laureate.
The road linking Luxembourg City to Brussels
, passing through Mamer, was built in 1790. In 1859, the railway to Brussels was opened, with a station in Mamer.
The inhabitants of Mamer suffered under the First
and Second
World Wars, although the town itself escaped bombing. The Voie de la Liberté commemorating the victorious route of the Allies
after the D-Day
landings passes through Mamer which was liberated on 10 September 1944.
Since 1945, Mamer has prospered year-by-year as a result of its location close to Luxembourg City and its excellent road and rail connections. In 2003, the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
was opened, as was the Mamer Lycée railway station
, which serves it.
for those working in the international institutions and financial services in and around Luxembourg City.
, with offices at Mamer Castle
, consists of 13 members: 6 from the Christian Social People's Party
(currently Luxembourg's leading party), 3 Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
, 2 Democratic Party
, and 2 The Greens
. The mayor, Gilles Roth (CSV), in his second term since October 2005, is a lawyer and counsellor at the Ministry of Finance. Since April 2006, he has been chairman of the CSV's communal councils committee. A native of Mamer, he is married with one child.
Only 7 km west of Luxembourg City, Mamer enjoys a pleasant semi-rural setting in Luxembourg's Gutland
, where the undulating surroundings are ideal for cattle farming, crops and forestry. The centre of the original village is to the south of the N6 (Route d'Arlon) from Luxembourg City to Arlon. This is where the church, town hall, and most of the shops are located. Several restaurants are located along the Route d'Arlon itself. The extensive Belle Etoile shopping centre is 2 km to the east. Most of the recent housing developments have been to the north, between the N6 and the E25 motorway, particularly in the Cité Mameranus area. There have also been commercial developments to the west close to the Mamer motorway exit.
Since 2000, Mamer has seen the opening of a high school
, the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
; a new train station, Mamer Lycée
; an old people's home; and a new local administrative centre in Mamer Castle
. In addition, the Kinneksbond, a large primary school and pre-school complex, opened in 2007. Adjacent to the school buildings, the ultra-modern Kinneksbond cultural centre
opened in October 2010. A second European School
for Luxembourg is now being built in the area.
s: Mamer
, Mamer Lycée
, and Capellen
. All three are located on Line 50, which connects Luxembourg City to the west of the country. From Mamer, there are regular train services to Luxembourg City (to the east) and Kleinbettingen
and Arlon (to the west).
In addition to a frequent bus service to Luxembourg and Kirchberg
(European Institutions and financial centre), long-distance routes connect Mamer to Arlon, Clemency, Septfontaines
, Keispelt
, Steinfort
, Redange
and Eischen
. Mamer also has a variety of school-bus routes serving both the Luxembourg schools and the European School
.
Mamer also has a large park on either side of the river, a sports centre, a football stadium and several children's playing grounds.
Apart from services in different languages at the parish church, Luxembourg's Islamic Cultural Centre, together with its mosque, offers a variety of educational and religious services.
, with teams for both men and women, has been increasingly successful in recent years. There are also facilities for cyclists in the area including a signposted route and, once a year, a traffic-free day for cyclists between Mamer and Mersch
. There are also a number of village fetes and festivals, usually centred on the square outside the church. Even in the winter, there is a Christmas market in mid-December and the traditional burgbrennen evening celebrating the end of winter with an enormous bonfire.
and data protection http://www.comsys.lu, a branch of the huge GlaxoSmithKline
pharmaceuticals company as well as a private investment bank and some smaller financial institutions and consultants. In addition, the commercial development area between Mamer and Capellen has attracted a number of sophisticated stores and a substantial amount of new office space.
The summer evenings in Mamer are particularly pleasant, often with temperatures of around 25 C until 11 pm. Very occasionally there are short periods of drought but the vegetation seldom loses its rich green for very long.
Daylight extends from about 5 am to 10:30 pm in June and from 8 am to 4:30 pm in December.
(1500–1567), soldier and historian under Emperor Charles V.http://www.land.lu/html/dossiers/dossier_luxemburgensia/mameranus_241100.html
Nicolas Frantz
(1889–1985), cyclist, who won the Tour de France
in 1927 and 1928.
Josy Barthel
(1927–1992), athlete, who won the 1500 m gold medal at the 1952 Olympics
in Helsinki
.
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-western 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 located 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Luxembourg City. The commune includes the town of Mamer, and also the smaller communities of Capellen
Capellen
Capellen is a town in the commune of Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg, 12 km west of Luxembourg City. , the town has a population of 1,336...
and Holzem
Holzem
Holzem is a small town in the commune of Mamer, in southwestern Luxembourg. , it has a population of 581 of which 406 are Luxembourgers. Holzem still has a distinctly rural atmosphere but in recent years a number of small companies have been established there....
. Mamer is situated on the river Mamer, a tributary of the Alzette
Alzette
The Alzette is a river with a length of 73 kilometers in France and Luxembourg. It is a right tributary of the Sauer.It rises in Thil near the town Villerupt in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département, France. It crosses the border with Luxembourg after a few kilometres. In Lameschmillen it is joined...
. The A6 motorway
A6 road (Luxembourg)
The Autoroute 6, abbreviated to A6 or otherwise known as the Arlon motorway , is a motorway in southern and western Luxembourg. It is long and connects Luxembourg City, in the south, to Kleinbettingen, in the west...
from Luxembourg to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, also designated European route E25
European route E25
European route E 25 is a north-south European route from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands to Palermo in Italy which includes ferry crossings from Genoa to Bastia , from Bonifacio to Porto Torres and from Cagliari to Palermo .It passes through the following cities:Hoek van Holland –...
, runs through Mamer.
, the town of Mamer, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 5,047. The town is the thirteenth-largest in Luxembourg. The commune as a whole is the fourteenth-most populous in the country.
History
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
, a Gallic
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
or Celtic tribe, inhabited the region for several hundred years until they were conquered by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
in 54 BC. A Celtic necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
from the 1st century was discovered in the early 1970s on the Juckelsboesch plateau between Mamer and Kehlen
Kehlen
Kehlen is a commune and town in western Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Capellen, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Kehlen, which lies in the centre of the commune, has a population of 1,627. Other towns within the commune include Dondelange, Keispelt, Meispelt,...
. A beautiful dark blue glass bowl was among the offerings found in the tombs.
During the Gallo-Roman era which lasted until about 450, the Romans
Ancient 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....
built and maintained a number of roads
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
in the area including the Kiem (Latin caminus, road) linking 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....
to Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
through what is now Mamer. Mambra was a Roman vicus
Vicus (Rome)
In ancient Rome, the vicus was a neighborhood. During the Republican era, the four regiones of the city of Rome were subdivided into vici. In the 1st century BC, Augustus reorganized the city for administrative purposes into 14 regions, comprising 265 vici. Each vicus had its own board of...
centred around a villa with thermal baths, sited on the banks of the Mamer River
Mamer River
The Mamer is a river flowing through Luxembourg, joining the Alzette at Mersch. It flows through the towns of Mamer and Kopstal. The river is a tributary to the Moselle river....
at the eastern end of today's Mamer. The Roman settlement was burnt by Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
invaders around 276.
Maximin of Trier
Saint Maximin was the fifth bishop of Trier, according to the list provided by the diocese's website, taking his seat in 341/342...
's Abbey in Trier
St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier
St. Maximin's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Trier in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-History:The abbey, traditionally considered one of the oldest monasteries in western Europe, was held to have been founded by Saint Maximin of Trier in the 4th century. Maximin St. Maximin's Abbey was a...
for the benefit of the monks. http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/egisheim_grafen_von/eberhard_3_graf_im_elsaessischen_nordgau_967/legl_frank_dagsburg_egisheim_24-27.html
Nicolaus Mameranus
Nicolaus Mameranus
Nicolaus Mameranus was a Luxembourgian soldier and historian under Charles V, for whom he travelled widely, recording faithfully the composition of foreign courts and the customs of foreign countries. All his writings are in Latin...
was born in Mamer in 1500. A soldier and historian under Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, he succeeded in having the Emperor pay for the restoration of the village of Mamer after the Duke of Orléans' troops pillaged it in 1543. In 1555, he was appointed poet laureate.
The road linking Luxembourg City to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, passing through Mamer, was built in 1790. In 1859, the railway to Brussels was opened, with a station in Mamer.
The inhabitants of Mamer suffered under the First
German occupation of Luxembourg in World War I
The German occupation of Luxembourg in World War I was the first of two military occupations of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by Germany in the twentieth century. From August 1914 until the end of World War I in November 1918, Luxembourg was under full occupation by the German Empire...
and Second
German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II
The German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II was the period in the history of Luxembourg after it was used as a transit territory to attack France by outflanking the Maginot Line. Plans for the attack had been prepared by 9 October 1939, but execution was postponed several times...
World Wars, although the town itself escaped bombing. The Voie de la Liberté commemorating the victorious route of the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
after the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings passes through Mamer which was liberated on 10 September 1944.
Since 1945, Mamer has prospered year-by-year as a result of its location close to Luxembourg City and its excellent road and rail connections. In 2003, the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
Lycée Josy Barthel , abbreviated to LJBM, is a high school in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It was opened in September 2003, and cost €67.4m to build. It comprises 60 classrooms and 16 workshops, and has a capacity of 1,300 students...
was opened, as was the Mamer Lycée railway station
Mamer Lycée railway station
Mamer Lycée railway station is a railway station in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is named after the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel, which it was built to serve...
, which serves it.
Demographics
The population of Mamer has almost doubled over the past 30 years, reaching 5,047 in 2005. Some 46% are foreigners, representing over 60 countries, with significant numbers from Portugal (560), France (478), Belgium (456), Denmark (225), and Germany (214).http://www.mamer.lu/ This can be ascribed to Mamer's development as a commuter townCommuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for those working in the international institutions and financial services in and around Luxembourg City.
Local administration
The communal councilMamer communal council
Mamer communal council is the local council for the commune of Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg.It consists of thirteen members, elected every six years by proportional representation. The last elections were held on 9 October 2005, and resulted in a victory for the Christian Social People's...
, with offices at Mamer Castle
Mamer Castle
Mamer Castle is the town hall for the commune of Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is the home of the communal council, the site of local government offices, and the centre of administration for communal services....
, consists of 13 members: 6 from the Christian Social People's Party
Christian Social People's Party
The Christian Social People's Party , abbreviated to CSV or PCS, is the largest political party in Luxembourg. The party follows a Christian Democratic and conservative ideology and, like most parties in Luxembourg, it is strongly pro-European...
(currently Luxembourg's leading party), 3 Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party , abbreviated to LSAP or POSL, is a social democratic political party in Luxembourg.The LSAP is the second-largest party in the Chamber of Deputies, having won 13 of 60 seats at the 2009 election, and has one seat in the European Parliament...
, 2 Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Luxembourg)
The Democratic Party , abbreviated to DP, is the major liberal political party in Luxembourg. One of the three major parties, the DP sits on the centre-right, holding moderate market liberal views combined with a strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights, and internationalism.Founded in...
, and 2 The Greens
The Greens (Luxembourg)
The Greens is a Luxembourgian green political party.-1983-1993:The Greens were originally founded in 23 June 1983. In the 1984 election, the party got two seats in the Chamber of Deputies. In 1985, however the party split between two parties one called 'GLEI' and the other called 'GAP'...
. The mayor, Gilles Roth (CSV), in his second term since October 2005, is a lawyer and counsellor at the Ministry of Finance. Since April 2006, he has been chairman of the CSV's communal councils committee. A native of Mamer, he is married with one child.
Coat of arms
The communal coat of arms (top right-hand box) consists of a temple on a blue background with four golden columns which is headed by a blue wheel between two hooks. The colours are based on the arms of the Mersch-Rodemacks who were once lords of Mamer. The temple depicts Mamer's long history and its recently discovered Roman vestiges. The wheel stems from the arms of the Mameranus family while the two hooks are reminiscent of the crest of the Mamer family.Mamer today
Gutland (Luxembourg)
Gutland is a region covering the southern and central parts of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Gutland covers 68% of the territory of Luxembourg; to the north of Gutland lies the Oesling, which covers the remaining 32% of the Grand Duchy....
, where the undulating surroundings are ideal for cattle farming, crops and forestry. The centre of the original village is to the south of the N6 (Route d'Arlon) from Luxembourg City to Arlon. This is where the church, town hall, and most of the shops are located. Several restaurants are located along the Route d'Arlon itself. The extensive Belle Etoile shopping centre is 2 km to the east. Most of the recent housing developments have been to the north, between the N6 and the E25 motorway, particularly in the Cité Mameranus area. There have also been commercial developments to the west close to the Mamer motorway exit.
Since 2000, Mamer has seen the opening of a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
Lycée Technique Josy Barthel
Lycée Josy Barthel , abbreviated to LJBM, is a high school in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It was opened in September 2003, and cost €67.4m to build. It comprises 60 classrooms and 16 workshops, and has a capacity of 1,300 students...
; a new train station, Mamer Lycée
Mamer Lycée railway station
Mamer Lycée railway station is a railway station in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is named after the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel, which it was built to serve...
; an old people's home; and a new local administrative centre in Mamer Castle
Mamer Castle
Mamer Castle is the town hall for the commune of Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is the home of the communal council, the site of local government offices, and the centre of administration for communal services....
. In addition, the Kinneksbond, a large primary school and pre-school complex, opened in 2007. Adjacent to the school buildings, the ultra-modern Kinneksbond cultural centre
Kinneksbond
Kinneksbond is a cultural centre in Mamer in southern Luxembourg. Opened in October 2010, it houses a 480-seat auditorium with a stage and orchestra pit suitable for concerts, drama performances and shows...
opened in October 2010. A second European School
European School
The European Schools are co-educational schools providing nursery, primary and secondary. They are established to provide free education for children of personnel of the European Institutions and leading to the European Baccalaureate. Other children may be admitted subject to the availability of...
for Luxembourg is now being built in the area.
Public transport
The commune boasts three train stationTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
s: Mamer
Mamer railway station
Mamer railway station is a railway station serving Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is operated by Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois, the state-owned railway company....
, Mamer Lycée
Mamer Lycée railway station
Mamer Lycée railway station is a railway station in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is named after the Lycée Technique Josy Barthel, which it was built to serve...
, and Capellen
Capellen railway station
Capellen railway station is a railway station serving Capellen, in the commune of Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It is operated by Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois, the state-owned railway company....
. All three are located on Line 50, which connects Luxembourg City to the west of the country. From Mamer, there are regular train services to Luxembourg City (to the east) and Kleinbettingen
Kleinbettingen
Kleinbettingen is a small town in the commune of Steinfort, in western Luxembourg. As of 2005, the town has a population of 855....
and Arlon (to the west).
In addition to a frequent bus service to Luxembourg and Kirchberg
Kirchberg, Luxembourg
Kirchberg or the Kirchberg is a quarter in north-eastern Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It consists of a plateau situated to the north-east of the city centre, Ville Haute....
(European Institutions and financial centre), long-distance routes connect Mamer to Arlon, Clemency, Septfontaines
Septfontaines
Septfontaines is a commune and small town in western Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Capellen, which is part of the district of Luxembourg. , the town of Septfontaines, which lies in the centre of the commune, has a population of 356...
, Keispelt
Keispelt
Keispelt is a small town in the commune of Kehlen, in central Luxembourg. , the town has a population of 555....
, Steinfort
Steinfort
Steinfort is a commune and town in western Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Capellen, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Steinfort, which lies in the north of the commune, has a population of 2,184. Other towns within the commune include Hagen and Kleinbettingen....
, Redange
Redange
Redange or Redange-sur-Attert is a commune and town in western Luxembourg, near the border with Belgium. It is the capital of the canton of Redange. Redange is situated on the river Attert, a tributary of the Alzette....
and Eischen
Eischen
Eischen is the largest town in the commune of Hobscheid in south-western Luxembourg, and its administrative centre. As of 2005, the town has a population of 1,532.-Name:...
. Mamer also has a variety of school-bus routes serving both the Luxembourg schools and the European School
European School, Luxembourg I
The European School of Luxembourg was the first of the European Schools. It was founded in October 1953 on the initiative of officials of the European Coal and Steel Community, with the support of the Community's institutions and the government of Luxembourg. In April 1957, it formally became the...
.
Facilities and services
In recent years, Mamer has seen the development of a wide range of services including an Ambulance and Fire Station, primary and secondary schools, a post office, a pharmacy, banks, garages, restaurants and an inn. Shopping facilities in the vicinity are excellent (large supermarkets within a couple of minutes' drive) while Mamer itself has a number of smaller shops offering day-to-day produce. Doctors, dentists, opticians and vets can be found in Mamer and its surroundings. There is an open market on the first and third Friday of the month from 4 to 7 p.m.Mamer also has a large park on either side of the river, a sports centre, a football stadium and several children's playing grounds.
Leisure and sports
Mamer has an active brass band, a stamp-collectors' club and a photo club. Its football club, FC Mamer 32FC Mamer 32
FC Mamer 32 is a football club, based in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg.-History:FC Mamer was founded in 1932. The club plied its trade in the lower leagues of Luxembourgish football for most of its first sixty years, and only reached the third tier briefly in the 1970s, before relegation again...
, with teams for both men and women, has been increasingly successful in recent years. There are also facilities for cyclists in the area including a signposted route and, once a year, a traffic-free day for cyclists between Mamer and Mersch
Mersch
Mersch is a commune and town in central Luxembourg, capital of the canton of Mersch. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Alzette, Mamer and Eisch., the town of Mersch, which lies in the centre of the commune, has a population of 3,345...
. There are also a number of village fetes and festivals, usually centred on the square outside the church. Even in the winter, there is a Christmas market in mid-December and the traditional burgbrennen evening celebrating the end of winter with an enormous bonfire.
Standard of living
Luxembourg is at or near the top of world rankings for GDP per capita and for quality of life. As a result, living standards are high throughout the country, especially in residential areas around Luxembourg City, including Mamer itself. Private houses, many fully detached, usually have sizeable gardens, garages and cellars. There are also a few apartment buildings and houses for rent. Costs of accommodation are high as a result of increasing demand but are offset by low municipal taxes and Luxembourg's low sales tax, particularly on fuel. Cable television is provided throughout the commune and includes stations broadcasting in languages other than the local French, German and Luxembourgish. A very wide range of TV programmes can be accessed via satellite including English-language BBC and SKY channel. Broadband or cable-based internet access is widely available. There are excellent facilities for garbage collection and recycling.Economy
Although Mamer has developed mainly as a residential area, it has also experienced substantial progress in industry and commerce. Its most successful private company, Ceratizit (formerly Cerametal), now with some 950 employees, has become a world player in hard materials for wear protection and cutting tools. There are also a number of construction companies in the area, a laundry, a company specializing in computer storageComputer storage
Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
and data protection http://www.comsys.lu, a branch of the huge GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
pharmaceuticals company as well as a private investment bank and some smaller financial institutions and consultants. In addition, the commercial development area between Mamer and Capellen has attracted a number of sophisticated stores and a substantial amount of new office space.
Climate
Like Luxembourg City, Mamer (altitude 310 m) has a temperate climate with warm summers (average day temperature around 24 C, on occasion as high as 35 C) and chilly winters (daytime average 5 C but sometimes as low as -15 C at night). Rainfall is moderate, but on average it rains less than 10 days per month. The prevailing wind is south-westerly. Unlike many communities in Luxembourg, Mamer does not suffer from flooding but is occasionally hit by gales, hail storms and freezing rain. There is often a little snow in the winter but it does not usually cause inconvenience as salting and snow-clearing facilities are well coordinated.The summer evenings in Mamer are particularly pleasant, often with temperatures of around 25 C until 11 pm. Very occasionally there are short periods of drought but the vegetation seldom loses its rich green for very long.
Daylight extends from about 5 am to 10:30 pm in June and from 8 am to 4:30 pm in December.
Wildlife
A wide variety of wild animals and birds have been observed in the area. The ones you might see when rambling around the countryside are wild boar, deer, foxes, hares and rabbits. The birds in your garden will include sparrows, swallows, starlings, crows, rooks, magpies, pigeons, finches and robins and you may be lucky enough to see flocks of migrating wild geese flying by. In the forest, you will hear - and sometimes see - owls and woodpeckers. Some species have suffered from hunting in recent years but there are now considerable efforts to protect flora and fauna. An area of the commune's forest is now a nature reserve.Places of interest
- Roman baths, discovered on the north bank of the River Mamer in 1973.
- Mamer Castle http://www.mamer.lu/, 1830, which was recently fully restored and now serves as the town hall or Administration Communale.
- Church of John the Baptist (1723) with a history dating back to the 10th century.
- Mamer River Valley with paths for walkers, riders and cyclists through its hilly wooded surroundings.
- Lycée Technique Josy BarthelLycée Technique Josy BarthelLycée Josy Barthel , abbreviated to LJBM, is a high school in Mamer, in south-western Luxembourg. It was opened in September 2003, and cost €67.4m to build. It comprises 60 classrooms and 16 workshops, and has a capacity of 1,300 students...
http://www.ltjbm.lu/information.php, a secondary school which opened in 2003.
Famous people
Nicolaus MameranusNicolaus Mameranus
Nicolaus Mameranus was a Luxembourgian soldier and historian under Charles V, for whom he travelled widely, recording faithfully the composition of foreign courts and the customs of foreign countries. All his writings are in Latin...
(1500–1567), soldier and historian under Emperor Charles V.http://www.land.lu/html/dossiers/dossier_luxemburgensia/mameranus_241100.html
Nicolas Frantz
Nicolas Frantz
Nicolas Frantz , born in Mamer, Luxembourg, was a bicycle racer with 60 professional racing victories over his 12-year career . He rode for the Thomann team in 1923 and then for Alcyon-Dunlop from 1924 to 1931. He won the Tour de France in 1927 and 1928.Nicolas Frantz was the son of a prosperous...
(1889–1985), cyclist, who won the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
in 1927 and 1928.
Josy Barthel
Josy Barthel
Joseph Barthel was a Luxembourgish athlete. He was the surprise winner of the Men's 1500 metres at the 1952 Summer Olympics, and the only athlete from Luxembourg to have won a gold medal at the Olympics...
(1927–1992), athlete, who won the 1500 m gold medal at the 1952 Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.