Esch-sur-Alzette in southwestern Luxembourg, has evolved over the past two centuries from a rural town into the country’s second-largest city. With around 38,000 residents, Esch’s population is projected to exceed 50,000 in the next few years thanks to the rapid development of new districts.
Once the heart of Luxembourg’s thriving steel industry, Esch is reinventing itself as a vibrant hub for innovation, research and culture.
“We are in the middle of developing our innovation hub. We are fortunate to host the University of Luxembourg here in Esch. We have some of the most important research centers here and are working on becoming a city of ideas and innovation,” said Mayor Christian Weis.
Because of its rich history, wealth of modernist 20th-century architecture and culturally diverse population, Esch was designated by the European Union a European Capital of Culture in 2022, a designation that reignited pride and creativity among its residents.
Weis, the city’s youngest mayor in a century, has long-term plans to boost Esch’s investment potential and make the city a model of interconnectedness in Europe.
“Together with the Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Health, we are developing an area dedicated to health-related production and education. We also want to find companies and research centers interested in filling a gap in this area,” he said.
“We have that European DNA because Luxembourg knows history and has always managed to get along with the large countries around us. Being a bridge-builder between cities has always been important to us,” he explained.
