Luxembourg - Castle Bridge

 

Stamp Issue : 1963-04-13 

Castle Bridge in Luxembourg was built in 1735 and totally restored in 1992/93. It's a red stone archway, that links the Count Siegfoi's 10th century castle to the old town. It can be found near the Bock casemates.
In 1735 the Austrians replaced the drawbridge, that was until then the only access to the city from the north, by this stone bridge. At that time, the fortress had already reached almost it's full extension, making it one of the strongest fortresses in the world, which is why it was called "Gibraltar of the North". Architects like Vauban, the chief architect of the French King Louis XIV, as well as various Spanish and Austrians reenforced the fortress successively in order to adapt it to the ever evolving weapon technology.