Luxemburg - ICOMOS World Report on Monuments and Sites in Danger 2002: Heritage @ Risk

Larochette - a Disappearing Ancient Town
The market town of Larochette is situated almost in the centre of the Grand-Duché in Luxemburg, bordering the 'Petite Suisse' that stretches further to the east. It is dominated by the vestiges of a fortified castle of which the most ancient parts date back to the Carolingian era. The first fortification, however, was created as early as the proto-historic age. The lords of Larochette were faithful vassals of the Luxemburg Counts. Towards 1565, a fire destroyed all the edifices of the castle, which was shared between many families. The castle was never rebuilt. Thereafter, it was used for a long time as an outdoor arena or a storeroom for the neighbouring houses. Since 1979, the vestiges of the site have been managed by the State, which undertakes reinforcement works and takes care of the necessary maintenance. The domain is accessible to the public.

The town lies in a narrow valley by the foot of the castle. As of 1400 it was protected by an enclosure consisting of two walls, allowing closure of both the north-western and south-eastern valleys, the other sides being protected by massive rock formations. Under the reign of Count Jean the Blind of Luxemburg, King of Bohemia (1296-1346), four looms were installed in the town. They were intended to facilitate a textile industry, which in fact stayed active into the 20th century.

The urban infrastructure of the market town has been well preserved up to now, at least in the 'intra muros' part. Due to its variety and its authenticity, it is of special interest for the whole of Luxemburg. Houses of day labourers, buildings of industrial and agricultural character, commercial buildings, houses of craftsmen and residences of representative character all mix and present a greatly harmonious sight. The slopes situated behind the houses have been converted into terraces and are used as gardens.

Even if few of the buildings are protected monuments, they have been well preserved because they remained lived-in. For that matter, the charm of the town resides especially in the assemblage of the buildings, even though only a few of them possess an exceptional character.

The House of Roebé

The monument that is by far the most interesting is the house of Roebé; it used to be situated near the inferior door of the city. Its origin probably dates back to the end of the 16th century, when the officers and the administrators working for the local lords had residences constructed that reflected their social rank. Little by little this group succeeded in acquiring parts of the lord's estate and to eclipse the old castle dwellers by living outside their domain. The actual aspect of the Roebé property dates roughly from 1725. It is made up of a manor with a tower at its side, agricultural buildings and gardens. The whole is enclosed by a high wall. When the Luxemburg State acquired the property in 1993, it was only used by its owners as a summer residence. By chance the owners had limited their interventions to the minimum necessary. Today, this circumstance permits us to admire the inside of the residence, the snail staircase constructed in 1600, the paving, the wooden floorboards, the ceilings in stucco, a monumental staircase from the 18th century, tiled floors and a neo-gothic chimney from the 19th century. Soon, the manor will house the headquarters of the rural district. The National Monuments and Sites Service, which has very strict standards, will undertake the restoration works: for example, there will be no lift and no drainage channel in the walls. The project will take into account the results of the numerous analyses concerning, for example, the paint layers inside as well as outside.

The annexes will house a day-home for elderly people and a centre for youth. Few concessions were necessary to permit the optimal use of this space situated in the heart of the town: floor heating, building of underground rooms in a terrace of the exterior garden to guarantee the lighting of the vaulted first floor, the clearing of a few openings.

However, on the whole, the domain will be preserved; its history will remain legible through the necessary adaptations.

1797 House

Thanks to the private initiative of a well-informed amateur, another house of exceptional character that is dated to 1797 by a chronogram, will be saved for another year. Originally an industrial residence, it became a hotel in the 19th century. Despite the transformations that were made over the years, the overall building is in a very satisfying state of preservation. Outside, ornamental vestiges even still remain, with red bricks in a trompe l'œil. Only one other example of the kind is known in Luxemburg. The first floor retains a beautiful room with remarkable inlaid floorboards and beautiful neo-classic doors. The wooden staircase develops from the first floor to the attic on an oval plan. The owner will restore the residence, which will be classified as a national monument, before being certain of its final destiny. The future function will have to necessarily adapt itself to the setting handed down by the past. Unfortunately, we are more often confronted with the opposite situation.

Threats

If the prestigious buildings are treated more readily with respect, it is not so for other objects that are just as interesting but less noticeable. The big houses and the more reduced units attached to one another are increasingly becoming the privileged hunting terrain for real-estate promoters. The first real disaster is already threatening. An important real-estate complex made up of several buildings is located in the middle of the town. Without a doubt, by far the most interesting element is a house where the gable with cut-off corners is on the street side. This type of house is rare in Luxemburg. The window framing of the second floor and a bay with a central post, today situated inside, indicate that this part dates from the 17th century. The building had been taken over and unified in the 19th century. The first floors housed commercial premises, while the other floors served as accommodation.

The structure is to be demolished and replaced by a building with an unsympathetic and inappropriate style and lacking character.

This heritage is not merely in jeopardy, it is condemned and it is disappearing. The case is, however, symptomatic. One has to hope that the operation undertaken at Larochette, in all legality and with all the necessary authorisations, does not repeat itself in the coming years. The consequence of this political aspect will be the ongoing disappearance of the ancient quarters in the small towns and the destruction of urban fabric.

The reasons for this evolution, even if they are easy to understand, are located on many levels. One of the principal causes, however, is to be found in the absence of regulations concerning the protected sectors. Certainly, the 1983 laws concerning the protection and preservation of National Sites and Monuments anticipate these reasons. The legal dispositions were never explicit, which renders them inappropriate. One is left to hope that the new law, currently being prepared, gives more chance for the protection of the whole heritage.