Thanks to the numerous urban projects initiated since the end of the steel industry era that gave it a long life, Dudelange has managed to reconvert. The city is welcoming a growing number of residents, who are attracted by the abundant educational, cultural and sports facilities.

With 21,087 inhabitants, Dudelange is the fourth most populated commune in the country, behind Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette and Differdange. Spreading over 21,379 km²It also has a high population density: 986 inhabitants per square metre, while the national average is 237. Dudelange is a cosmopolitan city with 107 different nationalities living side by side.

A community that is getting back on its feet

Located in the heart of the former Terres rouges mining basin, in the south of the country and on the French border, Dudelange has, for several decades, participated in the economic development of the country. As a major centre for iron ore mining and steelmaking, it has been home to thousands of workers in the metallurgical and steel industry.

At the end of the 1970s, when the decline of the steel industry in Luxembourg became evident, Dudelange had to rebuild itself. The municipal administration has been working on this task for several years. " We are working on various axes to reinforce the attractiveness and dynamism of the cityexplains Dan Biancalana, the mayor. We therefore attach great importance to the modernisation of our municipality, through the creation of housing, the development of quality public infrastructures, the renewal of trade in the city centre and the design of urban neighbourhoods. "

A new eco-neighbourhood within 15 years

One of the recent flagship projects is "Am Duerf". Around the square of the same name, located in the city's hyper-centre, new shops, (para)medical practices, around a hundred housing units and an underground car park with more than 180 spaces have been built. " The aim of this project, which is fully in line with the city's urban redevelopment, is to create a new and more attractive environment, was to create a pleasant and friendly living environment for the inhabitants and to revitalise trade in Dudelange "says the mayor.

In order to strengthen this dynamic in the city centre, the City of Dudelange has recently hired a city manager. " Its role is to implement a strategy to attract new businesses to our town, businesses that meet the primary needs of the inhabitants but also niche businesses that should enable us to differentiate ourselves, to bring added value to our town "Dan Biancalana continues.

Another major initiative that will keep the municipality busy over the next decade is the "NeiSchmelz" project, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Housing Fund. The aim of this brownfield project is to transform the 40 hectares formerly used by the Arbed Group's cold rolling mill into an eco-neighbourhood of 1000 CO₂. This will accommodate around 2,300 additional inhabitants and open up new employment prospects in the next 10-15 years. In addition to new housing, the future district will combine crafts, shops and services, start-ups, leisure and gastronomy.

Although there are many urban and construction projects in Dudelange, the city is careful to preserve its green spaces, such as the municipal parks Le'h and Émile Mayrisch or the large Haardt nature reserve.

Schools in every neighbourhood

In Dudelange, young and old alike benefit from a high quality infrastructure. Some 210 associations and numerous communal initiatives bring the community to life on a daily basis.

The youngest children are taught in basic schools located close to where they live. Each neighbourhood has its own school building, so as to keep travel within the city to a minimum and ensure a lively neighbourhood life. Secondary education is also provided in the state-run Nic-Biever High School. Outside of school hours, there are eight day-care centres for children. There are two communal crèches for toddlers: they can take care of 67 children from 3 months to 4 years old. The youth centre offers activities for adolescents aged 12 to 18 throughout the year.

In terms of leisure activities, the regional music school offers musical, instrumental and vocal training for adults and children. The City of Dudelange also organises computer and language courses. Senior citizens are not forgotten either, as various non-profit organisations offer them a variety of activities: sports, creative workshops, walks, guided tours, theatres, etc.

Culture and sport on the programme

Dudelange is a cultural city with a regional public library, an exhibition centre and contemporary art centres. The "Op der schmelz" cultural centre hosts events of all kinds and caters for a diverse public. " Culture is one of the important pillars of our municipality, and has been since the 1980s. Every year, 10 % of the municipal budget is invested in culture "says the mayor.

There are also many possibilities in the field of sport. And the infrastructure is state-of-the-art. The new René Hartmann sports centre, inaugurated in November 2015, includes a swimming pool, a handball hall, a basketball hall, a fitness room, a climbing wall, a multipurpose hall, an indoor athletics track and a dojo for martial arts. The schools also have their own gymnasium. Children's playgrounds throughout the city, an outdoor swimming pool, a bowling alley and four stadiums for football, American football, baseball and track and field complete the sports infrastructure in the area.

Numerous employment opportunities

Dudelange is an important city in the country and is also home to many companies and offers various employment opportunities. " On the outskirts of the city, there are various areas where large companies and industries are located. Husky or John Zink, for example, have been present for several years "says Dan Biancalana. " It is often forgotten, but the new CFL multimodal terminal is also partly located on the territory of Dudelange "he adds.

Dudelange is also home to the Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (IBBL), a bio-bank specialising in supporting biomedical research. Not to mention the city's Innovation Hub. Located in the last administrative headquarters of ArcelorMittal, it supports start-ups active in eco-technologies, capable of putting their skills at the service of the development of the "NeiSchmelz" eco-district project.

Soft mobility encouraged

In order to offer its inhabitants mobility solutions adapted to their needs, Dudelange relies on a network of five bus lines that serve the entire city, as well as on interregional lines that reach Esch-sur-Alzette, Esch-Belval, Bettembourg or the Kirchberg. The four CFL stops in the municipality, which are directly connected to Bettembourg station, are also easy to reach by train across the country. From there, travellers can easily continue their journey to Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, MerschEttelbruck.

With regard to soft mobility, Dudelange is also currently working on the "shared space" project, which aims to make different modes of transport cohabit and facilitate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists. "In general, the demographic and economic development that we are experiencing in the country is causing traffic problems. Mobility is therefore a major issue for us, as a municipality, to consider "concludes Dan Biancalana.