Known as the "Martyrdom City" after the Second World War, Wiltz has undergone a major revival in recent years. Designated as a "Hotspot" for the development of the circular economy in the Grand Duchy, the municipality has all the amenities and infrastructures necessary for daily life, while offering an ideal living environment.

Nestled in the heart of the Luxembourg Ardennes in the north of the country, the municipality of Wiltz is now home to 7,100 inhabitants representing some 95 nationalities, compared to less than 5,000 twenty years ago.

The increase in population in Wiltz in recent years can be explained by two main factors. The municipality underwent a merger in 2015. Eschweiler and Wiltz merged to form the new municipality of Wiltz, which now comprises six villages and one town: Erpeldange, Eschweiler, Knaphoscheid, Roullingen, Selscheid, Weidingen and Wiltz. At the same time, the number of residents has increased in each of these localities.

Facilities for all

If Wiltz attracts so many inhabitants, it is certainly because it offers them many advantages. The municipality can indeed rely on numerous infrastructures. " Sports hall, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, cultural centre, music school, library, kindergartens, pre-schools and primary schools, high school, schools of higher education and halfway houses, shops, restaurants, hospital, pharmacies and doctors, etc. Wiltz has everything you need for your daily life "Fränk Arndt, mayor of the municipality, emphasises.

Covering an area of 39.3 km²Wiltz is a small town, the majority of which is made up of forests, but it is also highly valued for its surrounding countryside. Once you leave the small town, you are immersed in unspoilt nature, with beautiful outdoor playgrounds and miles of hiking and cycling trails.

In this respect, Wiltz attracts many tourists every year. " With the economic crisis of 2008, the city's industrial activity slowed down. We then turned more to tourism, Fränk Arndt emphasises. We have invested heavily in this sector over the past five years. "The campsite, for example, has been modernised and now has 26 top-of-the-range outdoor accommodation units. At the same time, a new hotel with 25 rooms will soon be built. " It will be an inclusion and training hotel for people with disabilities, managed by a cooperative society "says the mayor. 

Wiltz is located in the north of the country, surrounded by green countryside, but is nevertheless well connected to the rest of the country. " Luxembourg City, Mersch, Clervaux or Ettelbrück can be reached quickly by train, comments the mayor. We can also rely on a good bus network to get around the city or to the neighbouring towns. Finally, and we sometimes tend to forget this, the major cities such as Liège, Brussels, Aachen, Maastricht, Cologne, etc. are easily accessible by motorway. "

More attractive real estate

Among its many advantages are its property prices, which, while still high, are more affordable than in the rest of the country. While the average selling price of an existing flat in Luxembourg is 5,687 euros per square metre, it is 'only' 4,074 euros in Wiltz (source: atHome.lu statistics). A fact that also helps to attract new residents every year.

Numerous construction projects are underway to accommodate new residents in the municipality. " Three major urban development projects will enable us to continue to rapidly increase our population in the coming years, explains Fränk Arndt. The "Op Heidert" project, led by the municipality of Wiltz, and the "Haargarten" and "Wunne mat der Wooltz" projects, led by the Fonds du Logement, will eventually provide housing for more than 3,000 additional residents. "

The third project envisages the redevelopment and upgrading of all the brownfield sites in the heart of the town of Wiltz. " Spread over more than 27 hectares, this project incorporates a comprehensive, architectural and sustainable urban development concept. It will accommodate around 780 housing units, or 1,800 residents, promoting a social mix and the development of a lively neighbourhood, with a focus on the circular economy. "says the mayor. 

Innovation at the heart of the reflection

Wiltz is a community on the move, and one that is committed. Since 2015, it has been designated as a national "hotspot" for the circular economy. A number of projects are being deployed in this direction, involving all the players in society in order to create a more sustainable future. Among the most innovative initiatives is the 'Nesto' circular building concept. A first project of six flats was built entirely along these lines by the developer Heliosmart and inaugurated last September.

In addition to housing, the circular economy is aimed at the whole of life and actors in the community, including shops. " Faced with structural changes in our economy and consumption patterns, local traders will have to adapt, says Fränk Arndt. So we decided to distinguish ourselves, offering something different from the standardised shops you find in every shopping centre. For example, we have a shop that sells renovated and refurbished furniture and decorative objects. Other ideas will follow in the same vein. "

The increase in population also means that the infrastructure of the municipality must be rethought and strengthened. In order to continue to provide the best possible education and care for young people, a new school with a capacity of 320 pupils will be built in the new town centre in the heart of Wiltz. " This will be complemented by a halfway house, a music school, a small sports hall and a national structure for non-formal education "Fränk Arndt continues. Around the iconic chimney of the former Ideal factory, an outdoor and indoor leisure centre will also be opened, offering climbing, soccer, beach volleyball and basketball.

At the same time, Wiltz will continue to develop the Salzbaach business parks, which will create new jobs for the residents of the municipality and surrounding communities. Here too, the principles of the circular economy will be applied in cooperation with all the regional and national players involved. With such a long-term vision, there is no doubt that Wiltz should remain attractive to its current and future residents.