Luxembourg’s full name is the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, ruled by a Grand Duke and the only surviving grand duchy in the world. This country has an area of ​​2586 square kilometers with a population of 580,000 people . Nestled between the “giants” of France, Germany and Belgium, Luxembourg not only has not been annexed and assimilated, but has also risen to world stature – it is a co-founder member of many international organizations such as the Union United Nations, European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization… With more than 80% of the population being immigrants, people here are not only Luxembourgish, but also fluent in other languages ​​such as French, German, English… At attractions in Luxembourg, there are hearing devices, visitors do not need tour guide, just press the button to select the language. As a small country, but Luxembourg has RTL Group with 34 television stations, 33 radio stations covering 12 countries and the largest steel corporation Arcelormital in Europe. Luxembourg is the headquarters of hundreds of foreign banks, including the Investment Bank and the European Audit Office… Luxembourg is influenced by French architecture, notably the Lucilinburhuc castle built more than 1000 years ago, Notre Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg’s main avenue looks like the Champs Elysees in Paris. Grand Dukes Palace with unique architecture, built in 1574 – one of the most perfect examples of Renaissance architecture with splendid beauty, sophistication. The Luxembourg Theater (full name is Grande-Duchesse Josephine-Charlotte Concert Hall) designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc, is one of the most famous theaters in Europe, holding up to 400 concerts annually. Notre-Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church, built in 1870, bold Gothic architecture mixed with fine Renaissance art. The building of the National Savings Bank was built in the years 1910 – 1913 in the Renaissance style William II Square – the heart of Luxembourg City, named after the eminent emperor of both Luxembourg and the Netherlands, has long had a special meaning for the people and country of Luxembourg. Statue of Gëlle Fra commemorating the soldiers of Luxembourg who died in World War I in Constitution Square, built in 1923, demolished by the Germans in 1940, restored in 1984 – a symbol of freedom and love Luxembourgish resilience. Luxembourg is influenced by both Roman and Germanic cultures but has been transformed by eye-catching multicultural fashion stores, performances by Arab street artists, aromatic German sausages, attractive Turkish kepap…and the shops seduce tourists. Luxembourg has 110 bridges. The Grand Duke Adolphe Bridge was built between 1900-1903 by two famous architects with the largest stone dome in the world at that time – a symbol of the independence of this country. The “Old” bridge was built in 1859 – 1861 across the Pétrusse valley with pillars 30 meters high, with a total length of 290 meters. The “Red” bridge connects the city center with the European area, 74 m high, 355 m long, 25 m wide and with a total weight of 4,900 tons. Designed by Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill in 2004, Europe Square is home to major buildings such as the Philharmonie, the Alcide De Gasperi, the new Convention Center, the MUDAM Drai Eechelen… Luxembourg’s most famous attraction is the Chemin de la Corniche, across the Alzrtte valley, built by the Spaniards and French in the 17th century – which covers the whole of Luxembourg, dubbed “The most beautiful balcony” Europe”. Under the Chemin de la Corniche is the Bock Casemates underground fortress system 23 km long, 40 m deep, built by Count Sigfried in 963. The whole defensive town is more than 40000 m2, located in the ground with legs. very thick walls and sandstone balustrades that follow steep cliffs. Since 1933, Casemates has been repaired by the Luxembourg government and is open to visitors. Currently, the average annual Bock Casemates welcomes more than 100,000 visitors. The hidden beauty and romance of Luxembourg City is that it lies in the heart of the valley. Luxembourg City was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1994 and awarded the title of “European Capital of Culture” by the EU in 1995 and 2007. Luxembourg does not have a hustle and bustle like many other tourist cities in Europe. Apart from the new cars, Luxembourg has no showy activities. The pace of life here is still leisurely and liberal; a cool blue color, settling, mixing heaven and earth with people. Luxembourg never forgets to preserve its historical values, national cultural traditions. Perhaps, that is the reason why, despite being small, having been invaded for thousands of years, Luxembourg still maintained its sovereignty and rose to become a rich country, respected by friends.

The ruins of the ancient city of Tikal, where the Teotihuacan population was discovered. Autonomous zone in the city To the naked eye – and on archaeologists’ maps – the structure looks like a hill amid the undulating landscape of Tikal, the ancient Maya city-state in the lowlands of northern Guatemala. But when the researchers zoomed in on the image with a laser scanning device called LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), they saw a man-made pyramid structure. , hidden under the soil and vegetation accumulated for thousands of years. This structure is actually part of an old residential area, different from most structures that have existed in Tikal. It has a distinctive shape, orientation and architectural features commonly found in Teotihuacan, a powerful city-state belonging to another civilization, near present-day Mexico City, 1200km west of Tikal. Upon closer inspection, archaeologists found that the complex appeared to be a copy of the giant Citadel square in Teotihuacan but was only half the size. The new discovery of a massive monument at the heart of Tikal – one of the most widely excavated and studied archaeological sites on Earth, shows that LiDAR is revolutionizing archeology in Central America, where these sites The jungle often renders satellite imagery useless. From here, however, a difficult question also arises: What role does an area of ​​the remote Teotihuacan city-state play in the heart of this Maya capital? After studying images from LiDAR, Edwin Román-Ramírez, Director of the South Tikal Archaeological Project conducted excavations in the summer of 2020. Digging tunnels into the site, his team made the discovery. Building tools, funeral offerings, pottery, and weapons are typical of early fourth-century Teotihuacan. From censers decorated with the rain god Teotihuacan, to darts made of green obsidian in central Mexico, the site is likely a quasi-autonomous neighborhood in central Tikal. Román-Ramírez said: “We know that the Teotihuacans had some presence and influence in Tikal and nearby Maya areas before 378. But it is not clear how well the Mayans were associated with the most powerful kingdom in the region. . Now there is evidence that their relationship is even closer than that.” Relationship between two civilizations The ruins of the Citadel Square of the Teotihuacan civilization. Thomas Garrison – a geographer at the University of Texas – Austin (USA), specializing in the use of digital technology for archaeological research, said that the above findings proved to a certain extent that the America’s old town isn’t too different from today’s cosmopolitan cities. “There is a mixture of cultures and people of different backgrounds and languages ​​coexist, maintaining their identity in one city,” he said. A study funded by the Pacunam LiDAR Initiative, which published groundbreaking findings in 2018, reveals a vast network of ancient cities in the Maya lowlands, home to millions of people. people, more than previously thought. Scientists Edwin Román – Ramírez noted that the above findings do not confirm that the builders of the complex came from Teotihuacan. “But what we found shows that, for more than a century people who are more or less familiar with Teotihuacan culture and traditions have lived there, in their own region,” he said. Based on ceramic designs found in the ruins, the team estimates that construction at the site began at least 100 years before 378, an important date in Mayan history. According to the Maya inscriptions, the king of Teotihuacan sent a general called the Born of Fire to overthrow the king of Tikal, Jaguar Paw, and put his young son in charge of the country. Born of Fire arrived in Tikal on January 16, 378, the same day that Jaguar Paw “entered the water” – a Mayan metaphor for death. After being annexed, Tikal flourished for several centuries, conquering and pacifying neighboring cities, and spreading their culture throughout the plains. Tikal’s hegemony during this period is well documented, but it is not clear why, after decades of friendly coexistence, Teotihuacan turned his back on his former ally. Further excavations at Tikal may provide new insights, but a recent discovery in Teotihuacan suggests that cultural conflict may have sparked the breakup between these two powerful city-states. A team of scientists led by Nawa Sugiyama, an archaeologist at the University of California, Riverside (USA), has discovered a “Maya house” at Teotihuacan. The opulent buildings here are decorated with splendid Mayan murals, suggesting that the inhabitants were either elite diplomats or aristocratic families. But just before Tikal was annexed in 378, the murals were smashed to pieces and buried. A nearby pit was filled with shattered human skeletons, indicating the sudden shift from diplomacy to violent confrontation between the two city-states. “What went wrong in that relationship, when a bunch of elite Maya residents were massacred, their buildings were demolished, all their belongings were thrown away, and then their homeland was conquered. ruled by a child king?” asked Francisco Estrada-Belli, an archaeologist at Tulane University. It is also one of the great mysteries of Central America that scientists are trying to answer.