(Re)discover our city - Au vieux Luxembourg

Au vieux Luxembourg

(Re)discover our city - Au vieux Luxembourg

Think you know our capital well? Well, let's see about that! Some of the buildings that you walk past on a regular basis have a special story behind them. Dr Robert L. Philippart is a true expert on the subject and will guide you through the city to uncover these hidden stories, making you look at some of our symbolic buildings in a new way.

Vieux Luxembourg, Avenue de la Liberté

20, Avenue de la Liberté has been one of Luxembourg's greatest night-time entertainment venues for decades. The building was the brain child of café owner Adolphe Amberg, junior. Avenue de la Liberté opened in 1904, near the Luxembourg-Echternach railway which opened the same year. In 1908, the electric tram provided additional connections with the city centre. Albert Brick designed the building as part of the coffeehouse-theatre movement.

Three large archways adorn the large windows spanning the three floors. The stairwell looks onto the street and features majestic stained glass windows depicting views of the old town and the city's coat of arms. This fourth section of the façade was designed differently to highlight the division of the building into Ratskeller (basement bar) and music hall.  A harp on a gold mosaic background sits atop this section, symbolising the music-hall aspect of the building. "1915" is carved into the façade to mark its year of construction. The entrance to this section initially bore the inscription "Ratskeller", indicating the bar and bowling alley in the basement.

The music hall entrance led to the ground and first floors. The ledge between this part of the building and the upper floors bore the inscription "Vieux Luxembourg" (Old Luxembourg), while the ledge under the roof was topped with a balcony featuring a wrought-iron balustrade that read "Musique Hall – A. Amberg". The music hall was accessed via the foyer bar. The room had balconies on two sides and seated 200, usually around tables.

Adolphe Amberg and his wife Louise Ditsch (1864–1953) only ran their music hall for a very short time. During the First World War, it was used by local artists. As soon as 1919, Henri Jaas and his wife Maria Housse took over management of the variety entertainment. Patrons were treated to an evening of laughs in the company of Jeanne Darcy, "la jolie diseuse" (the pretty fortune teller), comedians and popular singers. During the performances, spectators could enjoy a selection of delicious food served to their table. The programme also included light comedy evenings from local amateur or international groups, and rousing concerts in the evenings and on Sunday afternoons.

In January 1929, the establishment re-branded as the Rialto. It quickly gained popularity due to its predominantly female cast. The redesigned hall became one of the most beautiful examples of Art Deco. The dance floor was entirely covered with light-up electric tiles. In 1933, the Rialto became the Casanova-Bar and the old Ratskeller was transformed into a wine bar. Part of the hall was transformed to become the "Billard Palace" and then in 1935 the "Cristal Palace" – a music hall with space for dancing.  Following Adolphe Amberg's death, in 1936 the building was converted by architects Etienne Galowich and Pierre Schaack into a L’Étoile Bleue department store, a Belgian company specialising in the sale of furniture, bicycles, radios and phonographs, as well as menswear, womenswear and childrenswear. During the Second World War, the store was appropriated by the Chef der Zivilverwaltung (Head of Civil Administration) and renamed Deutsches Kaufhaus. Louise Ditsch was able to regain control the day after the liberation. The company was liquidated in 1950. Following the death of Amberg's widow in 1953, the building changed ownership. From 1955 to 2014, the ground floor and basement were occupied by the café and cabaret venue Le Plaza, and then by the New Plaza. Joya International Club has occupied the premises since 2014

© Photothèque de la Ville de Luxembourg – Au vieux Luxembourg – Rolph

© Photothèque de la Ville de Luxembourg – Au vieux Luxembourg – Collection François Mersch

Au vieux Luxembourg
Au vieux Luxembourg

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