750th anniversary of the Charter of Freedom
The valley of the Moselle, which owes its richness to its proximity to water and its fertile ground, was colonised a long time before the Roman era. At the site of the present day town of Grevenmacher, a first primitive community was formed behind the St. Croix chapel at the place called "Buerggruef" not far from the Roman road which led to Luxembourg.
In the Middle Ages, the counts of Luxembourg searched for a sure place of defense in the region with a goal of protecting their territory against the powerful Archbishops of Trier. They found it in Grevenmacher, low in the valley, at the crossroads of the principal routes leading from Luxembourg to Trier and from Trier to Thionville. It was here that was built, probably on the order of Count Henri V, a powerful fortress that guarded this strategic location for centuries and which was not dismanteled until 1688.
It was in 1252 that the same Count, called « Henri the Blonde », son of the influential Countess Ermesinde, granted the Charter of Freedom to the town of Grevenmacher.
Today, the small town is the capital of a canton, a modern commercial centre, and the focal point for Luxembourg viticulture. Although firmly committed to the future, the « Métropole de la Moselle » nevertheless remembers with pride its past, rich in historical events, and celebrates in 2002 the 750th anniversary of its Charter of Freedom with a multitude of cultural events and spectacular activities.
To learn more, visit: http://www.grevenmacher.lu/
| Price of the stamp: | 0,74 € |
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| Concept: | Lis Paulus, Grevenmacher |
| Design: | Jacques Doppée, Brussels |
| Printings: | High-definition offset by CARTOR, La Loupe (F) |
| Dimensions: | 28.5 x 40 mm, 20 stamps per sheet |
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