Spotlight on Villages in Luxembourg: Rindschleiden

Throughout August, Chronicle.lu will be shining a spotlight on various villages across the Grand Duchy; the focus is mainly on some of the (perhaps) lesser-known villages with particular points of interest or an interesting history (e.g. cultural and/or industrial heritage).

The next article in this series is dedicated to Rindschleiden, known as the smallest village in Luxembourg - with a population of 0 since 2016 (although more recent sources suggest there is now one inhabitant).

Located in the municipality of Wahl – soon-to-be the merged municipality of Grosbous-Wahl – in western Luxembourg (Canton Redange), Rindschleiden (Randschelt in Luxembourgish) is home to a 10th-century church featuring some beautiful 15th- and 16th-century frescoes, as well as a museum, a restaurant and a "meditation" trail through the forest and surrounding area.

Whilst the local church (Église Saint-Willibrord) dates back to the 10th century, it was enlarged in subsequent centuries and the 170 m2 frescoes were only (re)discovered in the 1950s. The church interior also features a Baroque-style altar depicting various saints. The adjoining cemetery features stone crosses from different eras.

The patron saint of the church in Rindschleiden is Saint Willibrord, an Anglo-Saxon missionary who is buried in the St Willibrord Basilica Echternach. Saint Willibrord is said to have created a well in the park behind the church; this "miraculous" source has been restored in recent years and is located near the meditation trail in Rindschleiden. Every year on Whit Sunday, local parish priests hold an open-air service near this well, with pilgrims coming from far and wide for this celebration.

Inaugurated in 2010, the "Randschleider Pad", a 1.4 km-long meditation path, was created in the leafy park in Rindschleiden as part of a LEADER project aimed at encouraging visitors to relax and reflect. In addition to a pond, the park features a Lourdes grotto located not far from the well.

Available to purchase in the church is a booklet (in German; produced by the Frënn vu Patrimoine an Traditiounen) detailing a walking tour along wayside crosses and churches in Rindschleiden and nearby villages.

Another attraction in Rindschleiden is the Musée Thillenvogtei, a rural museum centred around life (particularly agricultural life) in the village in the 1900s. As part of its summer programme, it is currently open to the public every Thursday (10:00-18:00) until 14 September 2023. Various activities are scheduled between 14:00 and 17:00; entry costs €5 per person. In addition to its small core team, the museum relies on the support of volunteers. The venue is also available for private hire (e.g. for weddings).