Axelle Noël, director of the Maison de l'Orgue and its restaurant, and Claude Konrath, property developer and owner of the premises. / © Maison de l'Orgue
After seven years of restoration, the historic organ factory in Lintgen will reopen as the Maison de l’Orgue – a cultural venue featuring exhibitions, event spaces, and the new fine dining restaurant L'Orgue, led by chef René Vogl.
Closed for renovation since 2018, the former Westenfelder organ workshop – known locally as the 'Uergelfabrik' – is starting a new chapter. From 16 June, the public will once again be able to explore Lintgen's historic organ factory, followed by the launch of a new fine dining restaurant, called L'Orgue, on 18 June.
Built between 1923 and 1924, the building once housed the country's only organ factory, which produced 65 instruments not only for Luxembourgish churches but also for destinations as far afield as Germany, Belgium, Austria, Japan, and the United States. Among its most notable works is the organ in Luxembourg City's Notre-Dame Cathedral, as recalled by the site's new owner and real estate developer, Claude Konrath.
Listed as a national monument in 2011, the building underwent a major restoration, which began in earnest in 2021 following a transitional period. Konrath explains that during those years, the workshop continued to operate before work could truly commence. He notes that the original structure has been preserved, while modern infrastructure – such as heating, electrics, plumbing, new paintwork, tiling, and restored wooden floors – was carefully installed to bring the space up to today's standards.
For the developer, the central challenge was to honour the site's industrial past while adapting it for modern use. The result is a versatile venue that includes a permanent exhibition on the organ-making heritage of the factory, featuring original tools, models, and archives from the Westenfelder family.
It also houses two event spaces – called the 'Uergelsall' ('Organ Room') and the Festsall ('Ball Room') – one of which is equipped with a three-year-old organ specifically installed to host live concerts. Other parts of the building are now home to a variety of businesses, including a beauty salon, a Portuguese wine boutique, a wellness centre, a creative agency, and the headquarters of the National Society for Heritage Restoration (SNRP).
For Konrath, restoring the Uergelfabrik was a personal mission, an effort to give a remarkable piece of industrial heritage a second life with purpose and elegance.
Fine dining in a historic setting
Within the restored building, the new restaurant L'Orgue will open on 18 June. Konrath explains that the space, once a raw industrial shell, has been completely transformed.
Today, guests are welcomed into a refined setting with linen tablecloths, silver cutlery, Italian crystal chandeliers, and plush velvet chairs – all designed to create a more intimate and luxurious dining atmosphere. Leading the kitchen is rising chef René Vogl, who trained at Victor's Fine Dining – a three-starred restaurant in Germany – and previously worked at A Guddesch in Luxembourg.
The restaurant's concept, according to its director Axelle Noël, is to reintroduce the art of dining with high-quality ingredients and sophisticated cuisine designed to help guests relax and escape the everyday –without ever leaving Luxembourg.
Guests can choose between two tasting menus: five courses at €85 or seven courses at €115. The cuisine is creative and seasonal, with dishes featuring seafood, aged meats, fresh vegetables, and elegant desserts. Meanwhile, a large south-facing terrace offers the perfect setting for summer dining.
As for the restaurant's ambitions, Konrath remains grounded. The goal, he says, is simply to offer excellent food to customers – everything else will follow in time.
