Two centuries of industrial and cultural history are embedded in the landscape around Haut-Martelange, and Luxembourg's government wants the world to know. The Ministry of Culture has officially launched its plan to have the area inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, with the process set to unfold in several stages. Led by the Slate Museum, the first step is to secure inclusion on the national tentative list, before pursuing full inscription on the UNESCO list itself.
"Between industrial heritage, living craftsmanship and workers' memory, this cultural landscape bears witness to the close interaction between human activity, geology and architecture", the Ministry stated at the nomination ceremony. Culture Minister Eric Thill also underlined the broader purpose of the bid: "The UNESCO World Heritage nomination is a major lever for strengthening the touristic appeal of the former slate quarries. In the medium term, it will also shine a larger light on an entire region well beyond our borders."
