English > History

“Nommerlayen” means literally “The Rock of Nommern”. This unique rock formation, crosses Luxemburg and is made of sand stone and frightening sheer cliffs, rock cracks and caves.

The spongy wholes were formed due to the dissolution of limestone that sustained the sand grains. This sand dissolved (around 200 million years ago) in the sea and became what it is now. Tectonic movements brought these sea sediments to light and erosion of the rock formation shaped the rock to what it is now.

The history of the rocks does not stop here, the primitive men recognized the advantages of the wholes (as shelters) and the sheer cliffs (as impregnable fortresses). Behind the camping, there are two plateaus, that were used by the Celts and later by the Romans as a castle. It is however prohibited to realize excavations on these places.

The history of Nommern has strongly been influenced by the Nommerlayen. That is why it is interesting to waste some time on this issue. Nommern is a Celtic word, it means "Town on the water" or "Town next to the sources". Nommern has always been an independent council, with its own church and cemetery. The village Larochette used to make part of council Nommern. The crosses that can be spotted between Nommern and Larochette, were the resting places for corpse carriers.

Nommern was famous for its charcoal burnings. This is the reason why the inhabitants were called “Kuelenbrenner”. Big flat circles of 10 to 20 meters of diameter in the woods can still be found.

Burning wood to produce coal was practiced until the end of the 19th century by the population of Nommern.

The wood was covered and in the middle a “chimney” was placed and the fire initiated.

Whenever the wood was burning, the upper part was, for the exception of some small wholes, fully covered. Approximately 10 days later it was completely burnt and the wood had turned into coal. After a cooling period of some days the cover was carefully removed and the charcoal was ready to be transported to the iron mines in the south of the country.

The “N”- hike takes you through some of these flat places. You must however have a trained eye to distinguish the burning places. The hike also passes by the Aalbuurg, a Celtic-Roman castle. The Romans built two additional walls on the “landside”, now linear hills, where they kept their animals.

The cave alongside the “N”-route (see map) is characterized by notches. Somewhere far above your head you will find the date 1843! This gives you an idea of how long this region is known for its beautiful hiking trips and that time has damaged the entrance can clearly be seen.

Do you feel like seeing all this show of nature by yourself?