CHL is demolishing a historic mill
Photo @RTL
The famous windmill, which has been a feature of the Luxembourg Hospital Centre (CHL) landscape for many years, will temporarily disappear from its usual spot. The structure will be dismantled, preserved and rebuilt a few metres from its current location. This decision is part of a major plan to build a new, larger A&E department.
Dr Martine Georgen, Director of CHL, explained that the mill’s current location falls within the development zone for a critical medical facility. The new facility is designed to handle increased patient flows and respond effectively to crises such as pandemics or major incidents. In particular, the project provides for improved access for ambulances and optimised internal logistics.
The issue of relocating the mill was extremely complex, as it has been officially listed as a protected monument for over 20 years and is considered an important part of Luxembourg’s industrial heritage. Culture Minister Eric Thill noted that the main challenge was to strike a balance between pressing healthcare needs and preserving the city’s historic character.
In the end, a compromise was reached:
- The structure will be completely rebuilt at the new site.
- Before dismantling the structure, the experts carried out a detailed scan and took around 5,000 photographs of it.
- Over the course of three months, the mill will be dismantled in stages of two metres at a time. Experts expect to be able to reuse around 60% of the original stones.
Interestingly, the idea of dismantling and relocating the structure is not a new one. According to Dr Georgen, archive documents dating back as far as 1958 contained recommendations to relocate the tower due to structural problems with the foundations; however, at the time, the cost of the work was deemed excessive.
Dismantling will begin in the coming weeks, after which the structural elements will be handed over to the city authorities for safekeeping. The mill will remain out of public view until at least 2029. There are plans to reassemble it at the edge of the hospital grounds, closer to the main road, where the monument will be more visible and accessible to visitors. The exact cost of the relocation and reconstruction work has not yet been disclosed by CHL management.
