Vielsalm, a village with urban allure, has been the capital of the municipality and of the canton since time immemorial. It is also the seat of a dean's office and now an important tourist center.
About 1150 a first castle was built on the promontory opposite the current church of Vielsalm. At the time, there was a real moat where the main road is now, so that the castle site was isolated. The counts would later move to Salmchâteau. The old castle of Salm thus became Vetera Salma or Vieille Salme and finally Vielsalm.
Vielsalm's first church (from 1715) was destroyed in 1944. You will find an 11th century baptismal font and the presumed tombstone of Henri VI de Salm, who died in 1360. The current building was rebuilt in 1953 in pseudo-Gothic style, on the site of the previous one, and finished in 1956. The spire is 50 m high. The hands of the timepiece, the numbers of which have been replaced by figures in gilded metal, refer to religious life as well as local history and hunting with greyhounds.
Behind the church is the old quarter of Tienne Messe, with some houses in traditional materials, slate and schist. This is also where the annual Sabbath of Les Macralles du Val de Salm, a folkloric brotherhood in honor of the witches, takes place on 20 July. A statue of Gustine Maka, a fountain in honor of the champetter, a broom and frescoes decorate the village with references to the legends.
The “Lac des Doyards” was created in 1975 on the grounds irrigated by the Glain, downstream from Vielsalm. Under the Ancien Régime they formed the douaire (widow's estate), the source of income for the parish. In a Walloon word, that became les doyards, and that name has remained. This is the largest artificial lake in the province of Luxembourg, covering almost 13 hectares. The landing is a safety structure, 10 m wide, which can drain 108 m3/s at exceptionally high water levels. The Afsluitdijk consists of schist rubble and 12,000 m3 of non-stony embankment. This paradise for hikers and fishermen is very rich in fauna and flora.
Translated by Google •
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