Clausen

The complete guide to Clausen

Population and area: district figures of the City of Luxembourg, end of 2025.

History in brief

Clausen is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the city, lying in the Alzette valley below the Bock promontory and the casemates. Its history is tied to brewing: as early as the fourteenth century, Benedictine monks grew hops here, and breweries shaped the quarter for centuries. In the sixteenth century, Count Peter Ernst von Mansfeld, governor of Luxembourg, built a Renaissance palace in Clausen, with exotic gardens and art collections. The palace is gone; the site is now a public park with remains of the old walls.

Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, was born in Clausen in 1886, in a house on the rue Jules Wilhelm. The parish church of Saint Cunegonde has wall paintings depicting the life of the saint, one of which shows Schuman as a boy.

Streets and landmarks

• The Rives de Clausen, the former Mousel brewery complex, converted into bars, restaurants and clubs.
• The Mansfeld park, on the site of the Renaissance palace.
• The church of Saint Cunegonde.
• The Alzette and its footpaths, linking Clausen to the Grund and Pfaffenthal.
• The Bock and the casemates, rising above the quarter.

Who lives here

With around 1,050 residents on 36 hectares, Clausen is one of the smallest quarters of the capital. Most residents are not Luxembourgish, and the quarter's population is a mix of long-standing families and professionals attracted by its character.

Housing and the rental market

Clausen's housing is old valley houses and small apartment buildings, alongside converted industrial buildings. Supply is small. Homes are characterful, often with irregular layouts, thick walls and several levels. Prices reflect the setting and the proximity to the centre and Kirchberg rather than the size. See our guide to the valley quarters for a comparison with the Grund and Pfaffenthal.

Shopping, food and daily services

Evening life is Clausen's speciality, concentrated in the Rives de Clausen. Daily shopping is limited, so residents go up to the old town, Cents or Kirchberg for supermarkets and services.

Families, schools and green space

The Alzette paths, the Mansfeld park and the green slopes give Clausen a pleasant natural setting. For families, the questions are noise near the bars at weekends, parking and steep streets.

Getting around in practice

Bus lines connect Clausen to the old town, the station and Kirchberg. On foot, paths and stairs climb to the old town and towards Kirchberg. The tram is reachable on the plateau above. All public transport is free.

Before you sign: what to check in Clausen

• Distance from the Rives. Weekend nights can be loud nearby.
• Damp and light. As in all valley quarters.
• Parking. Very limited.
• Stairs and climbs. Daily walking to the plateau is steep.

Who lives in Clausen

Clausen is home to about 1,050 residents on 0.36 km², a density of roughly 2,912 people per km², which makes it the 12th most densely populated of the 23 quarters in our guides. Around 28% of residents hold Luxembourgish nationality, lower than the city-wide share of about 31% (137,696 residents at the end of 2025, according to the City of Luxembourg). Like the capital as a whole, it is a genuinely international place to live.

A walk through Clausen

Clausen is small, and a walk through it takes less than an hour, but it packs in a great deal. Start at the Rives de Clausen, the former brewery site on the Alzette where the bars and restaurants are concentrated, then follow the river past old houses to the church of St Cunegonde, known for its wall paintings of the saint's life. The quarter's most famous son is Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, who was born here and attended the local primary school; his birth house on the Rue Jules Wilhelm belongs to the State and houses a research institute, and his baptismal font is kept in St Cunegonde. Above the quarter rise the Bock promontory and the casemates of the old fortress, part of the UNESCO-listed old town.

Clausen through the year

Clausen changes with the week more than with the seasons. On weekday mornings it is a quiet valley village; on Friday and Saturday nights the Rives de Clausen draw crowds from across the city. Summer adds terraces by the river. For residents, the practical question is simply how close their home is to the bars.

Advantages and trade-offs

Clausen compared with its neighbours

Population and area: City of Luxembourg district figures, end of 2025. Luxembourgish share rounded.

Practical tips for your first weeks in Clausen

• Visit on a Friday or Saturday night before signing if the home is near the Rives de Clausen.
• Check whether the building has a lift; many do not.
• If you drive, secure a parking space before committing.
• Use the bus or the walk to the old town rather than a car for daily errands.

The Aura view

Clausen combines history, a river setting and the city's liveliest evenings in a very small space. Chosen away from the bars, it is one of the most characterful addresses in Luxembourg.