Longwy

Longwy grew around a castle on a long rocky spur above the Chiers. Its lower town received a charter of liberties in 1276, while the castle became one of the principal strongholds of the dukes of Lorraine. After Longwy passed to France in 1679, Louis XIV ordered the old upper town replaced by a new fortress. Vauban laid out a hexagonal town with six bastions, barracks and an arsenal to defend the frontier facing Luxembourg.