Vianden

Vianden Veianen
Commune
Vianden from above
Coat of arms
Map of Luxembourg with Vianden highlighted in orange, and the canton in dark red
Coordinates: 49°56′01″N 6°12′27″E / 49.933611°N 6.2075°E / 49.933611; 6.2075Coordinates: 49°56′01″N 6°12′27″E / 49.933611°N 6.2075°E / 49.933611; 6.2075
Country	Luxembourg
Canton	Vianden
Government
• Mayor	Marc Schaefer
Area
• Total	9.67 km2 (3.73 sq mi)
Area rank	99 of 105
Highest elevation	515 m (1,690 ft)
• Rank	15th of 105
Lowest elevation	198 m (650 ft)
• Rank	25th of 105
Population (2014)
• Total	1,864
• Rank	71st of 105
• Density	190/km2 (500/sq mi)
• Density rank	34th of 105
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
LAU 2	LU00004003
Website	vianden.lu

County of Vianden
Grafschaft Vianden
State of the Holy Roman Empire
4th century–1414
Capital		Vianden
Government		Principality
Count		See list
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	4th century
•	Passed to Sponheim	1414
Succeeded by County of Sponheim

Vianden (Luxembourgish: Veianen) is a commune with town status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,800 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany.

As of 2013^[update], the town of Vianden, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 1,811. It is known for its impressive castle and beautiful location in the Our valley.

The origins of Vianden date back to the Gallo-Roman age when there was a castellum on the site of the present castle. The original name of Vianden was Viennensis. The first historical reference to Vianden was in 698 when there is a record of a gift in the form of a vineyard in Monte Viennense made by Saint Irmina to the Abbey of Echternach. Vianden possesses one of the oldest charters in Europe, granted in 1308 by Philip II, count of Vianden, from whom the family of Nassau-Vianden sprang, and who was consequently the ancestor of William of Orange.

In the Middle Ages, Vianden's craftsmen were recognised for their skills as tanners, drapers, weavers, barrelmakers, masons, locksmiths and goldsmiths. In 1490, they created guilds for their various trades. Over the years leathermaking became the major industry with the establishment of two tanneries at the end of the 19th century which finally closed in the mid-1950s.