But the place itself is worth a visit. At the mid-point of the Moselle River, which winds its way through the heart of Europe, is a place where three countries meet: Luxembourg, Germany, France. It was here, almost 34 years ago, where the idea of a Europe without borders was born.
Many people are familiar with the Schengen Agreement , which allows free movement of people and goods between the 26 member states in Europe. Those with a Schengen Visa can travel freely to more than half the European continent.
Who knows, perhaps you will decide to make this pastoral wine-growing village in Luxembourg your next weekend getaway. As you may have guessed, the Schengen Agreement gets its name from the small village in Luxembourg where the treaty was first signed in June , between Belgium, France, West Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The location in Luxembourg at the tripoint with France and Germany was a symbolic choice, as it's sort of a miniature version of Europe.
There was no better place to commit to the idea of open borders than at the junction of three. By doing this, the initial signatories dedicated themselves to their cause and showed what they hoped to achieve. Back then, however, the notion of free movement between European countries was considered revolutionary. In , you could not imagine that there would be open borders, especially between Germany and France. Around 40, visitors come to Schengen every year, to see the small Luxembourg border town that has become a symbol of borderless travel in the EU.
Out front, the "Columns of Nations" symbolically represent each of the 26 countries in the Schengen Area with a metal star sculpture.
On the rest of the square, flags of all the member countries wave in the wind. Inside, visitors can witness the significance of the Schengen Agreement and its impact and legacy across Europe and the world through interactive displays and archival footage. In a glass case against the back wall, there are 30 customs officers' service caps from across Europe, reminding visitors of the formalities that cross-border travel once entailed.
The museum is not just there to inform its visitors, it serves as a symbol for a unified Europe and a common European identity. Denmark Schengen Denmark visa. Estonia Schengen Estonia visa. Finland Schengen Finland visa. France Schengen France visa. Germany Schengen Germany visa. Greece Schengen Greece visa. Hungary Schengen Hungary visa. Iceland Schengen Iceland visa.
Italy Schengen Italy Visa. Latvia Schengen Latvia visa. Liechtenstein Schengen Liechtenstein visa. Lithuania Schengen Lithuania visa.
Luxembourg Schengen Luxembourg visa. Malta Schengen Malta visa. Netherlands Schengen Netherlands visa. Norway Schengen Norway visa. Poland Schengen Poland visa. Portugal Schengen Portugal visa. Slovakia Schengen Slovakia visa. As for travellers, the Schengen Agreement grants immediate access to all member countries, making travel — be it by road, rail or air — quicker and easier.
Add to this the Schengen visa, which allows non-EU travellers to apply for a single visa valid for 90 days with entry to all participating countries, and its appeal is blindingly clear, saving travellers both time and money. Around a 35km drive from Luxembourg City, the route takes you through forests, over farmland and down into the Moselle Valley. The landscape changes quite noticeably as you descend the rural hills to the town of Remich.
From here, it's a pleasant riverside drive, winding between vine-clad slopes and the Moselle River to the epicentre of Schengen, the European Museum. Here, the story of how the Schengen Area came to exist is expertly told through interactive displays inside and a variety of monuments outside.
Finally, there are the striking Pillars of Nations that beautifully detail iconic sights from each member of the Schengen Area.
We have adjusted the text accordingly. Places That Changed the World is a BBC Travel series looking into how a destination has made a significant impact on the entire planet. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc. Places That Changed the World Borders. Schengen: A tiny village that changed European travel. Share using Email. The country is mainly mountainous, thus an alluring winter sports destination.
It is the last country that joined the border-free Schengen area after it signed the agreement io. The 65,km2 country is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Kaliningrad Oblast a Russian exclave to the southwest. It has a population of 2,, residents and uses EUR as its currency. Lithuanian is one of the oldest languages in the world today.
And along with Latvian, it is also one of only two living languages in the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family. Lithuania signed the Schengen agreement on 16 April and started its implementation later on 21 December In , Lithuania received , visa applications, which is more than countries like Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, or Norway.
Luxembourg is a country of 2, km2 and has a population of , residents. It is one of the founding states of the Schengen agreement, which was signed on 14 June in the village of Schengen in Luxembourg. Its capital, Luxembourg City, is one of the three official capitals of the European Union. Ranked by its GDP, Luxembourg is the second richest country in the world. It has the highest minimum wage in the EU while also being one of the safest countries in the world.
The Southern European island country consists of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of km2 and a population of , residents. Despite its small area, the country received a number of 37, visa applications in In tourism terms, it is mostly known for its sun, sea and beaches.
Some of its most alluring destinations for travellers are also ancient wonders as the 5, years old Hagar Qim or the 4, years old Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. Mostly known for the colourful tulips, numerous windmills and delicious cheese, the Netherlands consists of twelve provinces. The country borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest. It has an area of 41, km2 and 16,, residents. Moreover, it is one of the five founding states of the Schengen agreement, signed on 14 June The land of the midnight sun, Norway, has an area of , km2.
It has a population of 5,, residents known as Norwegians. It is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast, and the Skagerrak Strait to the south, with Denmark on the other side. The country attracts visitors mainly because of its stunning fjords and its Viking heritage. In , the Norwegian embassies around the world received , visa applications. Norway signed the Schengen agreement on 19 December A second agreement, which replaced the first, was signed on 18 May following the incorporation of the agreement into EU law with the Treaty of Amsterdam.
Norway started the implementation of the agreement on 25 March It is known as the land of the midnight sun because certain areas of the country get 24 hours of sunlight for part of the summer. Poland is an EU country located in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions and has an area of , km2. Figures show that most of the visitors are from Germany, followed by Britons and Russians.
In , Poland received , visa applications, which makes it the seventh country with the most applications received. The country signed the agreement on 16 April and started its implementation in late The westernmost European country, Portugal, shares borderland only with Spain, to the north and east.
It has an area of 92, km2 and 10,, residents. It is the oldest state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe. Known for football, beautiful beaches and historic sites, the country manages to allure many visitors throughout the whole year. Portugal signed the Schengen agreement alongside its only neighbour Spain, on 25 June and started its implementation on 26 March
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