Place Guillaume II, known locally as the Knuedler, is the central square of Luxembourg City, with an area of more than 9,250 m². Between 2020 and 2023, the square underwent a complete renovation: new paving, new tree pits, a playground, new lighting, a fountain, and a modernized entrance to the LCTO tourist office. Architect Arlette Schneiders designed the concept on behalf of the Ville de Luxembourg. The work was carried out in seven phases to allow hospitality businesses and the weekly market on the square to continue as much as possible, and was completed in spring 2023.

As part of that renovation, the square was planted with new, large plane trees. Van den Berk Boomkwekerijen supplied Platanus x hispanica 'Malburg' with a trunk girth of 70 to 80 centimeters. Because of the size of the trees and the narrow historic streets of the city center, the deliveries were made at night, using specially extended transport under police escort. Existing plane trees that could not be returned to their original location were replanted elsewhere in the city at the time.

Plane trees are highly tolerant of paving and air pollution, and their large leaf surface captures fine dust. Because of their eventual size, they cannot be planted everywhere in the city center. Here, there is room for them: the crowns provide shade over a large part of the square, lower temperatures on hot days, and break up the otherwise largely paved space with visible greenery, contributing to the well-being of residents and visitors to the city center.