Liege. Belgium

The palace is a real changeover: the outside is made in the Gothic style, the inside of the palace is built in the style of the early Italian Renaissance. In one of the courtyards you can see how the late Gothic developed into the early Renaissance - this is noticeable in the architecture of the walls, columns, arches... as if the architects were having fun and leaving at least a piece of the predecessor's plan. After visiting the courtyard of the palace, Victor Hugo wrote: “Never have I seen a structure so striking, important and magnificent at the same time.”

Many thanks to Gleb for his amazing story about Liege, which I quote.

A little history

“It is believed that the city traces its history back to 705, when the Bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht, a certain Lambert, was killed in these parts. The killer was a Frank named Dodon (God gave him a name), avenging his relatives, who were in turn killed for an attempt on church property. Lambert was canonized as a saint and his relics were placed in the church, which became a place of pilgrimage.”

In 721, Liege-Lutique became the seat of a bishop, a powerful and wealthy church patronized the arts and sciences, and already in the 11th century a cathedral, several churches and an episcopal palace were built. From 721 to 1789 Liege gained relative independence from the dynasties that ruled what is now Belgium. The proletariat, apparently, from time to time did not like such a demonstration of church power and influence, and uprisings periodically broke out in the city, however, they were mercilessly suppressed. The constant struggle between the townspeople and the ruling clergy led to the fact that in the Middle Ages Liege acquired the formidable nickname “Cité Ardent” (“burning city”).

“But long before these tragic events, on the site of Liege there was a Gallo-Roman villa, the remains of which are preserved under St. Lambert Square, at the former confluence of the small river Legia into the Meuse (aka the Meuse River). It is possible that the city received its name from Lehi. However, it is more likely that it comes from the Latin word Lutetia ("swamp"), which is supported by the German name of the city (Luttich) and the fact that the area was swampy in the Middle Ages. Then Liege was even more picturesque, as it was located on many islands. But in the 19th century. many branches of the Meuse were filled in, and streets and boulevards were built over the old channels. By the way, some street names in the city center, preserved from the Middle Ages, are very funny: Island Bridge Street, White Ram Street, Golden Pot Street. As for the “swamp,” Liege is not alone here: in Roman times, Paris was called Lutetia Parisiorum, that is, “the swamp of the Parisians” (there was such a Celtic tribe).

Buttercup is fundamentally different from other large medieval cities in Belgium, such as Antwerp, Bruges or Ghent. If at one time they were important trade and craft centers, then Liege for centuries remained a kind of administrative capital, like Washington in the USA. Powerful prince-bishops resided here, around whom the mass of the clergy and their staff were concentrated. Accordingly, the main attractions of Liege are not Old city with the houses of the patricians and the town hall, and the palace of the prince-bishops in St. Lambert's Square and numerous collegiate churches.

Unfortunately, the city center does not represent, as they say, a single architectural ensemble. Firstly, Liege was destroyed more than once. In 1468, the city was torn to pieces by the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, suppressing a revolt of the townspeople, raised at the instigation of his overlord, King Louis XI of France (these events are described in detail in Walter Scott’s book “Quentin Durward”). In 1914, the Germans hit the 12 forts that surrounded the city with all their might, using their 42 cm caliber “Big Bertha” mega-cannons and Austro-Czech Skoda cannons.”

The first Belgian fortress that the Germans had to take was Liege, located 20 miles from the German-Belgian border. The fortifications of this fortress consisted of twelve forts located on both banks of the Meuse at a distance of 4 - 5 miles from the city. The fortress also had powerful weapons - about four hundred guns.

The capture of Liege was conceived and developed by the German General Staff long before the start of the war. The operation was entrusted to a task force composed of units of the Second Army and stationed in peacetime near the Belgian border in the area between Eupen and Aachen. In accordance with the plan for the capture of Liege, forty-eight hours were allotted for the operation after the start of the German offensive on the Western Front. The Germans believed that they would take Liege either without encountering resistance at all, or after a short battle, quickly suppressing the enemy’s artillery. The calculations of the German command did not come true. The Liege garrison met the Germans fully armed and surrendered the fortress only on the twelfth day of the siege.

“In 1940, they took into account old mistakes and dropped parachute troops on the Belgian forts. But during the winter counter-offensive in the Ardennes in 1944, the Germans again, with all their might, fired V-1 and V-2 missiles at Liege, where American troops were based at that time.

Secondly, the Liege people themselves are very free with their cultural heritage- patrimoine – although this concept is one of the central ones in French-speaking culture. For example, in 1793, at the instigation of the French revolutionaries, the Belgians organized their own revolution and demolished the magnificent and huge (judging by the reconstructions) St. Lambert’s Cathedral, after which Belgium became part of France for 20 years.” After Waterloo, Liege, along with the entire country that did not yet exist, became part of the Low Countries, and in 1830 it was the revolutionaries of Brussels and Liege who defended the idea of ​​​​creating a new independent country - Belgium. Now Liege-Lutik is large industrial city Belgium, and when you look at it from the heights of the Citadel, you see not only church spiers and picturesque buildings, but also the chimneys of industrial metallurgical giants...

Palace of Prince-Bishops

We got off at the Palace station - nowhere in the center, straight to the palace of the prince-bishops, but despite the fact that this was the heart of the city (St. Lambert's Square), the viper around turned out to be terrible - on the tracks there were heaps of some kind of garbage and painted walls at the top construction site and busy highway...

We looked around. Up the hill is the picturesque Peri area, right in front of us is the palace. It is from this side that it is most beautiful - take it off before they move away.

The Palace of the Prince-Bishops - the decoration of the city - was built at the beginning of the 11th century, then expanded in 1145-1164 and rebuilt in 1526-1536 with the permission of the then Prince-Bishop Everard van der Marck. The palace is a real changeover: the outside is made in the Gothic style, the inside of the palace is built in the style of the early Italian Renaissance. In one of the courtyards you can see how the late Gothic developed into the early Renaissance - this is noticeable in the architecture of the walls, columns, arches... as if the architects were having fun and leaving at least a piece of the predecessor's plan. After visiting the courtyard of the palace, Victor Hugo wrote: “Never have I seen a structure so striking, important and magnificent at the same time.”

The main facade, which overlooks the Place Saint-Lambert, was built in 1737 and is the quintessence of the French architectural style of the 18th century. The interior decoration of the palace, such as: tapestries, carpets, fireplaces, handmade wallpapers - are carefully preserved from the second half of the 16th century to the era of Louis XVI. Now the local court is in charge of all this - the palace is used as the Palace of Justice.

Town Hall and Place du Marché

Place Saint Lambert merges into the Place du Marchais. Here you can highlight a couple of local attractions: the Town Hall and the Perron fountain.

Town Hall, which is also called "La Violette" - an impressive two-story building with high windows in the style of French classicism (1714) with the emblem of the city on a triangular pediment, which, as it seemed to me, with its lemon color, is somewhat dissonant with the red walls of the Town Hall. On the bronze plaque on the right side, if you stand facing the facade, the name of Maigret, the most famous criminologist in the 30s of the twentieth century, who won immortality on the pages of the detective novels of Georges Simenon (1903-1989), who lived in Liege, is engraved. Behind the Town Hall, on a bronze bench next to the monument, a very picturesque homeless man is sitting, surrounded by a bunch of pigeons, putting a plate for money right in front of him, and even trying to talk to his silent statue, forever sitting there, to which some naughty man put strawberry ice cream in his hand.

In front of the Town Hall in a small park stands Perron fountain- an octagon-shaped base surrounded by an arcade, on it there is a side of columns, a little higher there is a column lying on four lions, at the very top three graces are holding a pine cone crowned with a cross. The original medieval colonnade of le Perron was destroyed in 1468, during the tragic events when the city was torn to pieces by the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, while suppressing a revolt of the townspeople. In 1697, the architect Jean Delcourt converted the remains of the medieval colonnade into a fountain, which at that time was a symbol of the independence of the city of Liege and the right of its own court.

We tried a lot of delicious waffles in Belgium, but the most delicious, in our general opinion, are made here in Liege! For example, in the kiosk to the left of the Town Hall, if you stand facing it.

Along the street leading sideways from the City Hall, An-Feronstra, we go on and on; By the way, we were blatantly deceived by the travel agency - at 4 o’clock it was already closed, although it was supposed to be open until 17 o’clock on Saturday (both the guidebook and the sign at the entrance said so). After about 10 minutes of walking, we find ourselves in front of a green square and a church with two cheerful red and white horns (this is the Church of St. Bartholomew).

We pass by the Maasland Museum of Archeology and Art in the Curtius House - opposite the church. This patrician house, built at the beginning of the 17th century in the Meuse Renaissance style, belonged to an arms dealer and now houses numerous exhibitions, including a serious collection dedicated to the history of weapons. The most unique exhibit of this museum is the Nottger Gospel (circa 1000), in an ivory frame, and later decorated with enamel and precious stones. Alas, it was closed.

Church of St. Bartholomew (St. Barthélemy)

The most famous collegiate church of Liege, the Romanesque Saint Barthélemy, was founded at the beginning of the 11th century. outside the then city by order of Bishop Notger. It is famous for its western "Ottonian" facade with two towers, which is often found in temples between the Meuse and the Rhine (for example, in many churches in Cologne), and a 12th-century bronze font resting on sculptures of 10 bulls and attributed to the master René (Reiner) of Huy . In the 12th-13th centuries, a remarkable foundry school arose in the Meuse valley. The most significant monument of bronze sculpture is this particular font in the Church of Saint-Barthélemy; it stands in a special compartment of the church, on a pedestal to the left of the entrance.

In fact, the font was cast for the Church of Our Lady, which, like the Church of St. Lambert, was destroyed in 1793 with the help of the French revolutionaries. The font was preserved by good people, and in 1804 it was transferred to the Church of St. Barthélemy. The font depicts 5 scenes of Baptism. I won't bore you full description scenes, I will outline briefly. So, scene 1 - the baptism of Christ, 2 - John the Baptist preaching, 3 - the baptism of neophytes, 4 - the baptism of Cornelius (Roman centurion), 5 - the baptism of Crato (Greek philosopher). The font rests on 4 stones, which, in turn, are held by 10 bulls (in the original version there were 12 bulls, symbolizing the 12 apostles). When, having admired the fine work, you realize that it was done in the 12th century (Moscow is still a village lost in the forests), you feel an involuntary awe of the genius of master Rene.

It is also worth looking at the remains of the foundation of the 12th-13th centuries, which are exposed especially for tourists,

to the snow-white decoration of the church and nice paintings (XVII-XVIII centuries) in the altar.

The church is open to visitors every day except Monday, 10-12, 14-17. On Saturdays and holidays 13-17.

From here we walk along the street parallel to the one from which we came, it is short and extremely picturesque, ending in a picturesque dead end,

turning left at a dead end, we come out to the Rue En-or-Château, where a chapel stands one after the other, a magnificent Baroque Church of the Atonement with a bright red facade,

Cathedral of Saint Antoine

and Gothic chapel Immaculate Conception(behind the cathedral are the buildings of the ancient monastery of Frere-Miner).

Everything seems to be under restoration - covered in scaffolding and locked. In front of the monument near the Baroque church, the ascent to the Citadel begins - an impressive staircase, the top of which is lost somewhere there. Nevertheless, people are crawling along it, and we decide to attack...

The ending follows.

Story

In 721 the city became the seat of a bishop. Under the first prince-bishop Notger (972-1007), a cathedral and a palace of prince-bishops were erected, and crafts began to flourish.

For almost 800 years, the bishopric maintained its independence; the last prince-bishop was expelled in 1794 by French troops. The constant struggle with invaders and the ruling clergy for their rights brought Liege the glory of an extremely freedom-loving city. Liege was even called Cite ardente - the furious city. In the 16th century, under the Burgundian Duke Charles the Bold, Liege was destroyed, later it was attacked by the Spaniards and the French, and the city was also badly damaged during the First World War.

Liege was one of the centers of the first industrial revolution. IN XVIII-XIX centuries Many military enterprises appeared here, including the famous rifle production, which worked at full capacity even during the First and Second World Wars. In the 1950s and 1960s, Liege became a center for coal and steel. After the decline of the steel and coal mining industries in the 1970s, Liège remained a major river port and a tourist center.

What to see

Guillemans train station (Gare Guillemans) and bus station are located in the southern part of the city, from where to the main city square, Place St. Lambert (Saint-Lambert) about 2 km (bus no. 1 and 4) along boulevard d "Avroy (Avroy boulevard) and boulevard de la Sauveniere (Sauveniere boulevard). Most of the city passes through place St. Lambert bus routes. Nearby is the second station of Liege - Palais (Gare du Palais). Historical Center Liege is located north of place St. Lambert, along Feronstree. The modern city center is located to the south, around rue Pont d'Avroy (Pont d'Avroy street) and place de la Cathedrale (Cathedral square).

The city center is like a huge museum with one of the longest pedestrian zones in Europe. It is best to start your walk from the tourist office on Feronstree (Feronstre Street) and walk north to the Collegiate Church of Saint Barthelemy (Eglise Collegiale St.Barthelemy, Church of St. Barthelemy; Place Saint-Barthelemy; Mon-Sat 10.00-12.00 and 14.00 -17.00, Sun 14.00-17.00; www.st-barthelemy.be). One of the most significant monuments of the Mosan school of bronze casting is kept here - a huge font of the 12th century, created by an unknown master. It stands on ten bulls, and its walls are decorated with bas-reliefs on biblical themes. The font is still used for baptism. Across the road is the Ansembourg Museum (Musee d'Ansembourg; Feronstree, 114, tel. 04 221 94 02; Tue-Sat 13.00-18.00, Sun 10.00-18.00; €5 adults, €3 for students, pensions, and children. from 12 years old), which features paintings by Liege artists, 17th-century tapestries from Oudenaarde (East Flanders) and ancient Delft tiles. On the second floor there is a hexagonal clock that simultaneously shows the time in 50 countries of the world (Hubert Sarton, 1795). The hall hosts piano concerts (October-June, second Wednesday of the month), tickets for which should be booked in advance.

Nearby, on the Quai de Maestrich, there is the Curtius Museum (Musee Curtius; Quai de Maestrich, 13, tel. 04 221 68 17 Fax 04 221 68 09; Mon-Sun 10.00-18.00; €9 adults, €5 students and pence; www.grandcurtiusliege.be). The 17th-century mansion displays archaeological exhibits from the Meuse region and art objects: products from the Mosan foundry school, ancient coins, glassware from all over the world. A unique exhibit of the museum is the “Gospel of Notger” (XI century) in an ivory frame. Walk down past the tourist office along Feronstree to the junction with rue St. Georges (Saint-Georges street) and turning left, you can go to the Museum fine arts(Le musee des beaux-arts de Liege (BAL); Feronstree, 86, tel. 04 221 89 11; fax 04 221 92 32; Tue-Sun 10.00-18.00; €5 adults, €3 students, pence, and children). The exhibition includes works by Walloon artists including Constantin Meunier, Antoine Wirtz, René Magritte and Paul Delvaux. Here they give puppet shows with the participation of Chanchez.

From rue Hors Chateau, parallel to Feronstree, the 373 steps of the Montagne de Bueren staircase lead to the top of the hill, overlooking Liege and the Meuse valley. Returning to rue Hors Chateau, you can visit the Museum of Religious Art and the Mosan School (Musee d "Art Religieux et d" ArtMosan; Rue Mere Dieu, tel. 04 221 42 25; Tue-Sat 11.00-18.00, Sun 11.00-16.00; Admission is free ). Among the many exhibits preserved from the reign of the prince-bishops, the figure of St. Hubert (16th century), patron of hunters, and an image of the Virgin Mary (c. 1070).

In the immediate vicinity, in the restored building of the Minorite monastery of the Cour des Mineurs, there is the Museum of Walloon Life (Musee de la Vie Wallonne; Cour des Mineurs tel. 04 237 90 40; Tue-Sun 09.30-18.00 €5 adults ., €4 student and pension, €3 for ages 6 to 18). The exhibition tells about the history of the region, traditional holidays and processions, as well as the daily and religious life of the Walloons. Traditional workshops (ateliers) of basket makers, candelabra makers and other craftsmen have been reconstructed here. Returning to Feronstree, we go to the place du Marche (Marche square), where there is the famous Le Perron column, at which, during the reign of the prince-bishops, verdicts were announced and new laws were read out. Since then, Le Perron has been considered a symbol of the city's independence.

Nearby is the town hall (Hotel de Ville, 1714), on the facade of which there is a plaque dedicated to Commissioner Maigret, the hero of Georges Simenon's detective stories. Nearby is the Palace of the Princes-Bishops (Palais des Princes Eveques, 16th century). Passing the house (rue Leopold, 24), where Georges Simenon was born, you need to turn right onto rue de la Cathedrale (Cathedral Street), which leads to the central Liege Cathedral of Saint-Paul (Cathedrale St. Paul, St. Paul's Cathedral, XIX V.).

On the streets closest to the cathedral there are two more churches: Saint-Jean (Eglise St. Jean, Church of St. John the Evangelist, 17th century) and Saint-Jacques (Eglise St. Jacques, Church of St. James), built in the 16th century flaming gothic style.

In the Utrmeuz district, in the eastern part of the city, you can visit the Chanches Museum (Musee Tchantches; Rue Surlet, 56, excursions tel. 04 342 75 75), and in the Boverie Park (Pare de Boverie) - MAMAC Museum of Contemporary Art (Musee d'Art Moderne; Pare de Boverie, Tue-Sat 13.00-18.00, Sun 11.00-16.30, Mon closed €5 adults, €3 - up to 18 years old, children under 12 years old - free), the exhibition includes paintings by Pablo Picasso, Fields Gauguin and Paul Signac.

On Sundays, the largest flea market is held at La Batte (La Batte embankment).

Chanchez

Liege's mascot is Tchanches, a crudely carved wooden doll with a brightly painted face and a huge nose (according to legend, his nose was broken during baptism). According to city residents, this is a typical Liege resident, personifying the humor and love of freedom of the region.

Chanches is the son of a peasant, his name is a Walloon interpretation of François. Chanchez's drunkenness is explained by the fact that his adoptive father fed him crackers soaked in gin. At the same time, Chanchesz became the ruler of Utrmöz, was introduced to Charlemagne and, together with Roland, participated in the Battle of Roncesvalles (though he slept through the decisive part of it). Chanchez wears heavy wooden clogs that make a terrible noise on stage, white stockings, a long blue blouse, a red scarf and a black top hat.

In puppet shows, Chanchez plays the role of a host who talks to the audience. True, he, having had too much, can start a fight instead of a compere, but for Chanchez’s cheerful and sympathetic nature, everything is forgiven. In the Utrmeuse area there is the Chantches Museum (Musee Tchantches, rue Surlet, 56), and puppet shows with his participation are held at the Museum of Fine Arts (Le musee des beaux-arts de Liege (BAL), Feronstree, 86).

Belgian guns

Gun production in Liege dates back to the 11th century. At the end of the 19th century, the gun industry in Belgium developed rapidly. In the 1880s, Belgium produced as many hunting weapons annually as in all other European countries - more than one and a half million guns! In 1891, Liege, where there were about 187 gun companies, produced 1,124,000 guns. By the beginning of the First World War, the Belgians filled the European market with their quality rifles.

About 20% of Belgian arms exports went to Russia - almost 150 thousand came here in 1913 alone. Belgian guns. The most popular were the products of Francotte, Pieper (Bayard), the National Military Weapons Factory (FN), the Liege Manufactory and Lepage. This weapon is still widely used in a variety of types of hunting.

Liege (Belgium) - the most Big city province of the same name, located on the banks of the Meuse River. One of the industrial centers of the country, it is not considered a popular place for tourists, but this does not affect its beauty and unusual atmosphere.

In Liege, history and modernity come together, and ancient cathedrals are often located not far from modern ones cultural centers. Its population is small - about 200 thousand people, so there are rarely traffic jams or long lines at supermarkets.

The sights of Liege can be explored in a few days. Before you know where to go and what to see first, you need to figure out how to get to the city itself.

How to get to Liege

Air travel

The province has international Airport, accepting flights from most countries in Europe, America and Asia, but, unfortunately, there is no regular service in Liege air traffic with the CIS countries, so from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus it is most convenient to fly to Brussels.

To get from the airport to the city center (10 km), you can use public transport (in Liege these are only buses):

• No. 53. Sent every 20-30 minutes;
• No. 57. It runs every two hours from 7am to 5pm daily.

The journey by car along the E42 highway takes about 15 minutes, and the approximate cost of a taxi on this route is 25 euros.

Road from Brussels

You can only get to Liege by train or bus from nearby countries, so most often tourists come here from the capital of Belgium.

The railway connection between the cities is represented by many trains running every 30-60 minutes from Brussel Central station to Liège Guillemins. You can buy tickets both in the station building (in the terminal or ticket office) and online on the official website of the Belgian Railway (www.belgianrail.be). The cost of a one-way ticket is about 16 €. Discounts are provided for students, young people under 26 years of age, children and pensioners.

Note! Traveling around the cities of Belgium is most profitable on weekends, when there is a system of discounts. Thus, the price of tickets for the Brussels-Liège train from 19:00 Friday to 19:00 Sunday is only 8-9 €.

There is an Ouibus bus between the cities every day; ticket prices range from 4 to 6 €. There are discounts for schoolchildren, students and pensioners.

The most convenient way to get to Liege is by car, but the average rental price is 80 €/day. The shortest route is via route E40, but you can also take the E411 highway, turning onto E42. Taxi prices in Liege are at the same level as most European countries– from 2 euros per km and from 5 € – for landing.

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Weather Features

Liege is a city with a moderately warm climate. The most suitable months for a holiday here are June-August, when the air warms up to 22°C. The city gets colder in January and February, but the temperature almost never drops below -2 degrees Celsius.

Precipitation often occurs in Liege, with light but persistent rain in spring and late autumn, and soft snow in winter. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in autumn, as well as in June, July and December.

When to go to Liege? Prices

There is a widespread opinion among tourists that the city has few interesting sights, so there is no influx of curious travelers here throughout the year. Vacation prices always remain at approximately the same level, but in the summer and during the Christmas holidays they can rise by 5-15%.

Accommodation

The minimum price for housing in Liege is 25 €/day (including breakfast) per person in the only hostel in the city - Liège Youth Hostel. Those wishing to stay in a three-star hotel will have to pay from 70 € per room, and the most expensive five-star hotels located in the city center will cost approximately 170-250 € / day.

Local cuisine: where to have a tasty and inexpensive lunch

Lacquemants

In Liege, as in other cities in Belgium, the most popular products are waffles, chocolate and cheeses. Be sure to try the following traditional desserts:

• Bouquetes – pancakes with cocoa, fruit or raisins;

Prices for lunch in cafes and restaurants in Liege start from 15 euros for a three-course business lunch. According to tourists, the rating of the best establishments looks like this:

Le Zocco Chico

1. Restaurant Saveurs de Bulgaria. Eastern European cuisine.
2. Le Zocco Chico. Spanish.
3. La Maison Leblanc and La Roussette de Savoie. French.
4. The Huggy's Bar. American.

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Getting around the city

Liege has many pedestrian roads and few public transport, therefore, the most convenient ways to get around are walking and cycling (rental services are available in all neighborhoods, the price per day is approximately 14 €). The cost of a single trip on buses operating within the city is from 2 €.

Sights of Liege (Belgium)

Montagne de Bueren

Active (and not so active) travelers first go to this unusual place, located not far from the city hospital. The 374-step staircase, planted with plants, is not only a great exercise for your legs, but also a truly beautiful landmark.

Tourists who have mastered such a climb become the owners of the most beautiful photos Liege, because it is from this point that a panoramic view of the entire city opens up observation deck Coteaux de la Citadelle. At the foot of the mountain there are small shops with inexpensive souvenirs.

Liege Central Station is a true masterpiece of architecture. This business card city, a photo against the background of which is a must have for everyone who has visited here. Innovative technologies and the brilliant idea of ​​the author Santiago Calatrava made it possible to create a “floating” building without walls or ceilings, with open platforms and natural light during daylight hours.

If you also want to enjoy the beauty and aesthetics of this attraction, pay attention to weather– a large number of people will not be able to hide from rain or snow here.

The station building also has many cafes and souvenir shops.

Cathedral of Liege

This cathedral is considered the most beautiful in the entire city. He is in central region Liege and is a historical monument of the 15th century. All tourists can enter the church for free at any time of the day, except Sundays, when people come for lunchtime prayer. Don't forget to take advantage of the opportunity to take photos inside and capture the unusual sculptures and antique stained glass windows.

Sculpture of Lucifer. Liege is popular not only for its beautiful buildings, but also for its unusual sculptures. One of these depicts a fallen angel and is located in the main city cathedral. The artist Guillaume Guifs spent more than 10 years to turn ordinary marble into this work of art, for which the city’s residents still thank him today.

The Museum of Belgian and Foreign Painting and Photography is the main art center of Liege. Here you can not only see works by medieval masters, but also visit exhibitions of contemporary artists. Around the building with galleries there is a small green Park with benches and fountains. It's a nice place to have a relaxing holiday the whole family can be found at Parc de la Boverie 3.

La Place du Marche

The Liege Market Square, a wide boulevard with many cafes and restaurants, is a place where you can feel like an ordinary Belgian. People always relax here local residents and tourists who came to see the Perron fountain, a symbol of Liege's independence, and take pictures in front of the city hall.

If you want to try delicious Belgian waffles or enjoy other desserts, be sure to stop by one of the many pastry shops located in the square.

Eglise St-Jacques

Everyone who gets to Liege should visit the Church of St. James - one of the few architectural monuments that combine all cultural styles. Built in the 11th century, it retains its beauty to this day and houses famous works of religious art.

To get to the cathedral, take city bus number 17.

Important! The church is open to tourists every day from 10 a.m. to noon.

Liège's Bridge of Angels, built at the beginning of the 20th century, sits at the confluence of two rivers. On both sides it is decorated with unusual golden figures, and as evening approaches, the attraction begins to play with all the colors of the rainbow.

Souvenirs

Delicious delicacies are most often brought from Belgium - wines, chocolate or cheese. But the list of interesting gifts that you can bring from Belgium is not limited to this:

1. Buy small copies of Liege landmarks - figurines, keychains or magnets.
2. Belgium has a large selection of high quality porcelain or ceramics.
3. Beer and liqueurs are an excellent replacement for standard wine.

Liege (Belgium) is a city worthy of your attention. Have a nice holiday!

Related posts:

Liege (Belgium) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Liege with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Liege (Belgium)

Attractions

Palace of Prince-Bishops - Historical building, which now houses the court and seat of the Walloon government. The palace dates back to the 15th century. It replaced an older medieval structure that had been destroyed. The building is interesting because it marks the transition from Gothic to Renaissance style. Notable features of the palace are two picturesque courtyards with arched passages and columns. The interior is not accessible to visitors.

The best place for a walk in Liege is along the Meuse River. There are also several interesting sites here: the Pont des Arches bridge, built between 1858 and 1862 to replace an old 11th century bridge, a butcher's hall built in 1546, a historic inn from the 16th century. There is a market on La Batte Quay in the morning.

The Church of Saint Barthélemy is one of the main sacred monuments of Liege. This beautiful church was built in the 11th - 12th centuries. In the 18th century, this religious building was significantly expanded, gaining two towers in the style of Romanesque architecture of the Rhine Valley. The church's most valuable treasure is a bronze font cast between 1107 and 1118. Also of interest are the medieval choir and paintings by local artists.

One of the most beautiful streets of Liege is Féronstrée, which starts in the eastern part market square and runs through the heart of the old town to the Church of Saint Barthélemy. Most of the buildings that escaped demolition date back to the 18th century. Here is the Museum of Walloon Art (Musée de l "Art Wallon), which displays paintings, sculptures and drawings by famous Walloon artists

Basilica Saint-Martin is a stone church in the late Gothic style. This religious building was founded in the 10th century and destroyed by fire in 1312 during disputes between the guilds and the nobility. The church was restored in the 16th century and has beautiful stained glass windows dating from 1526–1536.

Maestricht's Quay (Quai de Maestricht) is home to many interesting museums. The Museum of Arms (Musée d'Armes) houses a magnificent collection of small arms, reflecting the traditions of arms production in Liege dating back to the 14th century. The Museum of Curtius (Musée Curtius) includes exhibits from the prehistoric, Roman and Franco-medieval periods, as well as collections of furniture and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution.This museum is housed in a magnificent red brick building built in the Renaissance style between 1600 and 1610.

Church of St. Paul - Cathedral Liege. This is a great example gothic architecture, founded in the 10th century. The structure of the cathedral features a beautiful tower, as well as a pulpit, vaults and ceiling. The church has a beautiful interior, decorated between the 16th and 19th centuries. Several religious treasures were brought here from the ancient Cathedral of St. Lambert, which was destroyed.

The Museum of Walloon Life is one of the most interesting museums in Liege. It is located in a former Minorite monastery. Its exhibitions include 350,000 artifacts and documents illustrating life and culture in the Walloon region.

The Church of St. James was founded in the 11th century and transformed into a magnificent example of late Gothic architecture from 1513 to 1538. The 12th-century Romanesque portico on the west side has been preserved, while the magnificent north portal was reconstructed in Renaissance style in the 16th century.

Montagne de Buren is a hilltop with a stunning panorama of Liege, reached by a winding staircase.

The Archaeoforum is an archaeological site covering an area of ​​almost 4,000 square meters, located in Place Saint-Lambert. Includes ruins of the same name medieval cathedral, destroyed at the end of the 18th century, and an ancient Roman villa.

Train Station- an important transport hub and a magnificent example of modern architecture.