WALLONIA

In Wallonia the three main cities are : Liège, Namur and Tournai.

Liège | Namur | Tournai | Bastogne | Bouillon | Binche | Dinant | Durbuy | Francorchamps | Spa | Waterloo

LIEGE

Liege developed Europe's earliest and most advanced coal mining industry, metallurgy plants, glassworks and especially gun factories.

The Palace of the Prince-Bishops is one of the largest secular Gothic buildings of Europe. Presently it houses the court rooms of Liege. Opposite this Palace is the ancient Market Place with the Town Hall and its 'Perron' column, symbol of the city's liberties.

NAMUR

The fortified city on the Meuse river with the Citadel of Namur. Today the citadel is offering visitors a good view of the peaceful town below.

TOURNAI

The city is famous for a fabulous Romanesque/Gothic cathedral : the grand Cathedral of Our Lady, a five-towered masterpiece built during the 12^th and 13^th centuries. Its treasury contains the silver and copper 'Shrine of Our Lady' (1205), its also houses works by Rubens and his contemporary Jordaens.

OTHER TOWNS IN THE ARDENNES

BASTOGNE

The Battle of the Bulge centered around the town of Bastogne.

BOUILLON

It is the town and castle in Luxembourg where in the 11th century, Duke Godefried of Bouillon started the Crusades that would end in the fall of Jerusalem.

BINCHE

Is especially known for its annual carnival held just before Lent. During the three-day carnival, noisemaking and dancing are led by 'Gilles'. These are men dressed in high, plumed hats and bright costumes.

DINANT

The city is known for his 16^th century Citadel and it is also the hometown of Adolph Sax, who invented the saxophone.

DURBUY

Durbuy was proclaimed the smallest chartered town in the world in 1331.

Nowadays it is a tourist centre. There is a brewery.

FRANCORCHAMPS

It is world famous for its annual Formula 1 car race. The Circuit is 6.940 km long.

SPA

The city gave his name to all spas and was the watering hole of the entire aristocracy of Europe in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, including Tzar Peter the Great who was cured by the waters of Spa of a serve form of indigestion.

WATERLOO

This is, of course, the place where Napoleon lost the battle against the allied troops commanded by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Marshal Blucher in June 1815. There are a few monuments, under which 'The Lion of Waterloo' on an artificial hill from 45 m high. A stair from 260 steps lead to the top.