Liege is the main regional city in the province of Liège. It is also Belgium's third largest city, and is the largest centre in Wallonia. It is mostly an industrial city.
Liège has been an important city since the early Middle Ages. It was the capital of the Principality (prince-bishopric) of Liège, which remained an independent state until the French Revolution. In the 19th century it became an early centre of industrialism. The central area of Liège presents itself as a rather interesting mix of a historic town centre (dotted with a few extremely brutalist buildings from the 1960s and 70s), a rather elegant new town with wide boulevards, tall apartment buildings (some Art Deco) and a few pretty parks. The outskirts of Liège consist mainly of large industrial complexes and working-class areas, sprawling over the hills that surround the city.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Palace of the Prince-Bishops - Composed of the Palace of Justice (classic façade at Place Saint Lambert 18) and the Provincial Palace (lateral neo-gothic façade at place Notger 2). This palace is the heart of the city, and represents the political power of the old Prince-Bishops of Liège.
The representation of their religious power was the large Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame and Saint Lambert, torn down at the start of the 19th century after the revolution of Liège and today memorialized by metal columns and a design traced on the ground.
There's also an underground archéoforum, an archeological site with the remains of the three (successive) cathedrals on the site, as well as a building from Roman times. (Open 10AM-6PM except Monday, 4€, +32 (0)4 250 9370.)
At Place Saint Lambert 9-17, you can admire the neo-classic façades, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Town Hall, Perron, and houses along the market square. The town hall (place du Marché, 2), also called "La Violette", is an elegant classic building. It was built in 1714, during reconstruction after the French attacks in 1691. It can be visited on rare occasions only, except for the "salle des pas perdus" - "room of lost steps" which is freely accessible. The houses on the square, with their charming blue stone and brick faces, date from the same period. The Perron, symbol of the city's freedom, is at the center of the square above the fountain that acts as its support. The perron is one of the symbols of the city and was used to render justice.
The streets Hors Château and En Feronstrée are worth a visit for the architecture of the large villas and more modest houses, most dating to the 18th century. In particular, the Hôtel d’Ansembourg at Feronstrée 114, now a museum, is worth visiting for the well-preserved original interior (1-6PM except Mondays, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9402).
The Museum of Walloon Art (en Féronstrée 86), a bit further along in a modern building, has a panorama of works by regional painters since the Roman times. (Open 1-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4:30PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9231).
The Curtius Palace, quai de Maestricht 13. This imposing 8-story building from the start of the 17th century was the store of a rich arms merchant. The nearby Hôtel de Hayme de Bomal (quai de Maestricht 8 and rue Feronstrée 122) was an official building under French rule and twice welcomed Napoleon. These two buildings and several other historic buildings provide the backdrop for the Museum Grand Curtius with its art and history collections (reopening early 2008).
Saint Barthélémy Church (rue Saint Barthélémy 2) was the last of 7 "collégiales liégeoises" to be built, near the end of the 11th century. Recently renovated, it is home to the masterwork of the Liège goldsmiths from the Middle Ages: the baptismal fonts from the old parish church of the cathedral. (Open 10-12AM and 2-5PM from Monday to Saturday, 2-5PM Sundays, 1,25€, +32 (0)4 223 4998).
The Museum of Wallonian Life is an ethnological mueseum hosted in an old convent. (Cour des Mineurs, closed for renovation until spring 2008, +32 (0)4 237 9040).
The Museum of Religious Art (rue Mère Dieu 1) will be integrated into the future Museum Grand Curtius, but can now be visited separately. (Open 11AM-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 4225).
The Mountain of Bueren and the slopes of the Citadel. Climb the imposing staircase of 373 steps, or opt for the smaller streets and stairways leading up to the Citadel's slopes. From the top, you'll have a lovely view of the city, from the Palace rooves to the ancient watchtower.
The streets Fond Saint Servais, Pierreuse and du Péry are typically quaint and lead up to the remains of the old citadel, with an ancient well, a monument commemorating the Second World War, and in particular a superb view over the city.
WHAT TO DO
The market "marché de la Batte" is one of Europe's longest, extending several kilometers along the quays. It takes place every Sunday morning, attracting many visitors.
Flea Markets at Saint Gilles and Saint Pholien (Friday morning on the Boulevard de la Constitution) also attract many visitors.
The celebrations of 15 August in Outremeuse welcome more than 300,000 people each year.
The fair, held since the city was established, has become a fun-fair. It takes place from the first weekend in October to the second weekend in November (6 weeks).
The Christmas Village, one of the biggest and oldest in the country, has more than one million visitors each year.
The celebrations of Wallonia (2nd weekend in September), the nuit des Coteaux (night events in the historic center), the Secret Gardens and Corners Day (la journée Jardins et Coins secrets - 3rd Sunday in June), and the heritage days (les journées du patrimoine - end September) are other key dates in Liège.
Visit the Carré district, where you can celebrate or party on any day, at any time. It's the preferred district of students, alternating shops and cafés, many of which allow dancing (sometimes on the tables!).
The Festival of Walking, in the second half of August, offers urban walks.
The Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera, and Theater de la Place head up the cultural life in Liège.
Le Trocadéro is the most Liégeois of Parisian cabarets, or the most Parisian of Liège cabarets, depending on how you look at it, while two other venues (La Bouch’rit and le Comiqu'Art) offer dinner-show combinations.
There are numerous sports clubs including, oddly enough, three different rowing clubs. RCAE, a university club but open to everyone, offers a range of sports from parachuting to spelunking. The sports fields at Xhovémont, Cointe or Sart Tilman are ideal for practice, while the soccer stadium of Standard (the Liège team) is the place to show your enthusiasm as a fan. The ice rink, dating from the water exposition of 1939, is in its last seasons before being moved, while a new swimming pool with modern facilities including a diving tower will soon be constructed in the center. (The previous one is being converted to a museum.) Other pools are spread throughout the city, notably in Outremeuse.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Aéroport de Liège-Bierset Specialising in freight, the airport is nevertheless home to charter flights and a few regular lines, with routes to/from Agadir, Alicante,Bodrum, Catania, Corfu,Djerba, Heraklion, Hurghada, Ibiza, Izmir, Las Palmas, Malaga, Monastir, Palma de Mallorca, Pristina, Rhodes, Tel Aviv and Tenerife. Reaching the city centre with public transportation is a bit tricky.
By train - Liège-Guillemins Station is the primary station, located on the southwest part of the city. A Thalys line serves Paris, Brussels Midi, Liège-Guillemins, Aachen, and Cologne.
From Brussels, intercity service runs at least hourly and takes about 60 minutes from Brussels Nord. From Brussels Airport, take the airport shuttle to Leuven and take intercity service from there. From the north, connect in Maastricht. Trains run at least hourly and take about 30 minutes.
Once you're at Liège-Guillemins station, you can get to city centre by changing to a train heading for Gare du Palais, or by taking the number 1 or number 4 bus just outside the station to Place St. Lambert.
By Car - Being a fairly large city, many motorway exits are signposted for "Liège". When coming from Germany or Netherlands, it's best to follow the E25 to its end, then follow the road signs to the center. Coming from Luxembourg, it's best to exit at "Angleur" and follow signs to the center, or to continue on to the exit marked "Liège-centre". Finally, coming from Paris, Lille, Brussels, or Antwerp, follow signs to Luxembourg until you reach the exit marked "Liège-centre".
By bus - Liège is well-connected by bus, notably in the Eurolines network. Eurolines arrivals/departures are on rue des Guillemins, near the train station.
By boat - Individuals arriving with their own boat are welcome at the port des Yachts. Many organised cruises departing from Maastricht stop in the center of Liège, on the right bank (quai Marcatchou to quai Van Beneden).
