Liege Attractions

An exhibition of more than 1000 different species of butterflies in the home of naturalist Dr. Paul Houyez. Belgian butterflies are highlighted but there are also more exotic species from Africa and Asia.

In a street running parallel to the Rue de la Régence from the theater to the Meuse stands the Church of Saint-Denis, founded by Bishop Notker in 987 and consecrated in 1011. The tower is of 11th C. origin, the choir was built in the 14th C. In the right side aisle there is a fine carved Gothic altar with a representation of the Passion of Christ.

The Château d'Aigremont lies on the left bank of the Meuse 16km/10miles southwest of Liège and according to legend was built by the four children of Haimon. The present day château is of 15th C. origin and was rebuilt in the 18th C. The tour takes in the kitchen with over 1,000 Delft tiles. It has a beautiful staircase with Italian idyllic landscape paintings in a trompe-l'oeil style.

Exhibits of more than 1000 toys dating from the 19th century to the 1950's.

A flea market is held on the Boulevard Kleyer.

The birthplace of composer Andre Ernest Modeste Grétry (1741-1813). The house displays several musical instruments of the period.

Guided tours are organized by the tourist office. A brochure is available with a city walk following the steps of Georges Simenon and information on boat trips on the Meuse (including Visé).

The Liege festival takes place in July with folk dancing and music.

This annual festival is celebrated on the right bank of the Meuse in mid-August. The festival has religious origins and still includes a procession in honor of the Virgin Mary. Other events include concerts and performances showcasing local customs.

South of Saint-Jacques, the Parc d'Avroy is laid out on the site of an old harbor. In the north of the park is a massive statue of Charlemagne on horseback (1868), a few yards to the east, on the Boulevard Piercot, stands the Royal Conservatory of Music (1881-1886). Alongside the Meuse is an elevated terrace surrounded by a wall with four groups of bronze statues, among them the Bulltamer by L. Mignon and the Monument National de la Résistance (National Monument to the Resistance Fighters in the Second World War).

A cruise along the Meuse from Liege to Maastrict.

This is a botanical complex on the grounds of the Sart Tilman estate at the University of Liège. Four different greenhouses showcase a wide range of plants from all over the world.

Not far beyond the Théâtre Royal stands the Eglise Saint-Jean, founded in 980 by Bishop Notker. It was modeled on the Pfalz chapel in Aachen as can be seen from the octagonal outline of the central building. In the 18th C. it fell into disrepair and was partly demolished, being rebuilt according to the original plans in 1754-1760. It contains two beautiful sculptures, a Madonna "Sedes Sapientiae" (around 1230) in oak and from the same period "Mary and John the Baptist".

Domäne Sart Tilman (740ha/1829 acres), part of the university, extends along the right bank of the Meuse to the south of Liège. There are Botanical Gardens, the Château de Colonster (17th C.) with the Georges Simenon Foundation and an open air museum with over 70 sculptures and works by Belgian sculptors.

Built 1818-1822 and modeled on the Odéon in Paris the Théâtre Royal on the southwest side of the Place de la République is home to the Opéra Royal de la Wallonie.

At the end of the Rue de la Régence is the Place Cockerill with the neo-Gothic main post office and the state university founded in 1817. As well as lecture halls the university building houses a library containing over a million volumes and a natural science museum with an important paleontology department.

The best views over the city are from the Citadel and the Parc de Cointe to the south, where the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (1936) and the immense Monument Interallié (Monument to the Allies in the First World War; 1937) can be seen.

A second pedestrianized area lies to the south of the theater around the triangular square Vinâve d'Ile (fountain by Delcour), off which leads the Passage Lemonnier, the first covered shopping arcade in Belgium (1839).

Wallonia Festivals include cultural and folklore events featuring processions and markets, fireworks and Chinese lantern balls in the evening.

This annual festival runs from June to October and includes operas, orchestral, choral and chamber concerts, organ and piano recitals, dance and theatrical performances, art exhibitions, lectures and various children's events.

The festival takes place in numerous towns including Brussels, Chimay, Hainaut, Huy-Durbury, Liège, Modare, Mons, Namur, Stavelot, Tournai, Villers-la-Ville, the Brabant Wallon region, and Saint-Hubert, among others.