Tongeren Tourist Attractions

The rural market town of Tongeren (French Tongres), which is also a local administrative center, lies on the little river Jeker and is surrounded by the fertile fields of the Hesbaye (Hasbengouw). The town has considerable economic importance for the extensive region around it because of the number and variety of jobs available in many small industrial concerns.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwbasiliek

This basilica is one of Belgium's finest Gothic churches. It was started in the mid 13th C, with many later additions.

Highlights:	Onze-Lieve-Vrouwbasiliek Treasury	Onze-Lieve-Vrouwbasiliek Cloisters

Ambiorix Monument

Opposite the church tower in the middle of the Grote Markt stands the monument to the Eburon prince Ambiorix who in 54 BC defeated the Roman legions of Sabinus and Cotta. The monument was created in 1866 by the sculptor Jules Bertin.

Civic Museum

On the ground floor of the City Hall, also in the Grote Markt, can be found the Civic Museum which exhibits documents and objects concerning the history of Tongeren.

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Gallo-Roman Museum

The most interesting sight in Tongeren apart from the basilica is the Gallo-Roman Museum, which was closed until the middle of 1994 for comprehensive renovation. Its collections are among the most valuable of their kind in Belgium.

The museum features a prehistoric and Gallo-Roman department, a section for the study of archaeology and an excellent audio-visual presentation.

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Remains of Town Walls

Northwest of the town center a considerable part of the Roman town wall dating from the second C., which was once 4.5km/nearly 3mi long, still remains. Near the south door of the basilica remains of a fortress tower of the second Roman wall, dating from the fourth C., were discovered.

The third medieval town wall built from 1257-1264 almost completely surrounds the town center.

Leopoldwal

Especially attractive is the section of town wall around Leopoldwal which ends at the Moerenpoort, the only one of the six town gates which has survived. It was built in 1379 and now contains a small museum of weapons (admission on inquiry at the tourist bureau).

Lakenmakerstoren

To the east by the wall of the béguinage stands the defensive tower Lakenmakerstoren.

Begijnhof

Like almost all Belgian béguinages, that of Tongeren was founded in the 13th C., destroyed by iconoclasts and rebuilt again, until the French Revolution ended the Beguine communities here in Belgium. The 13th C. church is dedicated to St Catherine and has beautiful Baroque fittings and a crucifixion scene by Gaspar de Crayer. St Luitgard, the protective saint of Flanders, is said to have been born just outside the béguinage.

Kasteel Betho

Outside the town center to the northwest near the Beukenberg, an earthwork constructed by the Romans, is the great castle of Betho built in the 17th C. and extended in the 18th. To the north in a park is the Pliniusbron, a spring rich in iron which was praised by Plinius the Elder.

Surroundings

Kasteel van Alden-Blezen

About 11km/7miles northeast of Tongeren lies the Kasteel van Alden-Blezen (1220) which was the headquarters of the German order of chivalry. The largest part of the recently restored building dates from the 18th C. and is now used as a cultural center of the Flemish community. As well as the great moated castle, with four corner towers and a main tower, there are extensive gardens, stables, a hospital and a pilgrims' hostel in the complex. The chapel of 1638 contains among other items a picture by de Crayer.

Murder of St Emervarus, Rutten

Every year on May 1 many spectators come to Rutten, 4km/2.5miles north of Tongeren, to see the graphic mystery play about the death of St Emervarus who was murdered by a certain Hacco as he returned from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.