Liège opens up the other half of Belgian culture as it is a major city of Wallonia, the French-speaking area of Belgium.

A popular tourist destination and situated on the banks of the River Meuse, there are many reminders of a colourful and affluent past.  The central part of the town is along the western bank of the Meuse, which splits in two creating the island of Outremeuse.

Belgium's second oldest city was independent for much of its history, ruled over by Prince-Bishops for 800 years, and suffered a lot of damage during World War II.

The symbol of the city of Liège is the Perron at the Place du Marché. The monument represents the Province of Liège and the freedom of the city. Designed in 1697 by Jean Delcour, the monument consists of a octagonal fountain with arcades in which a column, carried by four lions, supports the Three Graces who carry a pine cone. 

Close to the Perron is the town hall of Liège, known as La Violette, and the Place St. Lambert with the most awesome building of the city, the former palace of the Prince-Bishops of Liège. It now functions as the Palace of Justice. 
 
Those who are not afraid of some physical effort can take a walk up the steps of the Montagne de Bueren, built in 1880 to allow the soldiers of the garrison on top of the hill to go down to the center without having to pass through the dangerous little alleys. Once at the top, you will be rewarded with a fantastic panoramic view over the city of Liège.

Liège is also the city of George Simenon, the creator of  the police detective Maigret.  Simenon wrote hundreds of novels and stories, both under his own name or under a pseudonym, and started the Maigret series in 1931.  

 

• Museum of Religious Art and Art from the Meuse ~ Full of well-preserved regional religious relics.
• Montagne de Bueren ~ 406 steps lead up to a former citadel, now a hospital, and offers an excellent city panorama.
• Walloon Art Museum ~ Displays art by French-speaking Belgians, including Magritte and Delvaux.
• Perron ~ Situated in the Place du Marché, the monument represents the Province of Liège and the freedom of the city. (See above.)
• The Arms Museum ~ The second most important Arms Museum in Europe, highlighting the fact that Liège has long been a centre of arms trade to all parts of the world.  The museum possesses a total of more than 13,000 items, although only a selection is on display.
• Churches ~ St James' Church is probably the most impressive church of Liège, and originally meant as a stop for pilgrims on the road to Santiago the Compostella in Spain. Others include St Paul's Cathedral, St Martin's Church and St Bartholomew Church.
• Val Saint Lambert Crystal Factory ~ Originally an ancient abbey, and during the 1800's a successful crystal factory that floundered during the depression of the 1930's.  Resurrected in 1987, and successful once again, the Val Saint Lambert factory is open for tours and visitors can enjoy a demonstration of glass-blowing and crystal-engraving.