Namur Belgium. Yus is small. Treasure of Hugo d'Ognez
A little history
One of the military historians
called the battles for Liege and Namur
"sea battles on land"
in which heavy artillery,
superior in power to the weapons of dreadnoughts,
put an end to the military's three-century belief that
that a well-fortified fortress
can withstand a long siege.
Namur is located at the confluence of two important waterways, the Chambray and Meuse rivers, which gave it great strategic importance for many centuries and was the cause of continuous sieges from Roman times until the Second World War.
The first settlement arose on a small piece of land exactly where two rivers met. This area looked like a pig's head and therefore received the French name Grognon. A large, high and long rock, located between the Meuse and Chambray, served ideal place, from where the Meuse valley could be observed and controlled. In Roman times, people settled on the left bank of the Chambray. The city becomes an important center, home to many blacksmiths and potters. Later, the first Christian churches appeared here.
In the 10th century, all power passed to the feudal lords, the local lord Count Berengarius built a donjon, a castle on the top of a cliff. The city, however, tried to resist and was often under siege. One of the sieges of the city is now reflected in a modern folk festival called "fighting of stilt walkers." There is a legend about how in the 14th century the city was surrounded by the troops of a local count. The count declared that he would not lift the siege, no matter how petitioners came to him: on foot, on horseback, in boats or carts. Then the townspeople came to him on stilts. Struck by the intelligence of the Namurians, the count forgave them and lifted the siege.
At the end of the 15th century, walls were finally erected around the city. During the Spanish period in the Low Countries (XVI-XVII centuries), Namur became the location of one of the new bishoprics, which was supposed to serve as a fortress for Catholicism and a support to contain the spread of the influence of Calvinism. Philip II of Spain makes Namur an important military center from which he could fight Protestantism. Moreover, he also supports the creation of many religious orders that turn Namur into a real Catholic bastion.
Probably, the ancient conquerors were obsessed with the idea “Namur must be destroyed,” otherwise how to explain the fact that in subsequent centuries Namur experienced many invasions by various armies trying to lay their hands on the economically very important Low Countries. Armies attempting to outflank and take the Flemish cities of Ghent, Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, etc., always crossed the Meuse River near Namur. For this reason, there are not as many ancient buildings in Namur as there could be. In the 19th century, the industrial revolution came to the city, and thanks to it, and the always important military significance of the city, 9 large military fortresses were built, which played an important role in the First World War.
In order to cross Belgian territory, the Germans had to capture Belgian fortresses. The Belgians, who achieved a high standard of living thanks to the industrial revolution and the colonization of the Congo, spared no expense in strengthening existing fortresses and building new ones, despite the country's neutrality guaranteed by the great European powers. The strongest Belgian fortresses were Liege and Namur, which covered the crossings across the Meuse. Built between 1888 and 1892, these fortresses were a system of forts built around a city and positioned in such a way that they could support each other with artillery fire when attacked by the enemy. On the outside, the forts were surrounded by a wide ditch 30 feet deep, so this ditch could not be crossed without a crossing. The forts themselves were reliably protected by thick reinforced concrete walls, which could not be penetrated by any ordinary field gun shell. Only siege artillery of larger calibers could cope with the walls of the fortress. In August 1914, the German army had such guns, and the fortresses fell...
Historically, Belgium was divided into nine provinces (now there are 10). However, due to the transformation of Belgium into a federation in 1989, the country was divided into three regions: Flanders (in the north), Wallonia (in the south), and the Brussels region. In Belgium, you can often see regional banners flying next to the national flag: a yellow banner with a red Walloon rooster and a black Flemish lion on a yellow background.
Namur is the capital of the province of the same name and the political capital of Wallonia (the French-speaking southern part of Belgium).
Those who have little interest in such concepts as armored fortification can safely continue reading right from the “Walks around the city” section. For those interested in military history, I suggest reading the next section.
The use of armor fortification in Belgium. Fortresses of Liege and Namur
“If in the main states of Western Europe armor in the second half of the 80s found itself still relatively limited practical use in fortresses, the same cannot be said about small states led by Belgium, in which the period under review can truly be considered the era of armored fortification, vigorously promoted by the Belgian engineer Brialmont. If in the 60s and 70s the name of the Russian engineer Totleben thundered across Europe, then in the 80s and 90s he was replaced by the name of the Belgian engineer Brialmont. He was the leader of armored fortification, which found its widest use in Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Denmark and Holland.
The Bucharest experiments carried out in the same and subsequent 1886 did not at all cool Brialmont’s attraction to armored towers: he continued to believe in them, considered them a panacea for all ills, and in 1887, when the Belgian government entrusted him with the design of the fortresses of Liege and Namur on the river Maase, then these Brialmon brainchildren were the complete personification of the so-called armored fortification.
At the same time, this type of fort was subjected to severe criticism from French and Russian experts, mainly pointing out the unacceptability of the ideas of armored fortification (La fortification cuirassee) for fortresses, and at the same time the type of battleship fort. The Russian prof. especially protested against such forts. K. I. Velichko; and, as the experience of the World War showed, he was absolutely right, since the Brialmont forts of Liege and Namur did not pass the combat test.
Despite the fact that Belgium, led in serfdom by Brialmont, was clearly following the wrong path, this path was then chosen by a number of small states. First of all, in 1889, Romania was reserved, where the capital of the state, Bucharest, was reinforced precisely by Brialmont's battleship forts - only of a different design and structure in detail compared to the forts of Liege and Namur. A year or two later, similar forts began to grow in Holland - to protect Amsterdam, in Switzerland - to strengthen the snowy peaks of St. Gotthard, in Denmark - to supply Copenhagen, and finally, even later, “battleship forts” appeared in Sweden and Austria.”
(c) http://fortress.vif2.ru/biblio/yakovlev/23.htm
I can also offer useful links on the history of the First World War in Belgium:
http://militera.lib.ru/h/galaktionov/09.html
http://militera.lib.ru/h/ww1/04.html
http://militera.lib.ru/h/liddel-hart/35.html
Belgium in the 10s of the twentieth century
http://www.hrono.ru/land/191_belg.html
Start of a walk around the city
It's a stone's throw from the station to the Old Town - a little to the left to the travel agency kiosk, in front of which stands an unimaginable bronze contraption, due to the mayor's oversight, apparently installed as a monument to someone. Map city is sensible and quite detailed. There are three travel agencies in the city: at the station, at the Town Hall and on the other side of the river where the Citadel is.
I will scold (again) the guidebook “Le Petit Fute” - it is written confusingly and indistinctly, attractions located at different ends of the city are mentioned side by side in the text, the maps, as usual, were not translated by the person who wrote the text, how much more logical would it be to lay out, say , a route on the map, and consistently describe everything that is worth seeing. The text also causes criticism: there is no logic at all, it’s some kind of interlinear translation, apparently. It is of keen interest in what year all their guides to Europe were written - because how to explain the fact that events that occurred since the mid-90s are not mentioned in it, for example, the inclusion of some objects in the list cultural heritage UNESCO, or long-term restoration of large objects? And in the few photographs with people, people are in bell-bottoms and have hairstyles from the 70s...
But let's return to Namur. The city, strategically located very well, was not very advantageously built - it was not only often destroyed, but also often flooded by overflowing rivers. For this very reason, the surviving cultural treasures are somewhat scattered throughout the city. But if your goal is to see everything. including residential areas, then explore enough of Corbeil - Old city inside the boulevard ring and the Citadel.
So, from the station you need to go left to the travel agency, then, with your back to the travel agency, straight along the busy shopping street. We were lucky on this trip to flea markets - one of them was located right here. Luzhniki in its heyday. Honestly, I was amazed at how many people were wandering around the cheap and stupid markets of Europe buying all sorts of nonsense. Everyone is not averse to buying anything cheap for a penny - and I saw such flea markets in Italy, and in Spain, and in France, and in Austria. Moreover, these are not flea markets, but rather fairs of products of dubious production and quality. Quite prosperous-looking women rummage through piles of sunglasses for 5 euros, T-shirts for 5-10 euros, children's clothes and some oversized trousers hung out in whole brackets.
From somewhere there is a strong smell of burnt bread, this smell followed us for half the city. Having made our way between the trays, we approach the church with a baroque bright pink facade (St. Joseph) directed upward, decorated with three statues of saints. Negroes protesting against something are sitting right on its steps, holding posters in their hands, and the posters are hung along the church fence. Anything, just not to work :)
Because of the crowd and the pile of tents, we almost ran past the local Town Hall - it’s on the left side.
Church of Saint-Jacques
It’s difficult to navigate in all this chaos, and we decide to escape to a side street. At the Zara store, on the left hand side, turn right and go to the Lacoste store - otherwise you won’t be able to navigate. In front of us is the Church of Saint-Jacques, built on the site of the medieval hospital of Saint-Jacques, which stood here since the 13th century. The hospital was not part of the city limits and the brothers of mercy even accepted foreign soldiers. Pilgrims making a pilgrimage to the Spanish Santiago de Compostela have stopped here since 1406 - many written sources testify to this. In 1755, a church was built here from gray Walloon granite, which rises sternly and impregnably among the surrounding buildings. Alas, it was not possible to examine the inside of the church - the gloomy-looking door was locked.
Church of Sainte-Loup
The Church of Saint-Loup (1621-1645) was built in the image and likeness of the Church of Il Gesu in Rome, however, like most Jesuit churches - you will never confuse them with other churches! It was originally dedicated to St. Ignatius, and after 1777 it was renamed Sainte-Loup. All the beauty of the church is concentrated inside: a carved ceiling and smooth walls, as if carved from ancient ivory, beautiful columns made of pink marble numbering 12, decorations made of black marble...
Nearby stands the austere pink building of the Jesuit College, which is why the street is called Rue de Collège. Along it we reach the square on which stands
St. Aubin's Cathedral
The cathedral is occupied by cars - densely and mercilessly, they barely made it to the entrance.
It is very spacious inside and so quiet that even our careful steps echo loudly somewhere under the arches. In the church, apart from my husband and me and another man sitting thoughtfully on one of the pews, there is no one, and each next person who comes is perceived with a certain degree of irritation, as a breaker of the silence.
Built between 1751 and 1767, the cathedral clearly shows the Italian origins of its architect, Gaetano Pizzoni, who came from Milan. The reconstruction of the cathedral was led a little later by Jean-Baptiste Chermann. Pizzoni built the cathedral on the site of a former Romanesque church built in 1047 by Count Albert II of Namur, from which only a tower with south side. The church became a cathedral in 1559, when a bishopric was created in Namur. The heart of Don Juan of Austria, the Spanish governor of the Netherlands, who died in 1578, the winner of the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto, is buried in the cathedral.
Phew, tired of walking. At the very place where the first settlement arose - exactly at the place where two rivers met, similar to a pig's head and therefore given the French name Grognon - either excavations or construction work are being carried out, and a monument to King Albert can be seen. From the bridge you can especially clearly see the balcony of an old house hanging over the embankment, covered with grapes and flowers, on which a couple of ladies are sipping tea, admiring the views.
To the right of the bridge is Butchers' House– an authentic building made of red brick, faded with time, and white stone. This is perhaps one of the oldest and most impressive buildings in Namur: it was built between 1588 and 1590. There is a local ominous legend that the building was built on the banks of the Chambray River because streams of blood from cutting up carcasses flowed straight into the river, so the pavement is red in color and has not faded over time, and sometimes blood stains appear on the stones of the house, like like fresh...
We walked there - the pavement was ordinary, gray-brown with dust. The legend may have some basis, but no stains were found. Probably unlucky. Now here is the Archaeological Museum of Wallonia.
A little further in front of us is Parade Square, or Place des Armes(that’s how our guidebook translators translate it, in any case). The elegant one dominates the square Exchange with heavy wrought iron gates,
behind its left wing can be seen the ancient tower of St. James, built in 1385, the only bell tower in the city. In those turbulent times, it allowed us to explore the entire city and surrounding area. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with a number of bell towers from Belgium and France.
Before you go to shoot the tower, pay attention to the statues of two funny clowns and a couple of snails right in front of you - there are a crowd of kids here and the shot can turn out funny - like ours, when the kid tried to ride the snail.
A little to the side is an elegant theater building, surrounded by umbrellas of street cafes,
and another gray tower called Maria Spilar - probably left here from the city fortifications - stern, impregnable, gloomy.
Treasure of Hugo d'Ognez
There is one story in the city of Namur... At the end of the 12th century, Hugo, a goldsmith from the city of Valcourt, moved to the town of Ognez, now part of the Belgian province of Ano, along with his brothers. They founded a religious community, where Hugo, already a monk, had a workshop. In 1207, the daughter of the local lord, Maria d'Onez, moved here, she settled here and took care of the lepers. One of the pilgrims who came to the community was the French priest (later cardinal) Jacques de Vitre. He joined the community, but soon left for the Holy Land. When he returned, he brought a large number of relics, which laid the foundation for the famous treasury of the Priory. Master Hugo did not stand aside from the creation, and throughout his life he made many beautiful relics. History is silent about when the master died, but presumably it happened in the year 1240, since since that time there have been no new additions to the treasury. After the closure of the Agnez Priory by the French revolutionaries, the treasury ended up with the sisters of the Monastery of Our Lady, where it is still located at rue Julie-Billiard, 17. Looking at it, you understand that the gold work of the masters from the Meuse Valley has reached an amazing level - and this in the 13th century century!
Nearby stands Notre Dame, a church built in 1749-1753. designed by local native architect Malizhan. A stand in front of the church says that previously there was a Gothic Church of Peter and Paul on this site, which was first rebuilt and then renamed. Alas, this church also turned out to be closed, and we did not examine the amazing wooden decoration. It’s not easy to get into the church - even to photograph it, we had to scour the courtyards, because the entire space around was densely and chaotically built up. Finally, we found a small entrance framed by a marble arch with a figurine of the Mother of God - that’s where, in fact, you can photograph the church.
Hand on heart, I liked Namur a little less than other Belgian cities - either the general unkemptness of the city affected it, or something else, but the fact remains: I find it difficult to name the most favorite Belgian town, but the least favorite - alas - was Namur. However, I think that the town should be given another chance and we will visit it again someday. And I advise you to take a look - in the orderly series of cities with Citadels, it is quite organic, and, moreover, along the way.
The first mention of Namur dates back to the 7th century. The first settlers were Celts, then the French and later the Austrians ruled the area. Namur became a territory of Belgium only at the end of the 19th century. old City With rich history and a huge historical heritage.
You should start exploring the local attractions with a walk along the Embankment, which stretches along the Sambre River. From here you have a beautiful view of the Citadel. One of the oldest buildings is St. Aubin's Cathedral, which was extensively rebuilt in the 18th century. Several great military leaders are buried on the territory of the Cathedral. Unfortunately, excursions through the halls of the cathedral are conducted quite rarely, but anyone can enjoy its majestic facades. On one of the streets there is another beautiful building - the Saint-Loup Church. Its construction was completed in the mid-17th century. Due to the fact that the church is located on one of the narrowest streets, its façade can barely be seen.
The largest structure is the Citadel. The first walls surrounding it were erected in the Middle Ages, and the most recent ones were built a little over a hundred years ago. A spacious park adjoins the citadel, and right in front of the building there is the so-called stadium - a spacious area with stands. Not far from the Citadel is the Namur Castle, today a restaurant is open within its walls and everyone can dine by candlelight, surrounded by a real medieval atmosphere. Copyright www.site
Walking along the quiet streets of the city, you can see interesting ancient buildings made in the best traditions of past centuries, visit local shops or stroll along the river bank.
One of the most interesting symbols of the city is the Jamb Bridge; it was built more than a thousand years ago. Looking at this bridge now, it’s hard to even believe its impressive age; it still continues to be used for its intended purpose. Not long ago, the architectural landmark was supplemented with a beautiful lighting system, so now many people want to admire the bridge in the evening. When the lights are on, it appears as if the bridge is illuminated by torches.
The most important religious monument for the city's residents is the Temple of the Virgin Mary. The very first church on its site was built more than a thousand years ago; visitors to the temple can still see some elements of the old building. The main artifact of the ancient church is the statue of the Virgin Mary, which was considered the guardian of the city back in the Middle Ages. Once upon a time, the city walls were surrounded by deep ditches filled with water; fragments of these walls next to the temple can still be seen today. Even the ditches were preserved, but now they have been transformed into artificial ponds surrounded by flower beds.
Fans of theatrical art in Namur will have the opportunity to visit the Royal Theater, its opening took place more than 150 years ago. The theater building is built of rare sandstone and is a valuable architectural monument for the city. Just like many years ago, today the theater hosts interesting performances.
One of the most amazing city attractions is the Marie Spilar Tower. It is a surviving part of the old city wall and there are many incredible stories associated with this tower. Since its construction, it has managed to remain virtually unchanged; even during the Second World War, the tower remained undamaged, while all the buildings located next to it lay in ruins. In the post-war period, several new buildings were built next to the tower; today they represent a single architectural ensemble.
Cities of Belgium -
Namur
Namur is a Belgian city in the Wallonia region, the capital of the province of the same name and the French-speaking community of Belgium. It is located at the confluence of two important waterways, the Chambray and Meuse rivers, which gave it great strategic importance for many centuries and was the cause of many sieges from Roman times to the Second World War.
Since ancient times, the route to the Ardennes ran through Namur. Convenient geographical position, the presence of river connections, as a rule, attracted close attention of surrounding neighbors to this territory. Well, it’s clear where similar attention ends: wars, sieges, destruction, which explains the virtual absence of ancient historical buildings in Namur. In the seventh century, a fortress appeared here, built by the Merovingians, the first dynasty of Frankish kings in the history of France, who ruled from the end of the 5th to the middle of the 8th century in the territory of modern France and Belgium.
In 908, the County of Namur was formed and Count Berengarius built a donjon, a castle on top of a cliff, and the city became dependent on local lords. You need to see that the townspeople often resisted them, for which they fell under siege. One of the city’s gardens is reflected in a modern festival called “fighting of walkers on stilts.” There is a legend about how in the 14th century the city was surrounded by the troops of a local count. The count declared that he would not lift the siege, no matter how petitioners came to him: on foot, on horseback, in boats or carts. Then the townspeople came to him on stilts. Struck by the intelligence of the Namurians, the count forgave them and lifted the siege.
In 1421, the county was acquired by the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good. And in 1506, Namur passed to the Spanish Netherlands. At the end of the 15th century, walls were finally erected around the city. During the Spanish period in the Low Countries (XVI-XVII centuries), Namur became the location of one of the new bishoprics, which was supposed to serve as a fortress for Catholicism and a support to contain the spread of the influence of Calvinism. Philip II of Spain makes Namur an important military center from which he could fight Protestantism. Moreover, he also supports the creation of many religious orders that turn Namur into a real Catholic bastion.
In 1692, after a significant siege, the city passed to the French king Louis XIV. At this time, in addition to the existing fortress walls, a defensive rampart was erected according to the design of the outstanding military architect Vauban. Only from the end of the 17th century did active urban development begin, as evidenced by the rich architectural heritage 18th century Mosan style, characterized by a combination of brick and blue limestone (local Namur stone). After 1830, Namur became part of the newly formed state of Belgium.
Attractions Namur
The city, strategically located very well, was not very advantageously built - it was not only destroyed quite often, but also quite often flooded by overflowing rivers. For this very reason, the surviving cultural treasures of the couple are scattered throughout the city. But if your goal is not to see everything, including residential areas, then it’s enough to explore Corbeil - the old city inside the boulevard ring with remarkable shopping streets and the Citadel.
In the photo: the fortress in Namur.
Namur citadel— The first fortress on this site was built by the Romans back in the 3rd-4th centuries as a means of protecting the Meuse valley from Germanic tribes. Later, in the tenth century, the Count of Namur erected a wooden watchtower on the site of the Roman ruins, which in subsequent years was overgrown with defensive buildings. So in 1235-1245 a new stone fortress was erected, which was expanded in the 14th century. Charles V of Habsburg improved the fortress in the years 1542-1555 so that in the following years it could function as a real city. In the seventeenth century, the walls of the citadel were doubled so that the fortress became one of the most fortified buildings in Europe. Only at the beginning XIX century A huge part of the fortress walls was destroyed by order of Napoleon, since it lost its defensive significance, finding itself in the depths of the empire.
in the photo: Namur Cathedral
Namur Cathedral in the name of St. Albana, built between 1751 and 1767, clearly demonstrates the Italian origins of its architect, Gaetano Pizzoni, who came from Milan. The reconstruction of the cathedral was led a little later by Jean-Baptiste Chermann. Pizzoni built the cathedral on the site of a former Romanesque church built in 1047 by Count Albert II of Namur, of which only the tower on the south side remains. The church became a cathedral in 1559, when a bishopric was created in Namur. The heart of Don Juan of Austria, the Spanish governor of the Netherlands, who died in 1578, the winner of the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto, is buried in the cathedral. His body was buried in El Escorial near Madrid.
Church of Sainte-Loup(1621-1645) was built in the image and likeness of the Church of Il Gesu in Rome, but, like most Jesuit churches, under no circumstances can they be confused with other churches! It was originally dedicated to St. Ignatius, and after 1777 it was renamed Sainte-Loup. All the beauty of the church is concentrated inside: like a carved ceiling and smooth walls carved from ancient ivory, beautiful columns made of pink marble numbering 12, decorations made of black marble.
Butchers' House- a real building made of red brick, faded with time, and white stone. This is perhaps one of the oldest and most impressive houses in Namur: it was built between 1588 and 1590.
Armory Square Place des Armes - In the old days, executions took place there. Until 1914, the dominant feature of the square was the town hall. But during the First World War, the town hall and adjacent houses were almost completely destroyed; a new square was rebuilt in 1923. Now on the square, the first thing that attracts attention is the old Exchange building with heavy wrought iron gates, built in the neo-Renaissance style in 1932. Behind the left wing of the Exchange you can see the ancient St. James Tower, built in 1385, the only bell tower in the city. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with a number of bell towers in Belgium and France. In front of the Exchange there is a funny bronze sculpture with two comic characters and a couple of snails in a cage. The heroes are Joseph and Francois, characters from an old comic strip created by Jean Legrand. The sculpture was created in 2000 and echoes the Namur people’s idea of themselves as leisurely people.
Stone Bridge Zhamb initially (in the twelfth century) the city of Liege of the same name was connected with Namur. Later, Jambe itself became one of the districts of Namur. In the second half of the 20th century, the 160-meter stone bridge was carefully restored and illuminated, and nowadays it is the main bridge of the city and one of the must-see tourist attractions due to its good view of the river.
There are not too many museums in the city, but among them there are quite interesting ones. At the Museum of Ancient Art on Iron Street (Rue de Fer) you can admire a collection of gold and silver items from the 11th to 13th centuries. Medieval and Renaissance objects of Christian art are also stored here. And on Fumal Street there is a museum of F. Rops, a 19th century artist and local native, known for his erotic-religious, dark paintings, inspired by the poems of Baudelaire.
Cultural events
Every year Namur hosts the huge Walloon Fair, usually on a weekend in late September or early October. Its program includes many concerts, including Walloon music. Traditionally, an incredible amount of the local alcoholic drink “pequet” is drunk at the fair, so returning from it after dark can be fraught with all sorts of adventures.
On the third Sunday of September, the annual battle for the Golden Stilt takes place in the square in front of the old customs house. Two teams dressed in medieval costumes stand on stilts and fight each other. In addition, since 1986 the city has hosted the International Francophone Film Festival. Namur also hosts annual jazz (“Nam’in’Jazz”) and rock (“Verdur Rock”) festivals.
How to get to Namur
In less than an hour railway from Brussels or 2 hours from Luxembourg. From Paris to Namur it takes two and a half hours by express train.
Namur from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Namur.
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The city of Namur is located in the heart of the country, less than 40 km from Charleroi and less than 70 km from Brussels. It is the capital of the French part of Belgium, Wallonia, and the name "Namur" itself is the French version of the city's name. Despite the fact that historically the Belgians themselves considered Namur a bourgeois, arrogant city, the local architecture cannot be called light and festive. But unlike the German cities that were heavily damaged during World War II, Namur is very well preserved.
One of the main attractions of the city is the same historical citadel, founded back in the 3rd century by the Romans. After the thickness of the walls was doubled in the 17th century, the citadel of Namur was for a long time the most fortified in Europe.
How to get to Namur
Less than an hour by rail from Brussels or 2 hours from Luxembourg. From Paris to Namur it takes two and a half hours by express train.
Search for air tickets to Brussels (the nearest airport to Namur)
A little history
In the place where the city stands, the Sambra River flows into the Meuse, forming not only beautiful city embankments, but also making the city’s location strategically important. Since the 7th century, the Merovingians took advantage of the convenience of this location, building a powerful fortification here, which then grew into a city with its own county. It is curious that the Lièges settled on the other side, building their own fortified city of Jambes directly opposite Namur. Half a millennium ago, the city was connected by a stone bridge of the same name. This happened after Namur was captured by Flanders, and later by the Netherlands. Under Louis XIV, Marshal Vauban himself was involved in the construction of city fortifications, but they did not help the city much during the great revolutions, shocks of the First World War and the bloody military operation near the Ardennes in 1945. Nevertheless, each time the city rose from the ashes, and its fortress was used for its intended purpose until the mid-19th century.
2 things to do in Namur:
- See an antique 19th century mailbox, more like the famous red London telephone box.
- Take a photo of the Meuse from the Jambes Bridge, and the bridge itself from the citadel.
Entertainment and attractions of Namur
One of the main attractions of the city is the same historical citadel, founded in the 3rd century by the Romans: since then and over the next 16 centuries, it has been completed and strengthened many times. The fortress stands on the Sambre embankment and seems truly huge. Together with the park adjacent to the citadel total area The structure covers 70 hectares. And after the thickness of the walls was doubled in the 17th century, the Namur citadel was for a long time the most fortified in Europe. It’s very interesting to walk around the area, especially since it offers stunning views of the city’s bridges, old and modern, and of Namur in general. In the middle of the citadel, on a table-shaped hill, there is a concert platform with a spectator stand, decorated in the Art Nouveau style. In addition, the Guy Delforge perfume shop-factory is located on the territory.
The Namur fortress should not be confused with the city castle, although the second is located on the territory of the first. In contrast to the harsh military structure with fortified walls, the Namur chateau looks much more secular and even flirtatious thanks to its multi-tiered turret. Today the castle has a restaurant with a beautiful panoramic view.
The colors of Namur are not cheerful postcard variegation, but harsh gray-brown tones. Most of the buildings here are purely utilitarian and functional: it seems that the architects did not think about what their creations would look like several centuries later. Bright materials were not used in urban planning, and over the years, dirty dust and soot settled on the buildings. Thus, the city cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Aubain and rebuilt in the 18th century according to the design of an Italian architect, could look much more festive due to its red and white color. But even without that he is the only one Cathedral in the country, built in the academic late Baroque style. Inside the cathedral you can see the reliquary, which contains the heart of John of Austria, the victor of the Battle of Lepato in 1571, when the Turkish fleet was defeated by the Spanish-Italian fleet.
The famous M. Cervantes took part in the Battle of Lepato: it was there that he was wounded in the arm, which was paralyzed because of this.
Another interesting city church is Saint-Loup, which is located at the Jesuit College. It was built in the first half of the 17th century and was originally consecrated in honor of St. Ignatius. Today the church is distinguished by a distinctive, rather elegant façade and yellow-gray decoration, which has replaced the black marble of the previous structure. Another notable city building is the Gothic beffroy tower, classified by UNESCO among other bell towers from the list of “Beffroy of Belgium and France” as objects World Heritage. And the neo-Gothic Chapel of Our Lady, on the outskirts of Louise Maria Park, was built in the second half of the 19th century. In its interior you can see a sculpture of the Virgin Mary from the 17th century, which previously guarded the city wall.
The stone bridge Jambes originally (in the 12th century) connected the Liege city of the same name with Namur. Later, Jambe itself became one of the districts of Namur. In the second half of the 20th century, the 160-meter stone bridge was carefully restored and illuminated, and today it is the main bridge of the city and one of the must-see tourist attractions thanks to its good views of the river.
The old stock exchange building on Armory Square is beautiful. And in the center of the square there is a funny bronze sculpture with two comic characters and a couple of snails in a cage. The heroes are Joseph and Francois, characters from an old comic strip created by Jean Legrand. The sculpture was created in 2000 and echoes the Namur people’s idea of themselves as leisurely and “snail-like” people.
There are not too many museums in the city, although there are some quite interesting ones. At the Museum of Ancient Art on Iron Street (Rue de Fer) you can admire a collection of gold and silver items from the 11th to 13th centuries. Medieval and Renaissance objects of Christian art are also kept here. And on Fumal Street there is a museum of F. Rops, a 19th-century artist and local native, known for his erotic-religious dark paintings, inspired by the poems of Baudelaire.
Namur is often called shopping center under open air. The main city streets, where many different shops are concentrated, are Rue de Fer and Rue de l'Ange.
Events of Namur
The city hosts a large Walloon fair every year, usually on a weekend in late September or early October. Its program includes many concerts, including Walloon music. Traditionally, an incredible amount of the local alcoholic drink “pequet” is drunk at the fair, so returning from it after dark can be fraught with all sorts of adventures.
On the third Sunday of September, the annual battle for the Golden Stilt takes place in the square in front of the old customs house. Two teams dressed in medieval costumes stand on stilts and fight each other. In addition, since 1986 the city has hosted the International Francophone Film Festival. Namur also hosts annual jazz (“Nam’in’Jazz”) and rock (“Verdur Rock”) festivals.
Popular hotels in Namur
Surroundings of Namur
A little over 20 km south of Namur, in Denis, is the Benedictine monastery of Maredsou. It was founded in the second half of the 19th century and is still active. The abbey has beautiful, rugged architecture and is famous for the products it produces. Firstly, this is the famous semi-soft Maredsu cheese, popular in Europe: it can be bought in individual triangle packages. Plus, the abbey brews its own beer.
About 10 km west of Namur is the old monastery of Floref. It was founded by the Premonstratensian order in the first half of the 12th century and became the second monastery of the order. Later, the order lost influence, the abbey came under the control of the Bishop of Namur and was used as a seminary and then a school. However, in the interior of the 17th century monastery church you can see amazing sculptures and reliefs. Typically, this abbey gave its name to the local beer.
And about 17 km south of Namur is the picturesque, although rather modest, castle of Annevoie, in the village of the same name. The castle was built in the 18th century by the Montpellier family and became famous for the extensive garden with ponds that surrounds it. There is no garden like this in Belgium. The design of the park is predominantly French, although you can see both English and Italian touches here.
65 kilometers from Brussels, where the Meuse and Sabra rivers merge, is located small town Namur (Belgium). Namur is the capital of the Wallonia region and the administrative center of the Walloon province.
The city of Namor grew around a powerful citadel, built by the Romans on the site of a Celtic settlement to protect their land from attacks by Germanic tribes. These events took place shortly before the Nativity of Christ.
Namur - a province and city in Belgium - has an eventful history, a huge historical heritage, and many interesting sights. Namur was annexed to Belgium only at the end of the 19th century.
Main attractions of Namur
In the area between the Meuse and Sabra rivers is the historical center of Namur - this is where the attractions that most attract the attention of tourists are located. Not only the old part of the province, but the entire city occupies completely small area, so the best way to get to know it is on foot. On its territory there are many pedestrian streets, which is why when moving by car you have to spend a lot of time and nerves searching for parking.
So, what attractions in the city of Namur (Belgium) are worth visiting first?
This embankment is one of the most picturesque embankments in the quiet and cozy province of Namur. The pavement is laid with beautiful tiles, there are exquisite iron fences, there are comfortable benches along the entire perimeter and well-groomed trees grow. In autumn, when the foliage of these trees turns yellow and falls, the embankment takes on a particularly fabulous look. At this time, many vacationers always gather here who want to take vacation photos in Namur (Belgium) that would evoke pleasant memories of the trip.
If you start your walk through the administrative center of the Walloon province on the embankment of the Sambre River, then you can appreciate from afar all the power and strength of the main local attraction - the Namur Citadel.
Citadel
It is the Citadel, built by the Romans, and still standing surrounded by protective walls, that is the largest structure of this quiet city.
Near the Citadel there is a well-kept and fairly large park where people like to relax local residents. There is also an observation tower here, from which you can clearly see the entire city and its surroundings. There are well-equipped picnic areas and a beautiful playground for children.
Even in extreme heat, the climb to the fortress is not at all tiring, but if you don’t want to walk, you can take a train.
Entrance free entry into the area.
Provincial Museum Felicien Rops
There are also artistic attractions in Namur. On a quiet, cozy street at Rue Fumal 12, in an 18th-century house, there is a museum dedicated to the life and work of Felicien Rops. About 1,000 works by Félicien Rops (watercolors, sketches, etchings), as well as documents and books telling about his life and creative work, are on display here.
The canvases of the artist and caricaturist have rather strange subjects: women appear mainly as fiends of hell, bringing death to men. Rops was a talented painter with a taste for Erotica, and although most of his works are quite “normal”, it is advisable not to show the exhibits on the second floor to children.
In the courtyard of the mansion in which the museum is located, there is a small garden, quite traditional for a small province.
The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, and on Mondays in July and August. Working hours: from 10:00 to 18:00. Additional holidays: December 24, 25, 31 and January 1.
Ticket prices for adults 3 €, for students and pensioners 1.5 €, for children under 12 years of age admission is free. On the first Sunday of every month, admission is free for everyone.
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In the central part of Namur, at Rue Saint-Loup 1, there is the Jesuit Church of Saint-Loup. This structure, designed in the Southern Dutch Baroque style, began construction in 1620 and was completed in 1645. The facade of the building is decorated with a traditional Jesuit symbol - the monogram of Jesus Christ “IHS”.
From the outside, the church cannot be called impressive, but once you go inside, everything changes. The interior is striking in its luxury: a huge amount of black and red marble (columns, ceiling), skillfully carved wooden confessional booths, as well as paintings painted by one of Rubens’ students.
Now the Church of St. Lupa is active, and exhibitions and concert performances are often organized here. Like many religious buildings in Belgium, entry to this church is free.
Cathedral of Saint Abraham (Cathedral of Saint Avenin)
Opposite the city administration of Namur, on Place St-Aubain, stands the majestic building of the Cathedral of Saint Abraham. Such a large-scale construction would be quite suitable for Brussels, and not just for a rather modest province.
The cathedral, built in the 18th century, has one characteristic feature. Its design is designed simultaneously in two styles - Baroque and Rococo, and thanks to very finely observed proportions, the structure turned out to be very harmonious.
You can see the cathedral from the outside at any time, and you can go inside on Tuesday and Thursday from 15:00 to 17:00.
How to get to Namur from Brussels
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By train
In Belgium the most comfortable view transport is the train. Trains run very frequently in all directions, and ticket prices can be considered average for Europe.
So, upon arrival in Brussels, in the airport terminal you need to find a sign with a train and an arrow pointing in the right direction, that is, to the ticket office. At the box office you need to buy a ticket to the city of Namur. If the ticket has already been purchased online and printed, there is no need to look for a ticket office.
Then you need to take the train to Brussels, to the Bruxelles-Luxembourg stop. The Intercity train departs from this same stop to Namur every hour. The train reaches its destination in 51 minutes; tickets cost 6€ - 10€.
Perhaps the most convenient way is to take a taxi, and directly from the airport. If you order a transfer, the driver can drop you off at the hotel or meet you with a sign at the airport. The transfer service will cost 120€ - 160€.
By car
You can get to Namur (Belgium) by car. The journey between these cities will take 5 liters of gasoline, which will cost 6 € - 10 €.
Sights of Namur on the map.
Video about the Belgian city of Namur.
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