Just across the border, about 30 kilometers south of Maastricht, lies Liège. The attractions in this city are very interesting, partly due to the turbulent history of the region. We have listed the 5 best attractions in Liège so you know where to go during your city trip to this Walloon city. Despite being so close to the Netherlands, the main language here is French. However, in this article, we will use the Dutch names, so we refer to Luik and not Liège.
These are the 5 most beautiful attractions in Liège
- Montagne de Bueren
- Saint Paul’s Cathedral
- La Boverie
- Liège-Guillemins Train Station
- Saint James’ Church
Montagne de Bueren
Liège is located on the edge of the Ardennes, a forested low mountain range. Many streets here are not flat, and one of the most popular attractions in Liège clearly shows this. This Montagne is a street with a gradient of 28%. Since this is too steep to walk normally, stairs have been built. To walk from the bottom to the top, you must climb no fewer than 374 steps. This covers a height difference of 70 meters. Surprisingly, it is not the longest and highest staircase in Belgium; that one is in Dinant. If you are in Liège at the beginning of October, you will definitely want to visit Montagne de Bueren. The stairs are then illuminated with more than 3,000 candles, a beautiful spectacle in honor of the local neighborhood festivals.
If you dare to make the climb, you will reward yourself with a beautiful view over the city.
Saint Paul’s Cathedral
For over 1,000 years, a house of worship has stood on the site of Saint Paul’s Cathedral. In the 10th century, a church was built between two branches of the Meuse. The building we see today dates from the 13th century, with some parts only completed in the 15th century. Saint Paul’s Cathedral is the main church of the diocese of Liège because an angry crowd demolished the older and larger Saint Lambert’s Cathedral during the French Revolution.
This does not detract from the fact that Saint Paul’s Cathedral is a sight to behold in its own right. This beautiful Gothic church with its high pointed tower is also impressive inside. The altar and the reliquary bust of Saint Lambert are certainly worth visiting.
La Boverie
La Boverie is a museum, the most popular in Liège. You can read more about it in the article about museums in Liège. Even if you don’t want to visit a museum, La Boverie is still an attraction you want to put on your list. The building, also known as the Palace of Fine Arts, is located in Parc de la Boverie. It looks quite old but was ‘only’ built in 1903. It was designed by Charles Étienne Soubre and Jean-Laurent Hasse for the 1905 World’s Fair. It is the only structure from the exhibition that still remains.
Liège-Guillemins Train Station
After all those old attractions in Liège, it’s time to see something new. Liège-Guillemins Train Station is the designated attraction for that. The new station building has a huge canopy 160 m long and 35 m high. The station itself has existed since 1848, but in this form only since 2009, after a delay of no less than 3 years.
Liège-Guillemins is also located near Parc de la Boverie, so if you arrive in the city by train, you can quickly and easily walk to the next attraction.
Saint James’ Church
Liège has a rich religious past, and Saint James’ Church is a good example of that. Perhaps not as large as Saint Paul’s Cathedral, this church is still worth visiting during your trip to the city of Liège. The oldest parts of the church date back to the 10th century, but the majority of the present-day church dates from the 16th century. The old part seems a bit tacked on, giving Saint James’ Church a unique character. The church was designed by the local architect/artist with the beautiful name Lambert Lombard.
The Gothic interior is of great beauty and is truly an attraction in Liège, even for non-religious day-trippers.
Now you know what Liège has to offer in terms of attractions. It is truly a beautiful city. If you prefer to visit a Flemish city, take a look at Leuven or otherwise the capital Brussels.