12 Best Sights in Namur, The Meuse and the Ardennes

Over the past 1,000 years, this fortification overlooking Namur has been besieged and occupied more than 20 times. Today you can reach it by the cobblestone, cherry tree–lined route Merveilleuse; each curve in the road affords a magnificent view of the city. Alternatively, ride the cable car from rue des Brasseurs in the city center. Napoléon famously once described the site as the "anthill of Europe" because of the dense network of underground tunnels that crisscross the site. 

Located in a handsome 18th-century town house, this museum contains a large collection of medieval and Renaissance art, the undoubted highlight of which is the Trésor Hugo d’Oignies. When you enter the small exhibition room containing these pieces, you will be immediately engaged by the sight of glowing glass cases of brightly lit gold and bejeweled objets d’art. This prize collection of crosses, medallions, reliquaries, and other religious artifacts is considered one of the seven treasures of Belgium. The relics were created by Brother Hugo d’Oignies for the monastery in nearby Oignies in the first half of the 13th century. Between the French Revolution and World War II, the collection was protected by the Sisters of Notre Dame. Look for a tiny portable altar, once belonging to Cardinal Jacques de Vitry, and a book of gospels containing parchment painted with gold leaf.

After floodwaters from the Sambre receded out of Namur in 1751, construction began on this Italian Baroque–style cathedral, made from Belgian marble. Inside, a statue of Notre Dame de la Paix protects the city, and St. Aubain is discreetly represented at the base of the altar, holding his head in his hands. If you’re interested in religious relics, take note of the double cross atop the church dome, signifying that a piece of the holy cross is stored on the premises.

Belgium's first museum dedicated to the evolution of IT takes you on a journey through time, from the earliest abacuses through to the current age of smartphones and beyond, with special emphasis given to Belgians who have been pioneers in the field. You can also watch the exhibits shrink, as they develop from huge electromechanical calculating devices, via bulky mainframes, to tiny microchips.

Designed by Brother Pierre Huyssens and built in the late 16th century by the Jesuits, this formidable building, now used as a cultural center, is considered part of Wallonia’s “Grand Heritage.” The marble for the impressive black-and-red columns was quarried from the Ardennes, and the limestone for the carved ceiling is from Maastricht.

Take the N92 to Yvoir and go east on N971 for about 10 km (6 miles) to reach this abbey, built in the late 19th century as a cloister for a small order. A school, library, fromagerie, brewery, ceramics studio, and farm were eventually added. Now the sprawling complex dominates the hill, but it remains an idyllic spot for picnics, meditative walks, or evening vespers. The visitor center has exhibitions about the abbey, a snack bar serving the abbey’s famous beers and cheeses, and a gift shop selling the ceramics and other products that are made by the monks in residence. There is also a small cheese museum, where you can learn about the cheese-making process.

The Arsenal is perhaps the best-preserved work of French architect Sébastien Vauban in all of Europe. Originally built under orders from Louis XIV in 1692 as a munitions depot, the building was restored in the early 1980s and now houses a student center for Namur’s university.

Considered a scandal in his day, Surrealist artist and Namur native Félicien Rops (1833–98) is now heralded as an artistic treasure. This museum houses a large collection of his drawings, engravings, and prints, which are by turns surreal, erotic, and whimsical. Rops spent time in Paris, mingling with the likes of Charles Baudelaire and Stéphane Mallarmé.

This lovely 18th-century manor house was built by Namur’s Bishop de Strickland; nowadays the Walloon Parliament meets in what was once the bishop’s private chapel, and the interior is only open to visitors by appointment. Inside, the walls are lined with art, including an Italian stucco of the four seasons in the foyer, and in the receiving room, which was originally the billiard hall, a portrait of the bishop himself.

Also located on the Citadelle grounds, this spacious park includes a large playground with miniature golf, a climbing circuit, go-carts, and electric cars.

Among the nonmilitary sights within the Citadelle, the former officers’ mess hall is now a fragrance factory that allows you to witness the steps of isolating and combining the aromas involved in creating a fine perfume. Factory visits are by tour only, but a shop upstairs exhibits the work of local artists and sells the factory’s products.

This square has played a part in the economic history of Belgium, for here during the 18th century, when the city was under Austrian rule, the Department of Commerce met and money was minted. It has also felt the brunt of Belgium’s position as a European battleground—it was leveled in World War I and again in World War II. Today the square consists of an immense, hardwood platform—a sunny local meeting place—surrounded by modern buildings containing a conference center and shops. The annual Christmas Market takes over the square in early December. Just off the north end of the square is the 18th-century Beffroi, a stone tower that was never actually a belfry, despite its name.