UNESCO World Heritage in Belgium

On 1 July 2012, the four major mining sites in Wallonia were listed under the World Heritage by Unesco.

The Grand-Hornu, Bois-du-Luc, Bois du Cazier and Blegny-Mine as a whole, are now part of the list together with other Walloon sites, including the lifts in the Centre, the Walloon belfries, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai and the Neolithic sites in Spiennes.

And that's not all! In Brussels and Wallonia a number of sites and popular traditions are also listed under the World Heritage by Unesco. They're waiting just for you...

Don't miss the UNESCO sites

Brussels

FORMER RESIDENCE OF VAN EETVELDE (BRUXELLES) © OPT / Berthold This house in the Art nouveau style was built between 1895 and 1898 by Victor Hugo and ordered by the diplomat Edmond Van Eetvelde... Read more

Horta Museum (SAINT-GILLES) The Horta Museum, declared Unesco World Heritage welcomes you in the former house of Victor Horta... Read more

Hotel Solvay (IXELLES) © OPT / Ricardo de la Riva The Hotel Solvay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is recognised as architect Victor Hugo's masterpiece.... Read more

STOCLET HOUSE (WOLUWE-SAINT-PIERRE) © OPT / Ricardo de la Riva This luxurious house was built between 1905 and 1911 by the Viennese architect Joseph Hoffmann. The Palais Stoclet as a whole is a masterpiece... Read more

TASSEL HOUSE (IXELLES) Built in 1893 by Victor Horta (Art Nouveau) for Emile Tassel (physicist-chemist). First house on which Horta applied his theories. Not to be missed: iron girders, big windows...... Read more

The Grand-Place in Brussels (BRUXELLES) © WBT - ThomasBlairon.be The Grand Place, listed under the UNESCO world heritage, is considered one of the most beautiful squares on earth.... Read more

Wallonia

Hainaut :

Bois-Du-Luc Ecomuseum (HOUDENG-AIMERIES) © Ecomusee du Bois-du-Luc In 2012, the Bois-du-Luc, one of the major mining sites in Wallonia, has been listed under the Unesco World Heritage.... Read more

Belfry of Tournai (TOURNAI) © Office du Tourisme de Tournai The belfry of Tournai, which is part of the Unesco World Heritage, is Belgium's oldest. All the rooms along its 257 steps are now open to the public... Read more

Grand-Hornu Industrial Mining Complex (HORNU) © OPT / S. Wittenbol In 2012 le Grand-Hornu, one of the major mining sites in Wallonia, has been listed under the Unesco World Heritage. ... Read more

Le Bois du Cazier: Mining, Glass and Industry museums (MARCINELLE) © WBT / Alessandra Petrosino In 2012, the Bois du Cazier, one of the major mining sites in Wallonia, has been listed under the Unesco World Heritage.... Read more

MAC's - Museum of Contemporary Art of the French-speaking Community (HORNU) © Gobert The MAC's, the Museum of Contemporary Arts of Belgium's French-speaking Community, welcomes you on the site of the Grand-Hornu... Read more

Neolithic flint mines in Spiennes (SPIENNES) © OPT / JL Flemal The neolithic splint mines in Spiennes are a listed World UNESCO heritage site.... Read more

THE BELFRY (CHARLEROI) © OPT / JL Flemal The belfry is part of the Charleroi City Hall that was designed by architect Joseph André in 1936. It is a perfect combination of classicism and art deco... Read more

THE BELFRY (BINCHE) © OPT / JL Flemal The belfry is located in the town hall, which dates back to the 14th century. Burnt down by the French in 1554, it was soon restored in a renaissance way by architect Du Broeucq... Read more

The Belfry (MONS) © OPT/ Alessandra Petrosino "El Catiau" (as it is fondly called in Mons) - symbol of Mons' identity - was erected in the 17th century after the collapse of the bell tower in 1661... Read more

The Hydraulic Lifts of the Historic Canal du Centre (HOUDENG-GOEGNIES) © FTPH - C. Carpentier Embark on a journey on the Historic Canal of the Centre. Crossing of the hydraulic lift(s) listed as World Heritage by UNESCO... Read more

Thuin Belfry (THUIN) © OPT / J.P. Remy The belfry in Thuin, located on the Place Albert Ier, is the remaining tower of a church that was destructed in 1811 in order to create space for the square... Read more

Tournai Cathedral of Notre Dame (TOURNAI) © OPT / JP Remy The Cathedral of Tournai, with its five bell towers, Romanesque nave, transept and a Gothic-style choir, is a mediaeval architectural gem... Read more

Liège :

Blegny-Mine (BLEGNY) © Blegny-Mine / P. Servais Discover this authentic coal mine in the green heart of the Euregio, near the land of Dalhem-Blegny. A real gem of the Walloon industrial heritage... Read more

Namur :

BELFRY (GEMBLOUX) © MRW-Guy Focant-DPAT ... Read more

THE BELFRY (NAMUR) © Jacques Leurquin - Ville de Namur Since the 14th century, the Belfry of Namur is located in the tower of the collegiate church Saint-Pierre-au-Château... Read more

Watch UNESCO traditional festivals around Brussels and Wallonia

05/05/2013>20/10/2013 > FOLKLORIC MARCHES OF THE REGION ENTRE-SAMBRE-ET-MEUSE (WALLONIE) © ESEM 2013 The folkloric marches of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse enliven the region from May to October... Read more

26/05/2013 > Doudou: Golden Carriage, Lumeçon Battle & Ducasse Sainte-Waudru (MONS) © OPT-Ricardo de la Riva The Procession of the Golden Carriage is 657 years old and has been recognised as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. In Mons on 26/05/13.... Read more

09/08/2013 > Planting of the Maytree (BRUXELLES) © OPT / Alex Kouprianoff The planting of the May tree or the tree of joy has its roots in the many medieval legends and is a typical and popular event. Every year in Brussels on 9 August.... Read more

24/08/2013>25/08/2013 > GOUYASSE VESPERS & PROCESSION OF THE GIANTS (FAIR) - DUCASSE OF ATH (ATH) © Ville d'Ath This remarkable event takes place every 4th weekend of August. It dates back to the fifteenth century and presents the Giants of Ath to the public... Read more

02/2014 > The Gilles Carnival in Binche (BINCHE) © Ville de Binche The Carnival of Binche was recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. More than 900 Gilles parade on Mardi Gras. In Binche in 2014... Read more