Namur, Administrative capital in Wallonia, Belgium
Description
Namur is the capital of Wallonia at the point where the Meuse and Sambre rivers join, with a fortified hill rising steeply between them. The old town spreads below the fortress and shows narrow streets lined with brick houses, small squares and bridges linking the left and right banks.
History
A Celtic settlement on the river grew into a county in the tenth century and later passed between Flemish and Burgundian rulers. The fortress faced repeated sieges and changes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries before losing importance in the nineteenth.
Culture
The name comes from a Celtic word meaning bend or curve, pointing to its position where two rivers meet. Today you see walkers and cyclists using the riverside paths, while the old town shows cafés and shops filling the streets.
Practical
The old town is easy to walk around, while the hilltop fortress requires a climb or a short ride. Many museums and public buildings lie within walking distance of each other, and the riverside paths offer flat routes for strolling.
Did you know?
Below the fortress run around 500 meters (1640 feet) of tunnels and passages that visitors can walk through. These underground spaces show different building phases of the fortifications and offer a look at earlier defense methods.
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide. Discover all places nearby (Arrondissement of Namur).
Wallonia brings together a range of places that tell the story of the south of Belgium. You will find historic towns like Mons, Namur, Liege or Tournai, with their bell towers, cathedrals and cobbled squares. Castles and monasteries show the region’s medieval past, while citadels overlook valleys...
Pornocrates
428 m
Citadel of Namur
668 m
Floreffe Abbey
8.5 km
St Aubin's Cathedral
489 m
Saint Lupus Church
348 m
Élysette
653 m
Fortified Position of Namur
4.8 km
Our Lady of Vivier Abbey
6.9 km
Place d'Armes
384 m
Belfry of Namur
300 m
Fresque des Wallons
37 m
Parc attractif Reine Fabiola
1.4 km
Dave Castle
6.2 km
Halle al'Chair
497 m
Fort de Dave
5.3 km
Pont de Jambes, Namur
911 m
Fort d'Emines
4.6 km
Namur Citadel Cable Car
521 m
Franc-Waret Castle
9.7 km
Île de Dave
5.4 km
Fort de Saint-Héribert
6.4 km
Casino de Namur
1.1 km
Hôtel de Groesbeeck - de Croix
504 m
Château de Flawinne
4.7 km
Fort de Malonne
4.8 km
Hospice Saint-Gilles
641 m
Namur Open-Air Theatre
1.4 km
Rochers de Marche-les-Dames
6 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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