Eupen, Capital city in eastern Belgium
Eupen is a town in eastern Belgium located near the German and Dutch borders. It spreads across hilly terrain at around 260 meters elevation, crossed by the Weserbach river and surrounded by wooded slopes.
The town belonged for centuries to different German territories before passing to Belgium in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles. This border shift shaped local identity and led to the formation of Belgium's German-speaking community.
The town takes its name from the river Weserbach, formerly called Gèlû in French, and grew around wool manufacturing and cloth making. Today you hear German spoken in shops and cafés, and bilingual signs mark the streets, showing the daily presence of the German-speaking community.
The center is easy to walk through, with shops and museums within short distance of each other. The Kehrwegstadion sports ground lies a bit outside the core and seats 8,000 spectators for K.A.S. Eupen football matches.
The IKOB Museum displays contemporary art and focuses on works from the greater region between Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. The town museum next door documents the cloth industry history that once employed hundreds of weavers.
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