Liège is the main regional city in the province of Liège. It is also Belgium's third largest city, and is the largest centre in Wallonia.

Liège has been an important city since the early Middle Ages. It was the capital of the prince-bishopry of Liège, which remained an independent state until the French Revolution. In the 19th century it became an early centre of industrialism. The central area of Liège presents itself as a rather interesting mix of a historic town centre (dotted with a few extremely brutalist buildings from the 1960s and 70s), a rather elegant new town with wide boulevards, tall apartment buildings (some Art Deco) and a few pretty parks. The outskirts of Liège consist mainly of large industrial complexes and working-class areas, sprawling over the hills that surround the city.

Attractions - Historic Center

• The Palace of the Prince-Bishops - Composed of the Palace of Justice (classic façade at Place Saint Lambert 18) and the Provincial Palace (lateral neo-gothic façade at place Notger 2). This palace is the heart of the city, and represents the political power of the old Prince-Bishops of Liège.
• The representation of their religious power was the large Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame and Saint Lambert, torn down at the start of the 19th century after the revolution of Liège and today memorialized by metal columns and a design traced on the ground.
• There's also an underground archéoforum, an archeological site with the remains of the three (successive) cathedrals on the site, as well as a building from Roman times. (Open 10AM-6PM except Monday, 4€, +32 (0)4 250 9370.)
• At Place Saint Lambert 9-17, you can admire the neo-classic façades, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• The Town Hall, Perron, and houses along the market square. The town hall (place du Marché, 2), also called "La Violette", is an elegant classic building. It was built in 1714, during reconstruction after the French attacks in 1691. It can be visited on rare occasions only, except for the "salle des pas perdus" - "room of lost steps" which is freely accessible. The houses on the square, with their charming blue stone and brick faces, date from the same period. The Perron, symbol of the city's freedom, is at the center of the square above the fountain that acts as its support. The perron is one of the symbols of the city and was used to render justice.
• The streets Hors Château and En Feronstrée are worth a visit for the architecture of the large villas and more modest houses, most dating to the 18th century. In particular, the Hôtel d’Ansembourg at Feronstrée 114, now a museum, is worth visiting for the well-preserved original interior (1-6PM except Mondays, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9402).
• The Museum of Walloon Art (en Féronstrée 86), a bit further along in a modern building, has a panorama of works by regional painters since the Roman times. (Open 1-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4:30PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9231).
• The Curtius Palace, quai de Maestricht 13. This imposing 8-story building from the start of the 17th century was the store of a rich arms merchant. The nearby Hôtel de Hayme de Bomal (quai de Maestricht 8 and rue Feronstrée 122) was an official building under French rule and twice welcomed Napoleon. These two buildings and several other historic buildings provide the backdrop for the Museum Grand Curtius with its art and history collections (reopening early 2008).
• Saint Barthélémy Church (rue Saint Barthélémy 2) was the last of 7 "collégiales liégeoises" to be built, near the end of the 11th century. Recently renovated, it is home to the masterwork of the Liège goldsmiths from the Middle Ages: the baptismal fonts from the old parish church of the cathedral. (Open 10-12AM and 2-5PM from Monday to Saturday, 2-5PM Sundays, 1,25€, +32 (0)4 223 4998).
• The Museum of Wallonian Life is an ethnological mueseum hosted in an old convent. (Cour des Mineurs, closed for renovation until spring 2008, +32 (0)4 237 9040).
• The Museum of Religious Art (rue Mère Dieu 1) will be integrated into the future Museum Grand Curtius, but can now be visited separately. (Open 11AM-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 4225).
• The Mountain of Bueren and the slopes of the Citadel. Climb the imposing staircase of 373 steps, or opt for the smaller streets and stairways leading up to the Citadel's slopes. From the top, you'll have a lovely view of the city, from the Palace rooves to the ancient watchtower.
• The streets Fond Saint Servais, Pierreuse and du Péry are typically quaint and lead up to the remains of the old citadel, with an ancient well, a monument commemorating the Second World War, and in particular a superb view over the city.