Place d'Armes

Namur


Namur's central square has been marred by a 1980s department store yet still features the elegant stone-and-brick Palais des Congrès conference centre, rebuilt in the 1930s with war reparations from Germany (the German army having torched the whole square in 1914). Behind lies the Unesco-listed Beffroi, a medieval stone fortress tower with an 18th-century clock spire.

Just off the square, behind a statue of beloved local composer Nicolas Bosret, hides a tiny stone seat. This is where the Roi des Menteurs (King of the Liars) is crowned during September's amusingly drunken Fêtes de Wallonie festivities.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Namur attractions

1. Palais des Congrès

0.03 MILES

The elegant stone-and-brick Palais des Congrès conference centre was rebuilt in the 1930s with war reparations from Germany (the German army having…

2. ‘King of Liars’ Seat

0.05 MILES

This tiny stone seat is where the Roi des Menteurs (King of the Liars) is crowned during September's amusingly drunken Fêtes de Wallonie festivities.

3. Beffroi

0.05 MILES

In the centre of town lies the Unesco-listed Beffroi, a medieval stone fortress tower on which a clock spire was plonked in 1733. It houses a youth…

4. Musée Archéologique de Namur

0.06 MILES

Housed in the photogenic Halle al'Chair, this small two-level museum houses a collection of artifacts spanning more than 2500 years. Highlights include…

5. Halle al’Chair

0.07 MILES

Formerly the meat market, this 16th-century riverside building is one of few venerable structures to have survived Namur’s history of continual wartime…

6. Église St-Loup

0.19 MILES

Baudelaire reputedly described this remarkable baroque church as a ‘sinister and gallant marvel’. With purple marble columns, black stone arches,…

7. Musée des Arts Anciens du Namurois

0.2 MILES

In an 18th-century mansion, this interesting museum displays old artworks from the local region, paintings by 16th-century artist Henri Blès and many…

8. Église St-Joseph

0.21 MILES

The tall, red baroque frontage of this church is a notable landmark in the centre of town. Long-term restoration of St-Joseph began in 2017, and the…