"The Fiery City in Wallonia" a Liège Travel Page by BillNJ

The Walloon Region, commonly called Wallonia, is one of the three Regions of Belgium (the Brussels-Capital Region and the Flemish Region are the other two). Wallonia represents approximately 33% of Belgium's population and 55% its territory. Wallonia is known as the French-speaking south of Belgium, but there are also some German-speaking municipalities in the east. The official languages of the Walloon Region are French and German. In the city of Liège itself, the primary language is French.

The Liège metropolitan area is the largest urban agglomeration in Wallonia. It is the the third largest metropolitan area in Belgium, behind the Brussels and Antwerp metropolitan areas.

In the most recent census, the city of Liège had a population of 187,086. Depending on where the boundaries are set, the Liège metropolitan area has a total population of between 476,000 and slightly more 600,000. Whatever the case, Liège is the principal economic and cultural center of Wallonia.

In the 19th century, the city of Liège was a leading industrial city in Europe. The Province of Liège is rich in many natural resources, especially coal and iron. Liège developed into an important steel-producer, and much of its steel was made into weapons.

When many of Liège's industrial plants began to shut down in the second half of the 20th century, the city's economy was badly hurt. Today, the city is still struggling with high rates for unemployment and crime.

In May 2008, I visited Liège for an afternoon as a side trip from Maastricht. Upon arriving at Liège, I noticed a big difference in the energy level as compared to Maastricht. Whereas the general pace of life in Maastricht is slow and leisurely, the pace in Liège is fast and somewhat chaotic.

As a tourist destination, I'm sure many will simply write Liège off as an industrial city in decline. While Liège is a little rough around the edges, I found it to be a fascinating place. I certainly wish that I had allocated more time to explore it because an afternoon is not nearly enough. Someday, I hope to make a return visit so that I can experience this fast-paced and vibrant city at more depth.