The city of Liège (Dutch: Luik, German: Lüttich) on the Meuse River is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, of which it is the capital. On January 1, 2004, Liège had a total population of 185,488 (90,431 males and 95,057 females) and about 600.000 inhabitants in the area. The total area is 69.39 km² which gives a population density of 2,673.05 inhabitants per km².
It is the centre of the Walloon country, and Walter Scott commits a curious mistake in Quentin Durward in making its people talk Flemish.
Liege is one of the steel-making centers of Belgium, the area around Charleroi being the other. It once boasted numerous blast furnaces and mills. Although a mere shadow of its former self, steel production and manufacturing of steel goods remains a vital part of its economy.
The great cathedral of Saint Lambert was destroyed and sacked by the French in 1794, and in 1802 the church of St. Paul, dating from the 10th century but rebuilt in the 13th was declared the cathedral.
See also
Alger of Liège
Bishop of Liège
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
External link
Official website of the city (http://www.liege.be)
A few pictures free of rights (http://liege.eu.org/photos/index.html)
The city is modern yet retains some historic buildings, including a cathedral (founded 971), the Church of the Holy Cross (10th cent.), the Church of St. Denis (10th–11th cent.), and the 16th-century Palace of Justice (the former residence of the prince-bishops).
The city is the cultural center for Belgium’s French-speaking population.
The strongly fortified city, key to the Meuse valley, suffered numerous sieges in its history.
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