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All Belgium Liège Bueren Mountain

Bueren Mountain

This giant urban staircase was built to keep the city's brave fighting men from getting waylaid in the red light district.

Liège, Belgium

Added By
Danielle de Ree
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Bueren Mountain   Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier on Wikipedia
Bueren Mountain   Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier on Wikipedia
Bueren Mountain   Wolf Meusel on Wikipedia
Bueren Mountain   MonsieurRoi on Wikipedia
Taken during our roadtrip around Europe to offer school supplies to help school children in Kosovo   WanderlustRT / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Wall at the top of Montagne De Bueren.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Stairway up to the citadel.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the citadel.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Monument in honor of WOI at the citadel.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Montagne De Bueren.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
WO I memorial at the citadel.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the citadel.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Stairway to the citadel on top of Mount Bueren.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
Piece of wall at the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
View from the top.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
  Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
Montagne De Bueren.   jarnew / Atlas Obscura User
  Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
  Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Cutting down a steep slope right in the heart of the Belgian city of Liège, Bueren Mountain is not in fact a mountain, but is actually a long staircase that can literally take your breath away by the time you get to the top. 

The long staircase was built in 1881 and juts straight down between the city's buildings as though a former road was simply covered in stairs. In fact the steep set of stairs (374 in all) was created to allow soldiers a way to get from the top of the hill to the city center without having to risk traveling through the dark city alleys which were filled with bars and prostitutes that have led to the downfall of countless troops throughout history. The so-called "mountain" was then named after 15th century aristocrat Vincent de Bueren, who led a defense of the city of Liège in response to an attack by the Duke of Burgundy.

Despite being little more than a colossal staircase the Bueren Mountain is one of the highlights in the historic city. There is no explanatory monument to the soldiers or to Bueren's defense of the city, but the staircase itself and the jaw-dropping view of Liège that it affords would seem to be memorial enough.    

Related Tags

Stairs Public Military History Military

Know Before You Go

-Liège has 3 train stations; travel to Liège-Palais. It's the closest one to Montagne De Bueren, from there it's a 10 minute walk. -It could be smart to take some drinks with you yourself, because the water in the vending machines at the top is pretty overpriced.

Community Contributors

Added By

daanphoto24

Edited By

jarnew, EricGrundhauser, WanderlustRT, smolfine...

  • jarnew
  • EricGrundhauser
  • WanderlustRT
  • smolfine
  • Olga Lisina

Published

October 30, 2014

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Sources
  • http://mjfenn.hubpages.com/hub/Visiting-Bueren-Mountain-Lige-Belgium-a-landmark-inducing-breathlessness
  • http://www.neatorama.com/2013/07/16/Bueren-Mountain/
  • http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagne_de_Bueren
  • http://www.wanderlustrt.co.uk/
  • http://www.wanderlustrt.co.uk/
  • http://www.liegetown.be/luikse-trappen-2/
Bueren Mountain
Montagne de Bueren
Liège, 4000
Belgium
50.648155, 5.57735
Get Directions

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