Wondertour #5 Maastricht → Liège
A Wondertour along the Meuse
This cycling route takes you from Bureau Europa in Maastricht (NL) to SPACE Collection in Liège (BE). Both Maastricht and Liège are cities with a huge number of of cultural sites and activities, so there is a lot to see and explore at the beginning and the end of the route. Make your way along the route and enjoy the tranquility of the Meuse, with beautiful views of the water and nature as well as some impressive industrial sites.
Tour highlights
Start: Bureau Europa (Aachen), Google Maps
Bureau Europa is a platform for architecture & design presenting exhibitions and other activities on the culture of the designed environment. Bureau Europa's focus is mainly on Europe and the Euregion from a social perspective and contemporary topics relevant to society at large.
Buitengoed Slavante Google Maps
Slavante is an area and, street on the eastern slope of Sint-Pietersberg hill. The area is best known for Buitengoed Slavante, formerly Casino Slavante, a former outdoor club dating back to 1846. The tavern also includes remnants of a 17th-century monastery, the baroque Saint Anthony's chapel, a vineyard, and the entrance to the subterranean limestone quarries Zonneberg and Slavante. The elevated area offers a view over the river Meuse and part of the Meuse valley. There is a jetty for tour boats on the Meuse.
AINSI Google Maps
AINSI, located in the former North packaging building of cement manufacturer ENCI is a multidisciplinary building. The letters of AINSI stand for Art Industry Nature Society Innovation. It is a meeting place for the Creative Industry in Maastricht and the region. AINSI hosts exhibitions on a regular basis and is also the venue for many of Theater aan het Vrijthof's dance, theatre, and jazz concerts.
ENCI groeve Google Maps
The ENCI was an industrial site for cement preparation. It is being transformed into a wonderful place full of nature. In the Info Center Châlet D'n Observant, you can obtain extensive information about the transformation of the ENCI area. For example, you can listen to the story of a former ENCI employee who reflects on how it used to be at ENCI. At the Info Center, you can also get info on where and how you can hike, fish, run, and cycle in the area or simply enjoy the beautiful nature or a delicious beverage or snack.
La Boverie Google Maps
La Boverie is housed in the Palace of Fine Arts of Liège. Designed for the 1905 World Fair, this building from 1905 was designed by the architects Charles Étienne Soubre and Jean-Laurent Hasse. It also includes a new modern wing designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti. It exhibits temporary exhibitions and its permanent collection with works of Gerard de Lairesse, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Claude Monet, Adrien de Witte, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Evenepoel, Camille Pissarro, Paul Gauguin, and many others.
Liège - Guillemins Station Google Maps
Liège-Guillemins Station is the main railway station of the city of Liège. The station is at the end of several railway lines and one of the stops of the high-speed line between Brussels and Cologne. The station had to be upgraded to accommodate the requirements of the high-speed line. Following an international competition, the project of the well-known architect Santiago Calatrava was chosen as the final design. The station is made of steel, glass, white concrete, and Belgian blue stone, and has a monumental roof measuring160 m in length and 35 m in height. The grand opening of the station took place in 2009.
SPACE Collection Google Maps
Launched in 2002 by artist Alain De Clerck, SPACE Collection is building a network of European cities linked by a transborder collection of contemporary art. The works are acquired thanks to interactive sculptures. In Liège and Maastricht, the two first culture machines made the purchase of 122 works possible. Situated in the historical centre, the exhibition space takes place in an old apartment that has been repurposed as an experimental space. The art centre regularly hosts events, lectures, and shows.
End: New SPACE Google Maps
A second exhibition space of SPACE Collection, called the New SPACE, opened its doors in 2020. The new exhibition space is located in the former garage of the Police judiciaire fédérale de Liège.
