Mons |
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The capital of the province of Hainaut is a city with a centuries-old history. As early as in the 12th century, fortified by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut, in 1295 it became the capital of the county. From the 16th century onwards, Mons was the scene of many wars and conquests. Destroyed and rebuilt, it passed from hands to hands of foreign powers. From the 16th to the 18th century, the city was occupied by Spanish, French, Austrian and Dutch troops. In the 19th century, Mons became the center of the Borinage coal industry, and the industrial revolution and coal mining made it the center of heavy industry.
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During World War I, the city was occupied by German troops, until it was liberated by the Canadian Corps in the last days of the war. In September 1944, Mons was bombed by the German air force. Today, the city is an important university and commercial center. In Casteau, a nearby village, NATO Headquarters in Europe has been located since 1967 year.
Town Hall in Mons 1458-1477
Centrum miasta mieści się przy rozległym Rynku Głównym, nad którym góruje okazały XV-wieczny ratusz. Umieszczona na jego fasadzie figurka małpki, tzw. Grand Garde jest maskotką mieszkańców. Budynek zbudowano w stylu gotyckim, w latach 1458-1477. Dzwonnicę znajdującą się na jego szczycie dobudowano w latach 1717-1718. Balustrada z brązu, przedstawiająca św. Jerzego i smoka, to dzieło francuskiego artysty z 2006 roku. Warto wejść na bardzo ciekawy dziedziniec ratusza. Wewnątrz budynku znajdują się Sala Weselna z włoskim sufitem, Sala Rady z kominkiem z marmuru, Sala Portretowa i Sala Gotycka, urządzone w stylu epoki. Wszystkie te pomieszczenia można zwiedzać tylko z przewodnikiem, po wcześniejszej rezerwacji.
Belfry |
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In 1999 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The only baroque belfry that has survived in Belgium to this day, was built in the years 1661-1672. Built on a hill, it is a great vantage point over the panorama of Mons. The facade of the building is made of blue stone. Inside 365 stairs, it leads to the top of the bell tower, on which are the 49 bells that form the carillon.
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Address:
Rampe du Château 7000 Mons |
Opening hours:
wtorek-niedziela 12.00-18.00 |
Ticket price:
9 Euro |
Collegiate of Saint Waltrude
The construction of the present collegiate church was started in 1450 year. The temple, arranged on a Latin cross plan, surrounded by 29 chapels, belonged to the canons of Saint Waltrude. In 1549 year, the construction of the tower began, which was never completed. The interior of the temple hides many wonderful monuments. In the treasury, you can admire one of the most beautiful jewelry collections in Belgium. There are two reliquaries in the church, one hides the body of Saint Waltrude, the other hides her head. The oldest stained glass windows, especially the five windows in the apse, were donated to the church in 1510 by Maximilian I Habsburg. The most interesting white stone sculptures depict St. Michael pushing Satan (15th century) and St. Waltrude (16th century). Attention is drawn to the golden carriage, painted and gilded in the style of Louis XVI (1780-1781), on which the reliquary of St. Waltrude is transported during a festival.
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Address:
Place du Chapitre 7000 Mons |
Opening hours:
poniedziałek-niedziela 9.00-18.00 |
Ticket price:
kościół: za darmo skarbiec: 4 Euro |
François Duesberg Museum
The facility, located in a historic building from the end of the 19th century, has a collection donated to the city by the Duesberg family of collectors. It presents art from the years 1775-1825. The clock collection (1795-1815), which is one of the most prestigious in the world, contains some truly unique exhibits, including the extraordinary Paul et Virgine clock, commissioned in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte himself. The wonderful collection of porcelain, the best producers from Paris and Brussels, exquisite gold products and antique jewelery are also delightful.
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Address:
12 Square Franklin Delano Rosevelt 7000 Mons |
Opening hours:
wtorek, czwartek, sobota, niedziela 14.00-19.00 |
Ticket price:
5 Euro |
La Ducasse Festival
Popularny festiwal odbywający się w niedzielę Trójcy Świętej, uznany w 2005 roku przez UNESCO za Arcydzieło Ustnego i Niematerialnego Dziedzictwa Ludzkości. Wydarzenie rozpoczyna się procesją, podczas której wokół miasta obwozi się, pozłacanym XVIII-wiecznym powozem, relikwiarz św. Waltrudy. Po procesji odbywa się Lumeçon, czyli inscenizowana walka św. Jerzego ze smokiem. Uroczystość, będąca chlubą Mons, ściąga do miasta corocznie tysiące turystów.