The best walks and hikes around Belval

nice little race

The original stained glass windows disappeared during bombings in 1815, 1870 and 1918. Today the basilica has an exceptional collection of contemporary stained glass windows, created between 1954 and 1979 by René Dürrbach, a friend of Picasso. Over 25 years, this artist has created a colossal set of 68 stained glass windows, unique in Europe, which honor the former 'Black Virgin' and the 'Virgin of Light' by referring to the universal symbols of colors, shapes and numbers, inspired through his collaboration with Henri Giriat. Since 2018, the former sacristy of the church has housed the Trésor d'art sacré des Ardennes, which contains around fifty masterpieces (ancient statues, precious relics, etc.) that were previously inaccessible to the public.

This artwork is a result of a number of organisations working together, and was revealed in October 2011. Michel Goulet, the sculptor from Québec, made these eighteen 'chair-poems' in stainless steel as a link between the Musée Arthur Rimbaud and the Maison d'Ailleurs. Here, there are eighteen extracts from Rimbaud's works, each one followed by an unpublished poem by a contemproary Francophone writer. Vandaag staan deze stoelen er niet meer.

The construction of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-d'Espérance took more than a century between 1499 and 1615. The work was interrupted several times, for example during the siege of Mézières in 1521. The building is listed as a monument and is a masterpiece of the flamboyant gothic. However, the main portal and the tower break with the Gothic style and are built in Renaissance style, recognizable by the round arch and the coffers in the vault. The bell tower was built in the 19th century. The south portal is particularly opulent. King Charles IX and Elisabeth of Austria, grandniece of Charles V, entered through this door in 1570 for their wedding ceremony, even though the construction of the church had not yet been completed. The choice of Méeières had a strong symbolic value: reconciliation could be achieved through this strategic alliance.

King's Tower or Tour du Roy are fortifications built in 1544 under Francois I on the river Meuse. The tower was built by master builders Henri Roynel and Adam Souyn as part of the fortifications of Mezieres after the siege of the city in 1521. It has 6m thick walls with casements and firing embrasures. On the roof is a water tower built in 1855. It is listed as a historic monument.

AU CABARET VERT “Au cabaret vert” Acrylic & aerosol on wall – 7×18 m – Parcours Rimbaud – Charleville-Mézières – 2023 contact me MURAL Time flies MURAL Au cabaret vert MURAL Dancing Fishes MURAL Utopia MURAL Force of Nature MURAL The lacemaker MURAL Black Lights MURAL Three Little birds MURAL Générations STUDIO Rainy Day […]

The Tour Milard is a historic monument located in Mézières, part of Charleville-Mézières, in the Grand Est region of France. It is part of the old fortifications of the city. This tower was built during the repairs to the city walls after the siege of 1521. With a diameter of 27 meters, it envelops a tower of the original 13th century fortress wall of 9 meters in diameter that is visible on the inside. It is one of the city's two surviving 16th-century towers, along with the Tour du Roy.

The statue of Chevalier Bayard, also known as Pierre du Terrail, is located in Mézières, part of Charleville-Mézières, in the Grand Est region of France. The bronze statue was inaugurated on July 30, 1893 by the Minister of War, General Loizillon. The statue is 2m 80 high and the pedestal is 4m. Chevalier Bayard was a famous French knight of the 16th century, known for his military skills and impeccable character. The statue was placed near the school tower in Mialaret/Bayard Square.