hobé expo 7

The higher part of the Champeau neighborhood – which was as large as the entire city of Namur – was, just like the château des Comtes, abandoned by the Belgian army in 1893. Plan: le Champeau The section of ‘le champeau’ that was left by the army to the city in 1891 only became publicly accessible in 1893. The areas ‘Terra Nova’ and ‘Mediane’ remained property of the Defense until 1977. However, the intended use remained conditional, but the then mayor Henri Lemaitre had a clear vision: this area should make Namur a tourist center. The project would quickly receive the support of King Léopold II and an ambitious private financier, Michel Thonar. But lack of funds, poor connections to ‘le haut du Champeau’, and limited tourist appeal – primarily focused on the natural beauty – were all insurmountable obstacles in the development of tourist Namur, and the project stalled. To revive the project, the architect Georges Hobé was commissioned to draw up a plan starting in 1905. He was asked to design a new Kursaal, grandstands, and an amphitheater, and at the same time to renovate the Grand Hôtel de la Citadelle and create the infrastructure that was to connect to the large boulevards around the city. Photo: Le Grand Hôtel This prestigious hotel, built based on plans by E. Legraive, contained a series of rooms furnished with furniture by Georges Hobé. "A grandiose project. Namur transformed" (Een grandioos project, Namur veranderd!) the newspapers enthusiastically headlined in 1906 when Hobé’s plans were presented.

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