Walk through the city of the giants

Ath (Aat) is located in Picard Wallonia between Brussels and Lille and is known for its rich material and immaterial heritage. Every year, on the fourth Sunday of August, the town comes alive when the local giants come out to dance to the rhythm of the brass bands and floats parade through the city during the folkloric Ducasse procession, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. In the center, around the Burbant Tower and in the market square, you will find numerous traces of the city’s rich history, which was founded in 1166 by Baldwin IV. Many of these elements can be recognized on the Ferraris map, which dates back to the late 18th century. But this walk also passes by the many architectural and urban planning masterpieces that the city has made over the centuries to become the interesting place it is today: the first traces of Roman settlement, the 12th-century Burbant Tower, the fortifications of Vauban, Féronfort, etc. Along the way, you will encounter a wealth of churches and museums, and outside the city limits, you will discover a picturesque rolling countryside, where quarries and mills certainly deserve your attention.