Heritage walk in Mons

This walk takes you along the most important heritage of the capital of the province of Hainaut. Mons, like many cities, has a turbulent past, but recovered after each war or battle and was rebuilt more beautiful and brighter. Many houses in the city center date from the seventeenth century and offer a beautiful historical spectacle. The starting point is Mons station (V). Nearby, along Boulevard Charles Quint is a large car park. When exiting the station, walk right and cross the R50 200 metres further, via Place Léopold. Go through Rue de la Houssière to Franklin Roosevelt Square and SainteWaudru 1 Collegiate Church, a Brabant Gothic collegiate church. The church is dedicated to the founder and patron saint of the city and was built on it for 236 years from 1450. Climb the stairs to the church and enter on the left. Admire the magnificent choir, the stained glass windows, the statues and side altars and especially the famous Golden Car. Exit the church by the same side exit on the left, walk right along the ramp of Sainte-Waudru and then left by Place Saint-Germain in the rue des Clercs. • The modern building, 60 meters further to the left, is the hostel. Walk left in front of the youth hostel and through an imposing gatehouse you will reach the Square du Château. Walk left around the lawn where the Château Comtal stood in the Middle Ages. You have beautiful panoramas of Mons and its surroundings, but especially of Belfry 2 and the Chapel of Saint-Calixte 3, the oldest religious building in Mons. About 75 meters to the left of the belfry, you have a small tower, called the Caesar Tower. Through the turret, you enter a small alley, the Ruelle César, which in turn takes you to the rue Marguerite Bervoets. Walk right and immediately left on Rue Cronque, then right on Rue d'Enghien to Grand Place. The Grand Place, the heart of the city, is one of the largest and most beautiful squares in Belgium and the town hall 4 of the fifteenth century is the centerpiece. In the middle of the square is a large circle made of blue stone. This is where the Lumeçon, the battle between Saint George and the dragon, takes place every year. A statue of the dragon and the helmet of Saint George are on the façade of the town hall, to the right of the portal. To the left of the entrance you can see the image of the Monkey of the Great Guard. The origin of this monkey is unknown, but it symbolizes the nature of the inhabitants of Mons: free and restless. Rubbing it on the head with your left hand brings good luck. • Cross the gate leading to the courtyard of the town hall and further an underground gallery or along the right to the Jardin du Mayeur 5. The mayor's garden was created around 1930. You will also find the statue and the fountain dedicated to Ropieur, the hanging of Mons that pulverizes passers-by. The red building at the back is the former Mont-de-Piété or pawnshop, now the Doudou Museum (see box). Remains of a medieval fortress Return to the Grand Place and turn left. Next to the town hall you have the tourist office and then the Royal Theatre. Continue on Rue de Nimy. Immediately to the left you have the Old Convent of the Daughters of Mary 6, now the Royal Conservatory. At least take a look at the beautiful courtyard. Walk a little further left in Rue des Quatre Fils Aymon. This brings you to the Place du Parc, a beautiful square entirely lined with a double row of lime trees. In the park, walk right to the chapel of the Old Convent of the Visitandines 7. At the chapel on the left then on the right in the rue Roland de Lassus. The large complex on the left is the prison. • Walk right on Rue du Grand Jour. The large building on the right of the rue du Rossignol is the Caserne de Gendarmerie 8. Continue on Rue du Grand Jour, cross the busy intersection and continue straight, right next to the Lido Hotel, in Rue des Arbalestriers. After 250 meters you will arrive at the Valencian Tower 9, the only remaining tower of the walls of the medieval fortress. The pink buildings to the right of the rue des Droits de l'Homme are pavilions of the Old Cavalry Barracks 10 and today form the entrance to the large modern complex of the Cours de Mons. Beguines and monks Continue walking along Rue des Arbalestriers to Avenue Baudouin de Constantinople. Turn left here, cross the busy ring road via Place de Flandre and continue on Queen Astrid Avenue to Waux-Hall 11 Park, a beautiful landscaped park from the mid-nineteenth century. In addition to the usual water games and lawns, you will also find an exceptional collection of trees, in spring more than 100,000 flower bulbs and several beautiful sculptures. After visiting the park, retrace your steps to Rue des Arbalestriers and walk straight on Rue d'Havré. On the right you have the Church of Saint-Nicolas-en-Havré 12. Rue d'Havré takes you back to the Grand Place. • Leave Rue de la Clef and continue on the left after the fountain and onto Rue de la Coupe. After 100 meters, leave the Herb Market. The street is now called Rue de la Grande Triperie and takes you to Caserne Major Sabbe 13, now Carré des Arts. Walk to the right. On the left you have the Convent of the Black Nuns 14. Turn left onto Rue du Grand Trou Oudart. You will arrive at a square surrounded by trees. On the left you see the site of the Old Slaughterhouses, the former slaughterhouse 15. Cross the square and enter the covered passage Parvis de Messines in the opposite corner. Walk right along the Church of Notre-Dame-deMessines 16 to Rue de Bertaimont. Go left, then right. After 100 meters you are at Place Nervienne and on the left you will see Casemates 17, the military warehouses and the bakery, dating from the Dutch era (1814-1830). Cross the square and enter Rue Henri Glépin in the opposite corner. On the left behind the hedge is the Beguinage 18 Chapel, the last vestige, still in Gothic style, of an old beguinage. Walk right on Place du Béguinage and then left on Rue Sainte-Dorothée. At the end of the street straight on rue des Bénédictines then right until the crossroads and again right in rue André Masquelier. On the left you see the Tour du Val-des-Ecoliers 19, last vestige of the abbey of the same name of the thirteenth century. Continue for 80 meters on rue Chisaire until rue Léopold II. Here turn left to Place Léopold and return to the train station.