City walk "the 10 inescapable" in Verviers

In neo-classical style, the Grand Theatre is a massive building, without embellishments, and seems to be carved out of a single block. Its main façade, topped by a long balustrade, features a monumental peristyle-terrace. The ground floor is made entirely of carved limestone with bosses; an entrance portico occupies three bays in the centre. On the second floor, five semicircular bays, separated by antique columns, illuminate the foyer. This building replaces the former theatre known as "la Bonbonnière" located in Place Verte, which was inaugurated in 1822. Why this change? There were two main reasons: to build bigger and, above all, to meet higher safety standards. When the project was born in the minds of the authorities, an architectural competition was launched. Thirty-one anonymous but titled projects were submitted. The project entitled "Will it happen? This was the project of the architect Thirion, who was to build the neighbouring building, "le Manège", almost in parallel. From its inauguration in 1892, shows, operas and operettas (Verviers had its own theatre company), musicals (including Annie Cordy and ourvil), concerts (with prestigious names) and music competitions were organised there. The most famous of these was the international 'Vieuxtemps' competition, a world-renowned composer and performer from Verviers, which attracted talented violinists from all over the world. Inside, a vast marble staircase of honour. On the side, the two staircases are horseshoe-shaped and the columns are neo-Corinthian. We also discover the busts of Henri Vieuxtemps and Roberto Benzi. This decoration was only visible to the wealthy. The present glass doors were made of wood. The common people entered through the barely visible wooden side doors and reached the "paradise" via blind staircases. The rich interior in the "Louis XIV" style (gilding, ceiling light) is quite well preserved. The ceiling is decorated with mythological representations by the Liège painter Berchmans. The theatre was the first in Belgium to be fully electrified. The large auditorium can accommodate 1,350 people. The Grand Théâtre de Verviers was listed in 2003 and has been included in the list of Wallonia's exceptional heritage since 2016.

The central station of Verviers was created in 1925, at a time when Verviers owes its prosperity to the wool industry. A more "central" station was therefore needed than the one in the west, with a direct line and above all a display of our prosperity, was built. The plans for the central station were drawn up by two architects: Charles Thirion and Emile Burguet. The latter continued the project alone after the death of his colleague in 1920. The building is inspired by the renaissance style and is characterised by the simplicity of the lines and the homogeneity of the architectural elements of the façade. The building is made of stone, but the facade on the street side is made of red brick, without decoration. On the facade, note the statues of the spinner and the weaver, two ancient trades linked to the work of wool! The front of the building is composed of a large arched bay window which illuminates the hall. A clock face set in an arched pediment with scrolls surmounts the whole covered by a broken pavilion roof. The windows, in the Art Nouveau style, are eye-catching and made of metal. At the entrance, inside the station, there is a bas-relief that recalls Jean de la Fontaine's fable "The Hare and the Tortoise". The hare is stuck in front of a barrier while the tortoise gets on the train.

The Société de l'Harmonie was created in 1829 by a Hervien in order to develop the musical presence in Verviers. This old lady, older than the Belgian state, had its premises near the Récollets. The musical meetings were a great success and were attended by rich industrialists. As the premises were not up to scratch, the bourgeoisie called on the Brussels architect Spaak to construct a new building, which was inaugurated in 1835. Henri Vieuxtemps, aged 15, played there. The simple neo-classical building has two levels with nine bays. From the outset, the building was already too small, and it was Thirion who added a wing on each side in 1859, as well as balustrades and vases crowning the façade. On the ground floor, the seven central bays form a portico with Doric columns. This supports the first floor with large bays also separated by Doric columns. They illuminate the great hall which is the centrepiece of the building. This hall has hosted and still hosts many receptions. It is here that all the Belgian kings passing through Verviers have been received.The park adjoining the building is very pleasant to walk through and has many rare species brought back by our woolgrowers, such as a sequoia and a ginkgo biloba, exceptional trees. It is surrounded by beautiful gates.In this green space, there is a magnificent kiosk in Moorish style. It was designed by Thirion, an architect from Verviers, and was inaugurated in 1854. It should be noted that it has a twin in Bruges. The building and the kiosk are classified as Walloon heritage; the park is managed by the Walloon Region.

Occupying an important place in the city of Verviers, the Wool and Fashion Tourist Centre occupies buildings built by the Nivelle family. In 1727, the factory passed into the hands of the Dethier family. From 1804 to 1806, Pierre-Henri enlarged the factory and built a private mansion (front part) and laid out a garden of 8,000 m². After various changes, in the middle of the 19th century, the property was bought by Mr. Bettonville. This family ran a fabric factory until 1970. In 1976, the city of Verviers bought the whole building with the idea of creating a Wool Museum. The "factory" part, in neo-classical style, is built on three levels around a large "L"-shaped inner courtyard. On the ground floor, it comprises a succession of arched French windows whose glazed transom is divided by small radiating timbers. A large arched doorway occupies two levels and reinforces the monumental character of the building. On the street side is the mansion. The CTLM, inaugurated in 1999, offers a show trail entitled "From yarn to fashion" showing the different stages of the wool and cloth production process during the glorious era of the Verviers wool industry. It also offers temporary exhibitions.

The statue was made by Joseph-Antoine Van den Kerkhove, known as Nelson. Doctor, philosopher, magistrate, promoter of civil marriage, founder of schools for workers to whom he was very close. He spoke to and taught the workers at the Gris-Gevris, teaching them to read, convinced that education must be given to all and is the best way to achieve freedom. Grégoire-Joseph Chapuis was born in Verviers in 1761. He learned his trade from his father, a master teacher, before obtaining his diploma. He was the first surgeon to perform a caesarean section in the Verviers region. He was also the officer in charge of the civil registry. This man who loved justice and solidarity, an advocate of political and social reform, was arrested, condemned for his ideas, summarily judged and executed, for "an example". Brought back from Liège, sitting on his coffin, he was decapitated on the Place du Sablon in Verviers. This square was to become the "Martyr's Square" in 1875. On 10 October 1880, the monument erected in memory of Chapuis was officially inaugurated by the liberal mayor Ortmans-Hauzeur. The work was carried out quickly because the event was to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. The monument consists of a four-metre high base made of Écaussines bluestone, topped by a bronze statue of the same height. The figure stands upright with his head turned towards the future and his legs slightly apart, revealing the blade that killed him. On the walls of the base, observe the inscriptions that reveal the values defended by Chapuis. In the absence of any representation of Chapuis' face, his features are said to be borrowed from his nephew Armand Wéber (whose resemblance everyone admits).

This imposing building has been listed as a Walloon heritage site since 7 August 1989 and is one of the emblematic symbols of the prosperity of Verviers thanks to its 19th century wool industry. The post office is the work of the Ghent architect Alphonse van Houtte, who completed it in 1909 after five years of work. For almost 60 years, it was the epicentre of the city's communications. Its style is a mixture of neo-gothic and renaissance, but the 'Flemish touch' can also be seen. Stone, and especially stone colours, are used extensively in the façades: blue stone for all the carved elements, sandstone for the masonry elements, green sandstone from the Gileppe for the base, pink sandstone from Andenne for the elevations. Numerous ornaments on the façade, figurative decorations or inscriptions, which indicate the various postal services, recall the original function of the building. Others refer to the inventions of the industrial century: light bulbs, electrical appliances, etc. Putti, i.e. medallions decorated with allegorical figures, complete this rich decoration. Two round and octagonal towers at the top frame the building. The smaller one measures 50 metres. Its larger sister is 80 metres high, the highest in our city. Originally, wires ran from the various houses connected to the top of the tower. To reach the Salle des pas perdus, you have to cross the majestic entrance porch, on which stand two heraldic lions bearing the coat of arms of the City of Verviers and the Province of Liège. The ground floor was used as a post office and the first floor as a telegraph and telephone office. Since January 2005, following the completion of restoration and rehabilitation work, it has housed the Forem offices.

The Ortmans fountain dates from 1893 and is the work of Clément Vivroux. Its dimensions, 15 by 13 metres, make it the largest wall fountain in the Province of Liege. It is located at the foot of the street of the same name, opened in 1885, the year of the death of Mayor Ortmans. Jean-François Ortmans, an industrialist specialising in dyeing, was mayor of Verviers from 1855 to 1885. His name is linked to the construction of the Gileppe dam and to the creation of the industrial and domestic water supply in our city, one of the first in Belgium. The tribute and thanks of the town and the population are expressed through this monument. Two commemorative slabs, on either side of the bust of the mayor, remind us of this.  On the pediment, the city of Verviers, represented by a lady, stands next to a lion, symbol of strength. The lady holds a piece of cloth in her right hand, evoking the city's textile industry. Several elements recall water: sculpted shells, the amphorae on either side and the ashlar base, interrupted by sculpted bands imitating water curtains. The bust of Jean-François Ortmans is set in a shell-shaped alcove and the whole is surrounded by two pairs of columns.

For centuries, the first parish church, St. Remacle, stood next to the building representing the municipal government. It gave a poor impression of the prosperity of our town and, at the end of the 18th century, stood out next to our new town hall. In addition, the building was in poor condition. After long discussions and controversy concerning the location, plans and choice of architect for the construction of a new church, Raymond Biolley, a wealthy industrialist and well-known notable, took matters into his own hands and called on Jean-Pierre Crémer, an architect from Aix. This perhaps explains the "Protestant temple" look of the building. It is a reproduction of a large Roman basilica, as the neo-classicals liked to do at the beginning of the 19th century, made of white limestone from the Verviers region. Four half-columns support the entablature of the central portico, which is widely opened by a central arch. It looks like a Roman triumphal arch. The façade is decorated with four statues placed during the centenary (1938). The square is ten metres deep. The 43-metre high, two-storey tower gives a massive appearance. It is topped by a dome with a copper cross. The clock dates from 1845. The side facades are made of brick. Inside, the choir is impressive: an imposing marble high altar surrounded by four large statues in French stone representing the "fathers" of the church (Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory and Jerome); oak choir stalls, paintings on the ceiling and sides. The side and back altars are leaning against the pillar supporting the rood screen. The statue of St. Severus, patron saint of weavers, was a must in a town that had been devoted to textiles for so long. The pulpit is an important piece of solid carved oak. Three statues form an interesting ensemble: Saint-Raymond and Saint-Edouard presenting Saint-Remacle with a plan of the church. The church of St Remacle is now increasingly becoming a cultural venue where concerts are held.

The Edouard de Biolley Hotel, built in the second half of the 18th century in the Louis XV style, bears the name of its patron. It is made of brick and also uses Meuse limestone. The front façade has three levels and seven bays. The building was extended in 1860 in the Empire style, which was very fashionable at the time. This extension consisted of the addition of a grandstand, made of stone, used by the Biolley family for parties, parades and processions. A balcony, a third floor and the right-hand portal were also added.At the rear, the building has three levels and five bays. A porch with six columns was added later.Edouard de Biolley, Raymond's younger brother, lived in this building. Raymond lived a few steps away from his brother, on Place Sommeleville. Together they ran the family business, whose buildings extended behind the houses. The Biolley family, originally from Haute-Savoie, played an important role in Verviers. Businessmen (but also women), powerful and wealthy, some played an important role in municipal and even national politics.

Until 1775, the seat of the local government stood, more or less on the same site, a massive building of the “halle” type similar to the meat hall that still exists in Liège, but with one storey. During the 18th century, Verviers prospered thanks to wool work and its population continued to grow. The authorities then decided to build a town hall commensurate with its wealth.The Liège architect Jacques-Barthélemy Renoz, known at the time for many projects, was chosen. He built this building in the style of the period, the neo-classical. Total symmetry, exterior and interior, decorations without frills and the use of iron. The façade consists of a three-bayed forecourt flanked by two wings, with staircases, also comprising three bays each.The windows on the two levels are different; those on the first level, surmounted by a drapery and a powerful weeping canopy, are round, while those on the second level, surmounted by a key adorned with a mascaron and supporting a laurel wreath, are rectangular.The curved upper pediment bears the coat of arms of the city, surrounded by garlands of laurels and framed by two toddlers (one carrying a shuttle, the other a thistle, two emblems of the wool industry). Below the pediment, the inscription added at the request of Pierre David, the first mayor after the independence of our country, “Publicity, safeguard of the people”, means that making public the meetings of the communal council protects the people.An octagonal bell tower crowns the building, with a clock dial, surmounted by a radial sphere.