SECOND WORLD WAR FIRST WORLD WAR Explore Hitler’s secret hideout Uncover poignant stories of conflict and go on the trail of the battle and comradeship at ruined fortresses of the Bulge and moving memorials (© Bastogne War Museum) © Fort Loncin WALLONIA IN THE WARS EXPLORE THE WATERLOO BATTLEFIELD Follow in the footsteps of Napoleon and Wellington at a place that changed the course of history 02 / WELCOME / WALLONIA BELGIUM TOURISM WALLONIA BELGIUM TOURISM / WELCOME / 03 Welcome UNCOVER A WEALTH OF WARTIME HISTORY IN SCENIC SOUTHERN BELGIUM xploring Wallonia’s wooded hills and rolling fields dotted E with farmhouses, it’s hard to imagine a more peaceful spot. Yet, dig a little deeper and you’ll quickly discover that these tranquil forests and farmlands hide a wealth of secret wartime history. It was in Wallonia that Napoleon’s army – hellbent on victory, yet destined for disaster – finally met its match at Waterloo. It was in Wallonia that the very first and very last British soldiers died on the western front during the First World War. And it was in Wallonia that Hitler’s last big chance to crush and conquer Europe was finally thwarted. All of this turbulent history is still very much alive here. Whether visiting a major museum or stopping P. 04 P. 11 P. 16 by a remote hamlet, you’ll find passionate locals eager to share NAPOLEON’S WATERLOO SUNSET REFLECT AND REMEMBER GERMANY’S LAST GAMBLE their region’s stories, both tragic and Napoleonic Wars First World War Second World War heroic. From farmhouses pockmarked Be transported to the heart of the Uncover poignant stories of conflict Explore the Ardennes forest on the trail with bullet holes, to rifles embedded battle at Waterloo and comradeship at Ploegsteert of the battle of the Bulge in tree roots, history is hard-wired into the landscape here. All that’s waiting is for you to come and P. 06 P. 12 P. 18 discover it. A FIERCELY DEFENDED FORTRESS GO UNDERGROUND BRITISH BRAVERY AT THE BULGE First World War Second World War Second World War Discover Belgium’s troubled history of Embark on a subterranean adventure Discover how British troops helped halt invasion at the devastated fort of Loncin in a Second World War stronghold Hitler’s advance in the Ardennes P. 08 P. 14 P. 20 “HISTORY IS HARD- EXPERIENCE THE BATTLE OF MONS HITLER’S SECRET HIDEOUT ANNUAL EVENTS First World War Second World War A run-down of selected historical WIRED INTO THE Dinant – Learn about the start and end Unearth the hidden history of the village re-enactments that Wallonia plays strength in wartime, of Britain’s war at the place that that became the Nazis’ Belgian HQ host to every year LANDSCAPE HERE” beauty in peacetime witnessed both 04 / WATERLOO / WALLONIA BELGIUM TOURISM WALLONIA BELGIUM TOURISM / WATERLOO / 05 A FLASH POINT FOR FIGHTING Follow in the footsteps of Wellington and Napoleon BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HEART OF THE BATTLE AT WATERLOO n 18 June 1815, two of history’s Gilt-framed oil paintings magically The evocative greatest military commanders spring to life, while regimental drums An exhibit from the Ligny Museum Hougoumont Farm O went head to head in a battle hide engaging interactive displays. that was to change the course March up a sloped gallery between of history. The site of this world- soldiers from the opposing armies When visiting Waterloo, be sure changing event? A quiet field just – decked out in pristine, brightly to make a stop-off at Hougoumont south of Brussels, called Waterloo. coloured uniforms – and you’ll find farm. This 16th-century redbrick yourself in a 3D cinema. In an eye- farmstead witnessed one of the Fresh from a victorious battle at poppingly immersive film, you’ll be battle’s most famous and blood- Ligny (commemorated today with transported right into the middle of soaked show-downs. Defended a fascinating museum), Napoleon’s the blood-soaked, mud-splattered by Wellington’s Allied troops, imperial army was carving out a battlefield. Just be ready to duck for Hougoumont came under a furious route across Belgium cover when cavalry assault from Napoleon’s men. intent on capturing men thunder out of the the capital. But at “CLIMB THE 226 screen towards you. When they finally managed to Waterloo, they were break in, it seemed that all was intercepted by a STEPS UP THE Elsewhere, you can lost for the defenders holed British-led Allied even pop on a pair of up inside. However, the tables army, commanded by LION’S MOUND virtual reality goggles were turned when the door was brilliant strategist and join the Duke of barricaded once more, trapping the Duke of Wellington. FOR TRULY Wellington to watch the French attackers inside. The Prussian army the conflict unfolding under Field Marshal SPECTACULAR from all angles. Keen By the end of the frenzied Blücher joined the fight to discover more about hand-to-hand fighting, the soon after. VIEWS ACROSS the duke himself? A battle plan on display at the cornered French troops had been Then head over to the top of the Lion’s Mound slaughtered. Only one young Weary and THE EXPANSIVE fascinating Wellington drummer boy was left alive. outnumbered, Museum in town. It’s Napoleon was out of BATTLEFIELD” housed in the original Today, an impressive multimedia his depth. By the end inn that served as the film in the farm’s barn recounts of the day, tens of thousands lay dead British commander’s headquarters the dramatic assault in vivid or wounded, and one of Europe’s most during the battle. detail. Those keen to immerse formidable forces had finally been themselves in the building’s brought to his knees. Back out on the battlefield, climb the history for longer can even stay 226 steps up the Lion’s Mound for overnight, in an apartment run by Wellington’s victory at Waterloo has truly spectacular views across the the Landmark Trust. gone down in the history books, so it’s expansive battlefield stretching out no surprise that today the battlefield is below. The 40-metre tall hill was built a popular tourist spot. Opened to mark in 1823-6 to mark the spot where the bicentenary of the battle in 2015, Allied general William of Orange The Waterloo 1815 museum takes an was hit by a musket ball. It’s topped extraordinarily modern approach to the by a cast iron lion – intended as a Mémorial 1815 – an historical past, using cutting-edge interactive symbol of peace in Europe – staring site that transports visitors exhibits and multimedia experiences to imperiously across to Napoleon’s back to the battle of Waterloo bring the battle to life. vanquished homeland. 06 / WWI / WALLONIA BELGIUM TOURISM 1914 INVASION: Explore a fiercely OTHER PLACES defended fortress TO EXPLORE DISCOVER BELGIUM’S TROUBLED HISTORY OF INVASION AT THE RUINS OF LONCIN FORT Namur Citadel (c) WBT Anibal Trejo n August 1914, the commander After raining down more than 15,000 of Loncin fort gave his men an shells on the Loncin and failing to Straddling the Meuse River, the Iunequivocal order. Under no breach its defences, the Germans historic town of Dinant is best circumstances, he instructed them, turned up the pressure. known as the home of Adolf Sax, should they ever surrender. Standing inventor of the saxophone, and the at Loncin’s seemingly impenetrable In the fort’s museum is an artillery beer-brewing Notre-Dame de Leffe entrance – flanked by gun barrels and shell bigger than a man and weighing Abbey. Above the town, a cable car a medieval-style drawbridge – it’s easy more than 800kg. It was one of takes visitors up to an impressive to see how his men would have agreed these monstrous shells, fired from citadel. But back in August 1914, enthusiastically, convinced that no a brand new “Big Bertha” gun, that this peaceful town was devastated amount of German firepower could finally broke Loncin. Landing on a by bloody fighting between penetrate their indestructible defences. storeroom packed with gunpowder, it German and French forces. wrought utter destruction. When it was built between 1888 and Believing Dinant to be home 1892, this triangular ditched fort was Today, all that remains of the side of to resistance fighters, German cutting-edge. Not only was Loncin built the fort which witnessed the explosion troops carried out one of the from concrete rather than masonry is a huge crater. Lying haphazardly Artefacts recovered most shocking massacres of (and also topped with around it are mammoth at Loncin fort the war, executing 674 unarmed four solid metres of the hunks of concrete, which civilians. Six other Belgian towns stuff), it even boasted “YOU WILL were catapulted into the – including Visé, Andenne and electricity and showers. air before raining down Tamines – suffered the same fate DISCOVER A again on the 350 Belgian A memorial to in the summer of 1914. In the attached soldiers trapped within. those who lost museum, a myriad SITE OF SUCH their lives at Loncin Head north along the river Meuse, of small personal Covered with grass and you’ll reach the picturesque effects found during DEVASTATION IT and moss, the blasted town of Namur, where visitors excavations there – fort looks like analien browse art galleries and bustle coins, pipes, a wedding WILL TAKE YOUR crash landing, its around the tenth-century citadel. ring – give an insight belly ripped open like On 21 August 1914, Namur too into what everyday life BREATH AWAY” a bizarre manmade was hit by the war, bombarded was like in the fort.