Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Tongeren (Belgium). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek, Gallo-Roman Museum, and Stadhuis. Also, be sure to include Sint-Maternuskerk in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Tongeren (Vlaanderen).
Table of Contents
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek
Also known as: Basilique Notre-Dame de Tongres
Basilica in Tongeren, Belgium. The Basilica of Our Lady also called Old Cathedral of Tongeren It is the main place of Catholic worship in the city of Tongeren, Belgium and the former cathedral of the suppressed diocese of Tongeren.
The basilica was built in the Gothic style, according to the local interpretation of the Gothic Brabant, in the thirteenth century.
In recent excavations where this church found some of the richest archaeological finds of Flanders. Archaeological excavations have shown the presence of a construction area already present in the fourth century and a house of prayer Carolingian Catholic dating from the ninth century.
The construction of the present church choir began in 1240. The ships, the transept and the side chapels were added between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries.
The original Romanesque bell tower was replaced by the current Gothic tower, measuring 64 meters high, built between 1442 and 1541.
The interior of the basilica houses the image of Our Lady of Tongeren, dating from 1475. The treasure is in the old chapter and includes one of the richest collections of Catholic religious art in Belgium.
In 1999, the belfry of the basilica was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a part of the Belfries of Belgium and France site, as testimony to its importance in civic (rather than religious) functions (like its role as a watch-tower) and its Gothic architecture.[1]
Address: Grote Markt, Tongeren
Gallo-Roman Museum
Also known as: Musée gallo-romain de Tongres
Museum in Tongeren, Belgium. The Gallo-Roman Museum is an archeological museum in Tongeren. It is dedicated to the prehistorical times and Roman age of the region in South East Flanders. The museum was established in 1954 and received its modern building in 1994. In 2011, it was awarded as the European Museum of the Year.[2]
Address: Kielenstraat 15, 3700 Tongeren
Stadhuis
City hall
Address: Stadhuisplein 2, Tongeren
Sint-Maternuskerk
Church
Address: 10 Cottalaan, Tongeren
Sint-Jozef
Church
Address: 199;203 Henisstraat, Tongeren
Sint-Gilliskerk
Church