Linger in Mons, Belgium An Insider`s Guide to Exploring Mons in 8

No Car Required
Mons is ringed by roads that were once the walls of the city. To facilitate traffic in the many narrow streets
of the town’s older sections, free buses circulate from 7:00am to 9:00 pm Monday to Saturday. Four different routes are available, all of them stopping at Place Leopold, located across the train station.
Mons is only 50 minutes by train from Brussels, with 2 going every hour.
Be on top of Mons
A singular monument and the symbol of Mons, the belfry ❶ was built in the 17th century, after the collapse of the bell tower. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is classically decorated with Bray sandstone
walls, embellishments and pilasters of blue stone. The height of the Belfry is especially appreciated by visitors who climb all 366 steps to the top of the structure.
Meet the Monkey
The Town Hall ❺ was constructed during the second half of the 15th C.
and retains an accentuated Gothic style, strongly resembling the Collegiate
Church of Sainte Waudru. The archway in the middle of the town hall leads to
a small garden known as the Mayor’s Garden containing the bronze “Ropieur”
fountain. The door handle and lock ❹ is worth admiring for its outstanding
craftsmanship. On the façade of the Town Hall, the Monkey of the Great
Guard, whose origin is unknown, is now a symbol of the city. Touch his head
with your left hand and you will find happiness for at least a year.
The construction of the present Collegiate Church of Sainte Waudru started in 1450, with the transept
Check out our bling :
completed in 1527. The church is laid out in the form of a Latin cross with 29 chapels around the main
the Golden Chariot
nave, transept and choir. The shrine of Saint Waltrude, the patron saint of Mons, and the reliquary are exposed as well as the Golden Chariot, which every Trinity Sunday, are paraded across the city’s center.
The objective of the Mundaneum, created by two Belgian lawyers Paul Otlet & Henri La Fontaine, was to
put all the knowledge of the world together. The archives, an impressive amount of documents spread
See why Google “ain’t
among 50 rooms, can be searched (by prior request). In March 2012, Google announced a new venture
got nothing on us”
with the Mundaneum. The Museum of Decorative Arts Francois Duesberg, hosted in a former bank, is
devoted to neo-classical objects from 1775 to 1825 with an impressive collection of time-pieces.
Live a Live Tradition
Be our Guest
The Ducasse de Mons, or Doudou is a popular festival that originated in the Middle ages. The eight-day
festival starts the weekend of Trinity Sunday (57 days after Easter). There are four key episodes : The descent of the cask holding the relics of the Holy Lady Waltrude, The Procession, Ascent of the Golden
Chariot & the combat know as the Lumeçon. It is recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral
and Intangible Heritage of Humanity since November 2005
Infotel is located next to the Grand Place, the most happening part of Mons. The Grand Place is home to
several charming restaurants and cafes, like La Table du Boucher or No Maison and it comes alive in
the evenings. Hotel Lido & St James are only a ten minute walk from the Grand Place.
In 2015, Mons will be The European Capital of Culture. The BAM (Mons Fine Arts) ❷ will have an
international exhibition on Van Gogh. The painter lived in Mons for a year and his house can still be visited. Projects will be exhibited in all the museums of Mons and also at the MAC's – Musée des Arts Contemporains. Located outside Mons, in a former industrial mining complex built up as a utopian factory
town by a revolutionary industrialist, it boasts the works of the most contemporary artists, in a series of
temporary exhibitions. www.mons2015.eu
2012 Events : June 3 –10 : Ritual Ducasse of Mons /June 3-12 : World festival of Folklore in Saint-Ghislain/ July 1 : Collegiate Church concerts/ July 1-15:
Festival at the Carre / July 12-15 : Dour Music Festival / September 08: Annual Heritage Day/ October 29 to January 15, 2013 : European ceramics and glass
Triennial /December 14 –31 : Christmas market / February 15-22, 2013: International Love Film Festival /March 22-24, 2013 : Ducasse of Messines
WWI : Mons was the site of the first battle fought by the British Army in World War I on August 23th and 24th, 1914. The British were forced to retreat
and the town was occupied by the Germans, until its liberation by the Canadian Corps during the final days of the war. Multiple events will take place in
2014 for the 100 year commemoration. More details in our WWI flyer
www.visitbelgium.com
Tourist Office of Mons—Grand Place, 22
Open every day except 11/11, 12/25,
12/26, 01/01 & 01/02
Monday– Saturday : 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday & holidays : 11 am to 5 pm
All pictures provided by WBT— This flyer highlight noteworthy information about Mons and is by no means a comprehensive list . Nothing in this brochure shall bind the BTO in any contract or obligation and remains informal
❶ Belfry
❷ BAM (Mons Fine Arts)
Linger in
Mons, Belgium
An Insider’s Guide to Exploring Mons in
8- to 48-hours
Mons, just 1-hour train ride from Brussels, was called “une ville
fort curieuse “ (a very strange town) by Victor Hugo, 19th century
French novelist and author of “Les Miserables”. By night, be enchanted by Mons’ “whimsical buildings” and the mysterious ringing
of the bells from the belfries above. By day, discover the rich mix
of architectural styles and the beauty of the Town Hall, the winding, narrow streets, gracious brick town houses and powerful fortifications. The romance of Mons remains unspoiled today – come
and see for yourself!
❹
Door handle and Lock –Townhall
❺
❸
Battle of Lumeçon
Grand Place & Town Hall