Liège gets a fresh start with art
The Belgian city of Liège has left its shoddy small-town image behind and reinvented itself as a cultural metropolis. In May, the city will open a new art museum which will cooperate with the Louvre in Paris.
Futuristic calling card
Liège's spectacular train station, designed by Spanish star architect Santiago Calatrava, is a cathedral for travelers. The construction of the Liège-Guillemins station in 2009 marked the start of a new future for the eastern Belgian city, one that swaps mining for culture.
Flagship of change
Forty meters Overhead, the station's massive glass roof swells gracefully over the tracks, resembling an insect's wings. And yet, the 200-meter (650-foot) arch contains 10,000 tons of steel. Seeing the roof in person makes the trip worth it.
Old makes way for new
The new tower housing the finance ministry pokes its way into the view between older buildings reminiscent of Liège's past. With its mirrored windows, the skyscraper seems as if it's been airlifted straight from Qatar. The older buildings, meanwhile, will have to make way for a new esplanade between the train station and the Meuse River, the site of the future Musée La Boverie.
Prestige project
The Musée La Boverie will open to the public on May 5 on an idyllic island between the Meuse River and a canal. Built for the World's Fair in 1905, the palace has been extensively restored and extended with an glass showcase designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti. In addition to the city's art collection, it will house high-profile special exhibitions from the Louvre.
Partnership with the Louvre
The new museum is quite the coup for Liege: the world's most famous museum will use the space to display parts of its collection, and in turn will support the city with the planning of its own exhibitions. The partnership with the Louvre will cost Liege only 50,000 euros (about $55,000) a year - but the benefits will be enormous.
Investing in culture
Liège has been investing in culture and architecture over the last decade, to the tune of around 500 million euros (around $550 million). Half came from municipal and regional sources, while the other half was contributed by the European Union. Seen here is the 374-step stairway, the Montagne de Bueren, a well-known tourist attraction.
Tradition on display
Also new in Liège is the Curtius Museum, with its 8,000 square meters (86,000 square feet) of exhibition space. It's home to items related to the city's history, assembled from five other museums. Among other things, the museum houses sections for archeology, handicrafts, old weapons, and Mosan art native to the area. The museum itself is named after 17th-century weapons dealer Johann Curtius.
Tour through history
Curtius' private house is also part of the museum. The buildings are decorated with carvings depicting fables and satirical stories - a collection that takes visitors on a chronological tour through more than 7,000 years of art and history.
Opera overhaul
The Opéra Royal de Wallonie, one of Belgium's three major opera houses, opened in 1820. It was also given a fresh face, with a modernization of its performance space and backstage area. Italian operas from the 19th century are its focus: Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. The opera house is one of Europe's largest.
The city of Liège, in eastern Belgium, has left its shoddy small-town image behind and reinvented itself as a cultural metropolis. In May, the city will open a new art museum which will cooperate with the Louvre in Paris. DW takes a tour.