Namur (city)

Namur (Namen in Dutch) is the capital of the region of Wallonia in southern Belgium. It is also the chief town of the province of Namur. A city having 106,767 people (2005), it stands at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers at coordinates {{coor dm|50|28|N|4|52|E|}}. Namur occupies a total area of 175.69 km² which gives a population density of 607.69 inhabitants per km². The municipality of Namur straddles three different regions - Hesbaye to the north, Condroz to the south-east and Entre Sambre et Meuse to the south-west. The language spoken is French.

Culture and sights

Namur has taken on a new role as the capital of the federal region of Wallonia. Its location at the head of the Ardennes has also made it a popular tourist centre, with a casino located in its southern district on the left bank of the Meuse.

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The town's most prominent sight is the citadel, now demilitarised and open to the public. It plays host to a beer festival at Easter. Namur also has a distinctive 18th century cathedral dedicated to Saint Aubain.

Related Topics:
Beer - Easter - Saint Aubain

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An odd Namurois custom is the annual Combat de l'Échasse d'Or (Fight for the Golden Stilt), held on the third Sunday in September. Two teams, the Mélans and the Avresses, dress in medieval clothes while standing on stilts and do battle in one of the town's principal squares.

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Namur possesses a distinguished university, the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, founded in 1831.

Related Topics:
University - 1831

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