Museum of the city of Herstal

The museum of the city of Herstal is housed in a remarkable mansion built in 1664 by the Lovinfosse family. The house was fully classified at the beginning of the 20th century and has retained the character of the Mosan architecture: construction in sand-lime brick, Meuse limestone and bricks, cornerstones, sloping roof with steep slopes and stained glass windows. The refinement of the interior offers the visitor a pleasant surprise: ceilings with voussettes, large chimneys decorated with sculpted stones, bricks from a historic fireplace, Delftware, plates in blue stones from Dinant, oak floors.

In this setting, the city of Herstal presents a rich and varied collection that tells the story of the iron and coal city since its prehistoric origins. A beautiful place has been created for the Pepinids, especially Charlemagne and the Carolingian period, who have made Herstal a political center of the first order, at the origin of the Carolingian Empire.

Herstal is also and above all the city of iron and coal: reconstructions, slideshow, tools, old photos and exceptional pieces illustrate crafts and know-how of the past (miners, hardware, blacksmiths, founders, gunsmiths, engravers, watchmakers). One of the most beautiful pieces of the museum is four motorcycles from the workshops FN, Saroléa, Gillet and Brondoit, representative of what was called “The Young Ladies of Herstal” at the beginning of the twentieth century.

You will also be able to discover the works of famous artists from Herstal: the Jehotte family, Henri Daco, Richard Heintz, Fanny Germeau, Joseph Rulot, Jules Brouns ….

OGroups

The museum of the city of Herstal offers guided walks for groups of up to 20 people to discover the heritage of Herstal. Only by appointment. Price: € 60 per trip.

“Herstal in 1900“: In the footsteps of childhood memories of the medieval Rita Lejeune (Licourt Marexhe district)

“Route of a child of Herstal“: Herstal in the 1930s in the footsteps of the memories of René Henoumont (from La Préalle to the library of René Henoumont)

“In the footsteps of Charlemagne“: Route between the different places full of history and folklore around the Carolingians (from the Preall to the museum)

“Herstal, city of iron and coal“: the rich history of Herstal has left many traces and the current economic activities flourish. Starting from the location of a Merovingian residence, our walk takes us to civil and religious buildings from the 8th to the 21st century. We will call the past, present and future industrial and social of the city: coal mines, foundries, arms factories, bicycles, cars, motorcycles, …

“At the top of the landfills of Belle-Vue and Bernalmont“: discover the last remnants of the mining in Herstal, these piles of waste recolonised by nature and which offer us a special biodiversity.

JSchools

The Museum of the city of Herstal offers guided tours on request, guided tours with video guide, specific animations on request (demonstration of blacksmiths, foundry, engraving on weapons, etc.), guided walks and walks on the coal tip.

KFamilies

The Museum of the city of Herstal offers guided tours on request and guided tours with video. During active holidays, during the spring and summer holidays, courses are organized on different themes: comics, pottery, dolls, forge and foundry, etc.